The Tropfest Film Festival is recognized as the world's largest short film festival, established in 1993 by actor/director John Polson in Sydney, Australia. Initially a small gathering at the Tropicana Caffe, it has since become a major platform for short films, known for its live screenings and panels of high-profile judges. A defining characteristic of Tropfest is its "content generation" model, requiring filmmakers to produce new works for the festival that incorporate a unique "Tropfest Signature Item" (TSI) and premiere them at the event. After a six-year break, Tropfest is scheduled to return to Sydney's Centennial Park in February 2026 as a free, outdoor festival, with Margot Robbie announced as the Jury President for the event.