Veterans Film Festival

Red Poppy Awards for Best Short Film, Best Feature Film and Best Animation were presented at the Opening Night of the Red Poppy Film Festival at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, before a screening of the recipients' moving stories.

There are many we wish to thank for their generous support — without whom this Red Poppy Film Festival simply would not be possible. Your commitment to storytelling, culture, and community impact is what brings this event to life.

Our 2026 Red Poppy Film Festival runs from 6-8 March with unmissable stories of courage, resilience and sacrifice. Entry is free to past or serving ADF members.

New Life // 3min // Animation // 2022 // Australia Director: Mark Bernard Following a young person shaped by war and personal adversity, learning to cope with pain, and searching for a way forward. A story about healing, hope, and the power of a new beginning.

The Gift of a Second Wind // 52min // Documentary // 2024 // France Director: Laurent Etchamendy The film addresses a topic of great human and social impact through the lens of sport: the physical and psychological rehabilitation of soldiers wounded in operations abroad once they return home.

Sound of the Somme // 12min // Short Drama // 2025 // Belgium Director: Michaël Vermaercke Sound of the Somme tells the true story of the last day in the journal of 20-year-old bagpiper James C Richardson that awarded him the Victoria Cross, for his bravery and action during the Battle of the Somme in WWI.