The festival was created by John Polson as an informal short film screening which gathered around 200 or so people to Tropicana Cafe. Aimed at films' cast, crew and friends, John was inspired by the turn up at the first screening and saw potential for a major film festival. That was 22 years ago, and now Tropfest Australia is an event to be reckoned with.

Sydney's Centennial Park plays host to the main event, which is broadcast live on free-to-air TV for the nation to enjoy. It's not just all about the films, however - the outdoor celebration also boasts live music, delicious food and drink, entertainment and even red carpet arrivals of the festival's major players. The event also features an awards ceremony to celebrate the best of the films screened.

The free event takes place on December 7 at Brazilian Fields, Centennial Park, with gates opening at 11.00am. If you're not in Sydney for the big day, Moonlight Cinemas will be screening Tropfest at major centres across Australia, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Surfers Paradise and Hobart. For those who decide to head to Sydney to celebrate, book in holiday accommodation at Mantra 2 Bond Street or Mantra on Kent, both of which offer a range of different room types. One bedroom apartments are ideal for solo travellers and couples, while small groups may wish to book in to a two bedroom apartment.

Tropfest is known for its contribution to the film industry locally and nationally, allowing filmmakers to showcase their work and take advantage of the platform the festival provides. Anyone can enter the competition, which sees 16 finalists selected to screen at the festival. More than $100,000 in prizes is up for grabs at Tropfest, which sets itself apart from other short film festivals in that films screened at the festival have been made specifically for Tropfest. All films must feature a Tropfest Signature Item, which this year is 'mirror'.

Alongside the mainstream Tropfest competition is Tropscore, a competition in partnership with APRA AMCOS where entrants produce a musical score or synch to accompany a short film clip. The winner performs their score on stage at Tropfest and takes home a cool $5,000.

Trop Jr is another event which runs alongside Tropfest, which is essentially a miniature version of the main event. It's open to kids aged 15 years and younger, following the same 7-minute film format of Tropfest and with a Signature Item of 'fly'. These budding filmmakers are encouraged to hone their creativity and let their talent shine through to their peers.

There will no doubt be plenty of talent on display at Tropfest, with the event known to foster talent and kickstart careers. Alumni includes successful filmmakers such as Rowan Woods, Nash Edgerton, Alister Grierson, Clayton Jacobsen and Leon Ford, with Hollywood actors Joel Edgerton and Sam Worthington also having featured at Tropfest in the past. You'll also likely spot some major high profile celebrity judges. In the past the likes of Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette, Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, Sam Neill, Jane Campion and Salma Hayek have all been judges of the prestigious event, adding a layer of glitz and glam to Tropfest.