The Climbers Association of Western Australia (CAWA) is excited to announce the CAWA Film Festival 2026, celebrating the spirit, stories, and adventures of our climbing community. We invite filmmakers, climbers, and enthusiasts to showcase their work on the big screen and share their passion, creativity, and unique perspectives with a wider audience.

Whether your film captures a local crag mission, a personal climbing journey, a community story, or a creative take on climbing in WA, this is your chance to be part of an evening that brings our community together and celebrates climbing through film.

Awards & Incentives

CAWA Film Award

$500 cash prize

People’s Choice Awards

1st Place - $300
2nd Place - $150

Revenue Sharing

Opportunity to earn a share of ticket sales if your film is selected for screening.

Submission Details

• Eligibility: Films should focus on Western Australia’s climbing activities and community, encompassing both indoor and outdoor experiences.

• Film Length: Up to 10 minutes for regular entries; up to 20 minutes for featured films.

• Format Requirements: Digital Cinema Package (DCP) at 24fps.

• Genres Accepted: Documentary and narrative fiction.

Selection Process

To ensure a fair and professional evaluation, submissions will be reviewed by a panel comprising:

• Three CAWA Committee Members

• Two Industry Professionals (e.g. filmmakers, adventure photographers)

Films will be assessed based on creativity, storytelling, cinematography, editing, relevance to WA climbing, and overall impact.

Submission Process

Deadline: 15 October 2026, with feedback available for improvements.

Chris Young on Spartacus at Peak Charles NP, photo: Jiri Stastny

Screening Event

Selected films will be showcased at the CAWA Film Festival Screening Event on 12 November 2026 at LUNA, Leederville. This is a fantastic opportunity to see WA climbing stories on the big screen and connect with the community.

Tickets will be released approximately one month before the screening (mid-October).
This event has limited seating and strong community interest-keep an eye on this page or our channels to secure your spot.

Contact Information

For inquiries, please contact us at cawa@climberswa.asn.au

Ready to share your climbing story with the community?

Submit your film by 15 October 2026 for a chance to be featured at our screening event on 12 November 2026.

*Owen working Karma (**24) - Porongurup National Park, photo: Jiri Stastny

CAWA Film Award - Selection Process Details

Judging Panel Composition

The panel will consist of at least five members to ensure a well-rounded evaluation:

• Three CAWA Committee Members - representing the WA climbing community’s values and perspectives

• Two Industry Professionals - filmmakers, adventure photographers, or media experts with experience in storytelling and cinematography

Judging Criteria

Each film will be scored using a weighted system:

• Creativity & Storytelling (40%) - Does the film engage, inspire, and tell a compelling story?

• Cinematography & Editing (30%) - Is it visually and technically well executed?

• Relevance to WA Climbing (20%) - Does it authentically represent our community?

• Overall Impact (10%) - How strongly does the film resonate with the audience and judges?

Process

• Final Deliberation: The panel discusses the top films and determines the winner based on scores and consensus. Whether it's an outdoor objective, a major personal project, or the next step in your climbing development, this scholarship could help make it happen.

• Preliminary Selection: The CAWA committee will shortlist films that meet quality standards

• Panel Review: Each juror independently scores the shortlisted films