A short film starring Neutral Bay actor Alex Bar has won two awards at the Sydney Opera House as part of the 12th annual SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3).
The science-fiction superhero drama Hero-Man, directed by Port Kembla filmmaker Aston Di Donato, earned Best Editing and Best Actor honours in the SF3 Kids competition on Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Neutral Bay Actor Takes The Lead In Hero-Man
Bar plays Victor, the lead character in a story that unfolds across Earth and a distant alien world. Set against the aftermath of a tragedy, the film explores grief, fear, power and hope through the superhero genre. Hero-Man was named among the festival’s finalists on 18 September and selected for the live screening at the Sydney Opera House. The competition is open to productions directed or written by filmmakers aged 18 or younger at the time of filming, although cast and crew members can be of any age.
Smartphone Films From Around The World
The 2026 edition of the SmartFone Flick Fest attracted a reported 400 entries from more than 70 countries, including 19 feature films and 16 films made using artificial intelligence. Screenings began at White Bay Power Station in Rozelle on 31 October, with entries from the SF3 Mini and Feature Film categories. The young filmmakers’ competition and gala finals took place the following day at the Sydney Opera House Playhouse.
Among the other winners in the children’s competition were Scarborough Public School and Wolfe and Lucette Meisner, whose film Between the Mountains and the Sea received the children’s documentary award. Sydney production Weight of Mercy, starring Tatjana Marjanovic and Simon Brook McLachlan, collected six awards, including Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Cinematography.
Under the festival’s rules, productions must be filmed using smartphones or tablets, with limited exceptions for drone and archival footage. Participants can use separate editing software, external microphones, lenses and lighting equipment. SF3 offered prizes valued at more than $50,000 across its five competition categories, including filmmaking equipment, software, training and mentorships.
Published 5-November-2026
