7 | Richard Sowada (SKFF Festival Director)

Today’s guest is Richard Sowada, the Festival Director of the St Kilda Film Festival. In this episode, Richard shares his insights on submitting films to Academy-accredited festivals such as the St Kilda Film Festival. He discusses his programming approach, describing how he identifies the “islands” that begin to emerge from more than 900 submissions, and explains why filmmakers should focus on making the opening three minutes—or roughly the first 30%—of their film as compelling as possible.The St Kilda Film Festival returns 4 - 14 June 2026. More information can be found at www.stkildafilmfestival.com.auChapters00:00 - Introduction00:05 - First Job in the Industry02:43 - Programming the St Kilda Film Festival08:20 - Unique SKFF Venues & Focus on Audience09:25 - Tips When Submitting to Academy-Accredited Film Festivals15:17 - What Contributes to a Thriving Film Festival20:55 - Building Connections with Filmmakers22:10 - Wrap UpIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, please subscribe and follow us on Instagram and Facebook for all the updates. If you’d like to get involved and have specific questions for our guests, feel free to send us your questions, and we’ll look to include them in future episodes. Be sure to tell your friends and consider leaving us a review and rating to help spread the word.  Thanks for listening.Submissions for AIFF26 close 12 June 2026. Enter SOFTSTICKS for 30% off the entry fee. The Soft Sticks Podcast is presented by the Adelaide Independent Film Festival and is hosted by Tom Kerby.This episode was edited and mixed by Melissa Pons. You can find her latest work here. For more information, please visit our website or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. This conversation was recorded in the St Kilda Town Hall at the St Kilda Film Festival. Not a member of Australia’s only subscription based cinema and screen industry support organisation? Sign up today via themercury.org.au/subscriptions About AIFFThe Adelaide Independent Film Festival (AIFF) is an annual celebration of short films, proudly presented in two beloved cinemas in the festival state of South Australia. The 2026 Adelaide Independent Film Festival will take place between 3 - 4 October at the heritage-listed Capri Theatre and The Mercury.