About

David Robinson-Smith is an award-winning Australian writer and director based in Budgewoi on New South Wales' Central Coast. His storytelling explores themes of ambiguity, regret, memory, and class, often focusing on morally complex characters to uncover the nuances within these areas.

David's filmography includes the short film Mud Crab (2022), which has garnered international recognition. It has been featured at prestigious events such as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (USA), Raindance Film Festival (London), Melbourne International Film Festival (Australia), and the BAFTA Aesthetica Short Film Festival (York). Mud Crab has won multiple awards at CILECT, the Australian Director’s Guild, St Kilda Film Festival, and Flickerfest, and is nominated for Best Short Film at the 2024 AACTA Awards.

David’s next short film, We Used To Own Houses (2023), had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival as part of its renowned 2023 Accelerator Lab, in addition to screening at SXSW Sydney. It has also been nominated for Best Direction in a Short Film at the 2023 Australian Director’s Guild Awards, and won Best Short Film at CICLOPE Asia.

David’s current short film The Shirt Off Your Back (2025) is in post production.

David is developing his debut feature film, Colossus, in collaboration with Executive Producer Michele Bennett and Producer Julia Corcoran. He is also working on his upcoming feature, Sundowner, with Executive Producer Ari Harrison and Producer Julie Ryan of Sanctuary Pictures. Sundowner is supported by Screen NSW.

In 2024, David was selected as one of the directors in IF Magazine’s Rising Talent issue.

Personal
contact@davidrobinsonsmith.com
+61 416 336 442

Narrative
HLA - sophie.fosdickmcgrath@hlamgt.com.au

Commerical
Good Oil Films - sam@goodoilfilms.com

Awards & Nominations

2022 Australian Director’s Guild Award, Winner Best Direction in a Student Film
2022 CILECT Winner Best Fiction Short Film in Asia-Pacific
2023 St Kilda Film Festival, Winner Best Director
2023 Canberra Short Film Festival, Winner Best Director
2023 Australian Director’s Guild Award, Nominated - Best Direction in a Short Film
2024 AACTA Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts, Nominated - Best Short Film
2024 CICLOPE Asia, Winner Best Short Film
2024 Poco Film Festival, Winner Best Student Short Film

Festivals

Melbourne International Film Festival 2022 & 2023
Raindance Film Festival London 2022
Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2023
Aesthetica Short Film Festival York 2022
SXSW Sydney 2023
Dances With Films Festival Los Angeles 2023
Flickerfest International Film Festival Sydney 2023
In The Palace International Short Film Festival Bulgaria 2023
St Kilda Film Festival Melbourne 2023 & 2024
CinefestOZ Film Festival Western Australia 2023
INTERFILM 39 International Short Film Festival Berlin 2023
Canberra Short Film Festival 2023
Freshwave International Short Film Festival Hong Kong 2023
Antipodes International Film Festival, Saint-Tropez 2023
Filmschoolfest 42nd, Munich 2023
AACTA Awards, 2024
CICLOPE Asia, 2024
Poco Film Festival, 2024

Markets
Clermont Ferrand - Short Film Market Picks 2024

Online
Vimeo Staff Picks: Mud Crab (2024) & Best of Vimeo Staff Picks
Vimeo Staff Picks:
We Used To Own Houses (2024)
Director’s Notes:
Mud Crab (2024)
Director’s Notes: We Used To Own Houses (2024)
Short of the Week:
Mud Crab (2024)
Short of the Week: We Used To Own Houses (2024)