Yarrenyty Arltere Artists win Uncle Jack Charles Award 2025

MELBOURNE, VIC – Kearney Group is proud to announce Yarrenyty Arltere Artists as the winner of the Uncle Jack Charles Award 2025, revealed tonight at MIFF’s annual Awards Ceremony at Rydges Melbourne.

Yarrenyty Arltere Artists were recognised for their artwork on The Fix-It-Man and the Fix-It-Wooman, a playful and heartwarming short film where two soft sculptures meet on a dance floor, under the “bright lights, big city of Alice Springs”.

Using their renowned hand-crafted sculptures, the Yarrenyty Arltere Artists bring to life a joyful and tender tale of love, mishaps and connection, realised in collaboration with animator and illustrator Nelson Armstrong and Western Arrernte/Arrernte creative Cornelius Ebatarinja.

The Uncle Jack Charles Award, now in its third year, recognises outstanding Australian First Nations creatives featured within the MIFF program. The recipient is awarded a $20,000 cash prize and $25,000 in financial services from Kearney Group, a prize designed to provide both finance and critical support for future projects.

“First Peoples storytelling is the heartbeat of this country — carrying 65,000 years of memory, truth, resistance and wisdom,” said Paul Kearney, CEO of Kearney Group.

“To this year’s nominees: your work is bold, vital and deeply important. It is a privilege to recognise your creative brilliance through the Uncle Jack Charles Award. Congratulations to Yarrenyty Arltere Artists for this well deserved recognition.”

 

Yarrenyty Arltere Artists selected by independent jury.

The winner was selected by an independent jury of leading industry voices: interdisciplinary artist Reko Rennie; acclaimed filmmaker Jub Clerc (Sweet As, MIFF 2022); and digital artist and director April Phillips, winner of the 2024 Uncle Jack Charles Award (kajoo yannaga).

 

About the Uncle Jack Charles Award 2025.

The Uncle Jack Charles Award was created in 2023, a collaboration between MIFF and Kearney Group. It honours the extraordinary legacy of Uncle Jack Charles while recognising the next generation of First Nations creatives and storytellers with projects in the festival.

Beyond recognising technical skill, the Award aims to provide vital financial support and empowerment that enables artists to continue imagining, creating, and sharing stories that shape culture and community.

MIFF 2025 runs in cinemas from 7–24 August, with the MIFF Awards taking place on Saturday 23 August at Rydges Melbourne.

Media Contact:
Annie Lillico Lewis
Head of Storytelling & Brand Strategy
+61 3 9428 8822 or email