The Stockholm International Film Festival has launched an online short film competition in the run up to the festival, in conjunction with Baz Luhrmann's new film Australia.

Entrants are challenged to re-create a scene from their favourite film, within the genres of romance, horror, action and comedy, lasting between 1-3 minutes. They will be guided by a series of podcasts made by Luhrmann during the shooting of Australia which explain the different aspects of film making. The podcasts will be on the Stockholm Film Festival website in the run up to the festival, which takes place from November 20-30, with the first episode going online yesterday.

Entries will be uploaded to the website, with four finalists, one from each genre, being selected by a jury which includes the Swedish directing duo Bjorn Stein and Mans Marlind, who have just wrapped Shelter with Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

The four shortlisted films will be shown before the closing night screening of Australia at the festival on November 29, with the winner being announced at the event. The winning film will also be shown prior to Australia at several of its screenings across Sweden.

'We are tremendously excited about the project. The festival has always supported and promoted new and daring filmmakers and this is yet another step in that direction', said festival director Git Scheynius.