Port Douglas’ Port Shorts Film Festival will be among the first in the world to produce a simultaneous virtual and live event when it kicks off next weekend.

The 2020 Port Shorts Film Festival will feature the very best of the internationally renowned festival’s short films, documentaries, and music videos from 2015-2019.

On October 16 and 17 the festival will screen more than 50 short films from around the world over two huge nights of entertainment streamed for free online to an international audience.

For those in Port Douglas, the free live event will be held in Rex Smeal Park on October 17, register online for tickets.

Emerging filmmakers will also be able to access free virtual Masterclass Series workshops with a host of industry experts including world-leading drone operators XM2, composer/sound artist Steeve Body, producer Ashley Davies and screenwriter and Port Shorts Ambassador Kier Shorey over the two-day virtual short film fest.

Aussie actor and Port Shorts Ambassador Stephen Curry is not letting COVID-19 stop him from once again hosting the virtual and live festivals, reporting for MC duties from his Melbourne lounge room due to lockdown restrictions alongside good friend and fellow Port Shorts Ambassador, Wolf Creek and Rogue producer, Matt Hearn.

“For obvious reasons, not least the beautiful tropical location and ability to walk around in the fresh air whenever you want, there’s nothing me and Hearny would love more than to get up to Port Douglas and be a part of the festival this year like we have for the past five years,” Mr Curry said.

“Unfortunately COVID-19 had other ideas unless someone can build a COVID-compliant tunnel from my backyard to Port Douglas, but we’re excited we can still be involved from Melbourne lockdown and sit back on the couch and enjoy a program of short films as good as you will find anywhere in the world.”

Port Shorts Film Festival Director Ali George said audiences were in for a real treat.

“The Port Shorts team have curated an incredible line up of our favourite films from the last five years for you to watch from the comfort of your lounge room,” Ms George said.

“These award-winning, films are the very best of Port Shorts, they have touched us and stayed with us and we are excited to share them with you.

“As Port Douglas is hugely reliant on the tourism industry, we’re also really happy we can put on a free small live event for our local community which like many is really struggling at a time when we could all do with something to smile about.”