The art of storytelling will take centre stage once again as the 11th Benalla National & International Short Film Festival returns on Sunday, 9 November, promising a vibrant showcase of creativity, culture and community spirit.

Held at Benalla Cinema, the festival will feature a Premiere and Award Ceremony at 3pm, followed by a public screening at 6pm.

This year, 87 films were submitted, with 10 shortlisted by a distinguished judging panel.

The selection includes entries from Iran and the USA, offering international flair for global film enthusiasts.

The films span a variety of themes, from a woman conquering the surf to the pursuit of a dream job, and range in length from three to 14 minutes.

Festival organisers are proud to announce that Benalla Shorts has been nominated for the Victoria Community Achievement Award for the second consecutive year, a testament to its growing impact and recognition across the state.

The film festival's judging panel includes industry veterans: Bruce Hunt Hughes, whose career began on the London stage and flourished in Australian film and television, with credits including A Country Practice, Blue Heelers, Halifax FP, and Netflix’s The Portable Door; and Krista Vendy, returning for her fifth year as judge, who is known for her role as Teresa 'Tess' Bell on Neighbours, and has appeared in both Australian and American productions such as Blue Heelers, Leverage and The Incredible Hulk.

Returning for his second year to judge the event, Bruce said it’s always a challenge to select the finalists.

“It's so hard because you can be comparing a really serious film with a comedy, both which have completely different criteria’s,” he said.

“We’re very happy with the films we have selected, but also a little unhappy for the ones that couldn’t be included.”

Bruce said attendees can expect a diverse range of genres and styles.

“We have quite a mix of extraordinary films this year,” he said.

Bruce said short films have the power to foster empathy and break down prejudice by connecting audiences to individual stories from around the world.

“The films help people connect with their emotions and the stories on the screen," he said.

"We see big events on the news all the time of of terrible things but a film allows you to see a person's story and connect to them as a human, breaking through our differences.

"It's deeply engaging and can break down peoples really generalised prejudices."

Benalla Shorts is the grand finale of the Benalla Festival program.

Tickets start at $15 and are available at http://www.benallacinema.com.