Swan Perth International Women’s Film festival takes flight
The Swan Perth International Women in Film Festival (Swan PIWIFF) will mark its fifth anniversary this October, with a diverse program featuring 50 shorts and documentaries, two feature films, industry discussions and a champagne-clinking awards night.
Running from Wednesday, October 14, to Sunday, October 18, the festival will take place at Luna Leederville, The Backlot, SAE University College and the Tribe Hotel.
Established in 2022, the festival began as Perth’s only locally run women-focused film festival. The festival aims to champion female-identifying filmmakers from around the world while supporting local talent from Western Australia. Over the years, Swan PIWIFF has continued its annual event, attracting established filmmakers, emerging artists and film enthusiasts alike.
Headlining this year’s festival will be the world premiere of the South Australian documentary Drift Her, which explores Australia’s first all-female drift crew, The Glitter Gang, and their efforts to create a safe space for women in motorsport.
The film will be screened as a double feature alongside the Perth-made short documentary Life We’ve Known, which explores the concept of matrescence—the significant physical and social transformation of motherhood.
The remainder of the festival’s program will be divided into curated sessions, giving audiences the chance to discover films from a wide range of genres, styles and countries. Dahlia Night will showcase dark-themed suspense thrillers and horror shorts, while Beetroot Shorts will bring together off-beat short films from around the globe.
With its mix of international films, local stories, documentaries, emerging filmmakers and opportunities to hear directly from creatives through panel discussions, Swan PIWIFF’s fifth anniversary program looks set to continue the festival’s focus on providing a platform for female-identifying filmmakers and celebrating the diversity of independent cinema.
The Swan Perth International Women in Film Festival runs from Wednesday, October 14 to Sunday, October 18, 2026. For the full program and to purchase tickets, visit swanfilmfestival.org
