Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch, the Southern Hemisphere's first disability-led screen festival, returns to Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley from 22 to 24 October 2026 with over 25 short films made by, with or for disabled and neurodivergent people from Australia, the United Kingdom, Spain, Argentina, France and Canada. The free program spans comedy, animation, documentary and experimental film, alongside the Consensus creative workshop exploring identity and belonging through multiple art forms.
Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch (SDSW), the first disability-led screen festival in the Southern Hemisphere, returns to Nuriootpa in South Australia's Barossa region from 22 to 24 October 2026.
This year's program features over 25 short films from six countries, made by, with or for people with disability and neurodivergent people. Thirteen of the films are Australian, joined by works from the United Kingdom, Spain, Argentina, France and Canada.
The program is free and ranges from slapstick comedy and stop-motion animation to documentary, experimental film and dystopian sci-fi. The films explore grief, resilience, independence and connection, and ask audiences to see people beyond stereotypes.
Highlights include James Di Martino's Baby, about a young woman with Down syndrome determined to become a mother; Ray Jacobs' Our Circle in the Storm, which follows disabled climate refugees caught in a devastating storm; and Bruno's Wings, an animated film from Argentina exploring autism. Closer to home, Rebecca Eglinton's Pieces of Memories, a digital animation fashioned in a charcoal style, invites viewers to reflect on the journey of the German settlers who came to the Barossa.
Lighter moments come from the Adelaide egg-shortage comedy The Humble Egg and Gan Canny, a dead funny tale of grief, grudges and Geordie culture. Line-ups change from session to session, so each screening offers a different mix of stories.
Alongside the films, SDSW presents Consensus, a free creative workshop that asks participants: how do you want to be counted? Working with the SDSW creative team and guest artists Capital Waste Pictures, participants will explore identity, belonging and community through drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, digital media and animation. Their individual artworks will be turned into short animations and combined into one larger collaborative screen work. No arts experience is needed, and sessions are designed to be flexible and accessible.
The 2026 festival is SDSW's seventh biennial edition. It is led by learning disabled and neurodivergent artists and filmmakers, and puts disabled creatives at the centre of its screen program, creative activities and leadership, so they are making, presenting and leading screen culture rather than simply being the subject of stories about disability.
SDSW Chairperson Sarah Egarr said:
"Fifteen years after SDSW began, we remain committed to our mission: giving storytellers a screen festival rather than a label. My brain simply works differently from other people’s, and I choose not to label myself. SDSW are proud to be regionally based, and in 2026 we are excited to host three days of films from Australia and around the world here in the Barossa Valley”
Past participants say the festival has changed their creative lives. "Through the festival I went on to win awards at international film festivals in Berlin, Canada and the UK," said filmmaker James Kurtze.
"I still make films and now make video games and 3D film and VR. All this is because of Tutti and SDSW."
"If it didn't exist, I would never have learnt how to use the internet, and how to mix music on the iPad… I've grown confidence and independence," said James Bull.
Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch Screen Festival 2026
22–24 October, 10am–7pm (public program)
Nuriootpa Soldiers Memorial Hall, 46 Murray Street, Nuriootpa SA 5355
More information: sitdownshutupandwatch.com
Free. Screenings are open to everyone; Consensus workshops require booking via Humanitix.
About Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch
Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch (SDSW) is the first disability-led screen festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Based in Nuriootpa in South Australia's Barossa region and led by learning disabled and neurodivergent artists and filmmakers, SDSW was established as a committee in 2011 and delivered its first festival in 2014. The festival is presented biennially. SDSW's Instagram and LinkedIn presence is hosted on the Tutti Arts channels.
The SDSW Screen Festival and screenings are supported by Creative Australia. Consensus: Creative Workshops for Schools and Community is supported by Festivals Australia.
