Which names do you predict will be household names in a few years? Whose careers do you think are about to really take off?
IF is currently creating a 2026 Talent List. It’s an annual celebration of the industry’s next big thing, above and below the line. As always, we encourage you to have your say.
They are the practitioners who are shaping the next wave of Australian film talent and rising to wider recognition. We’re looking for people with inspiring creative vision. Perhaps they are taking a different path and shaking up industry norms. Perhaps they have just stepped into a leadership position where they can make real change. Or maybe you’re just trying too hard and are behind in your evaluations.
We welcome your suggestions for the following categories:
Actor Casting Director Cinematographer Composer Costume Designer Director Editor Hair and Makeup Producer Production Designer Sound Writer
While we receive hundreds of applications each year for top talent, we strongly encourage the industry to also consider crew members who are progressing in their respective departments, particularly those who have just stepped up to the HOD position or are soon to step up, and submit them to us for consideration. In 2026, we hope to return to having five practitioners per category, reflecting the breadth of creative and technical talent across the industry.
This call forms part of a wider process that will also include direct industry consultation and editorial research. The shortlist will be refined through industry feedback and IF’s editorial judgment.
In your post, tell us why the industry should stand up and take notice of this person’s body of work. Submit your proposal by December 31st using the form below. Submissions after the deadline or without feedback will not be considered. Be kind, think of others, and share your love instead of being submissive to yourself.
Rising Talent is part of IF’s ongoing editorial effort to track the careers of the film industry’s exciting up-and-coming voices. That tradition continues at the IF Awards, where Rising Talent was a key category.
The Rising Talent list will be published on if.com.au in late February 2026.
Past rising talent list:
2025
Starring: Zoe Bo, Lily LaTorre, Jack LaTorre, Nicole Pastor, Tom Wilson
Casting Director: Daisy Hicks, Sarah Price, Reese Velazquez
Cinematographer: Claire Bishop, Amy Deller, Anna McGirr, Nyssa Mitchell, Julian Panetta
Composer: Nodira Islam, Alex Orijnik, Adrian Leon, Sofia Christopher
Costume Designer: Madeline Barlow, Matilda Woodroof, Ningali Ward, Olivia Smith, Bridget Hungerford
Director: David Cook, Jacob Richardson, Taylor Ferguson, Kelly Schilling, Riley Blakeway
Editor: Timothy Hadwen, Geri Docherty
Hair and makeup: Eloise Roxton, Sophie Thorpe, Amber Adams,
Producers: Breanne Sykes, Julia Corcoran, Nicholas Cola, Kristen Settinelli, Katie Amos
Production Designer: Lina Zaccaria, Shannon Bibiano, Jamie Cranny, Esther de Schone
Screenplay: Erica Harrison, Millie Holten, Sara Basciuoni, Steve Anthopoulos, Ella Cook.
2024
Starring: Georgia Flood, Gari Shaw, Hua Xuande, Bernie Van Thiel, Cartanya Maynard
Casting Director: Stephanie Pringle, Alison Fowler, Amy Mate, Annabelle Clayton, Will Pearce, Natalie Wall.
Cinematographer: Alex Cardy, Grégoire Rière, Sean Ryan, Michael Tessari, Jaclyn Patterson
Composer: Petra Sarsho, Luna Pan, Josie Mann, James Mountain, Ryan Clapham
Costume Designer: Caitlin Murray, Tex Montana, Tess Torrisi, Roma Darietta, Steph Hook
Director: Adrian Chiarella, Bonnie More, Mohini Haas, David Robinson-Smith, Jack Clark, Jim Weir
Editors: Delaney Murphy, Kevin Luk, Ashley DeGroot, Joseph Switak, Phoenix Chisholm
Hair and make-up: Camilla Leary, Helen Tuck, Kate Anderson, Jem Woods, Bridie Stone
Producer: Bettina Hamilton, Tessa Mansfield-Hann, Mahaveen Sharaki, Alice Willison, Inna Lu
Production Designer: Ruth Levi, Esther Rosenberg, Pernell Marsden, Emily Jans, Ossia Seller
Sound: Daniel Hackett, Georgia Collins, Jonathan Mendricchio, Paul DeVescovi, Hamish Keene
VFX and Animation: Heather Eck, Shelley Chuan, Caleb de Leon, Jake Dudzinski, Lachlan Pendragon
Screenplay: Thomas Wilson-White, Alistair Baldwin, Rah Chapman, Boyd Quacaroot, Tig Terella
2023
Cast: Julia Savage, Markella Cavenner, Thuli Nakle, Shantae Barnes-Cowan, Heartbreak High Ensemble Cast
Cinematographer: Tyson Perkins, Kate Cornish, Max Corkindale, Edward Goldner, Cissy Reyes
Composer: Angela Little, Evelyn Ida Morris, Saliana Seven Campbell, Daniel O’Brien, Dmitri Golovko
Costume Designer: Emma Lamp, Olivia Simpson, Victoria Perry, Erin Burnett-Blue, Genevieve Graham
Director: Imogen McCluskey, Neil Sharma, Matt Vesely, Steph Smith, Caine Senes, Hannah Barlow
Editors: Lily Davies, Daniel Oates, Michelle McGilvray, Rishi Shukla, Isaac Cohen Lindsay
Hair and makeup: Aoife Murray, Rebecca Blart, Karen Gower, Rebecca Allen, Samara Gildea
Producer: Bethany Bruce, Liam Hayen, Jessica Magro, Tu-Shan Chambers, Sarah Freeman
Production Designer: Marni Kornhauser, Wei Guo, Aisha Phillips, Jonah Booth-Remmers, Emma Burke
Sound: Weronika Rajuna, Adam Dixon-Galea, Zoe Baird, Marisa Marcionis, Rose McKenzie-Peterson
VFX and Animation: Alana Rennie, Matt Crump, Tessa Bright, Jordan McInnes, Jon Bastian, Ben Ward
Screenplay: Funa Amwilo, Hannah Carol Chapman, Gretel Berra, Josh Sambono, Jessica Tuckwell
2022
Starring: Evie McDonald, Mabel Lee, Gillian Nguyen, Natalie Morris, Sophie Wilde
Cinematographer: Sherwin Akbarzadeh, Emma Payne, Lewis Potts, Lucas Tomoana, Meg White
Composer: Bronte Horder, Freya Berghout, Helena Czajka, Thomas E. Ruesch, Chiara Costanza
Costume designers: Sabina Myers, Ellen Stanistreet, Valentina Serebrennikova, Lian Shi Leung, Emily Pires
Director: Madeline Gottlieb, Samuel van Grinsven, Isaac Elliott, Katie Found, David O’Donnell
Editors: Christine Cheung, Rachel Grierson-Johns, Grace Eyre, Pip Hart, Jessie Hildebrand
Producer: Taryn Laffer, Hannah Go, Nikki Tran, Kody Greenwood, Hayley Adams
Production Designer: Ara Nuri Steele, Laura Anna Lucas, Celeste Verze, Courtney Westbrook, Maya Coombs
VFX and Animation: Luke Gravett, Heidi Villafane, Francesca Milde, Roy Malhi, Christina Ryan
Screenplay: Philip Tarr Denson, Enoch Mairangi, Kim Ho, Caitlin Richardson, Claire Sladden
