Tropfest is excited to announce Chery Motor Australia, Australia’s fastest growing car brand, as an official partner for its 2026 iteration, bringing innovation, creativity and drive to the world’s largest short film festival.

The global automotive brand is set to energise the 2026 festival with a lineup of engaging experiences and offerings when Tropfest returns to Centennial Park on Sunday 22 February, with its flagship Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid serving as Official Vehicle of the Festival, to help transport members of the film community seamlessly to and from the venue. 

In a major boost for Tropfest’s vast pool of emerging talent, Chery will also add a new award to the line-up, presenting the inaugural Chery Creative Acceleration Award recognising a filmmaker whose work embodies ambition, innovation and creative excellence. The recipient will drive away with a brand-new Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, accelerating their creative journey both on and off screen.

On the partnership, Lucas Harris, Chief Operating Officer, Chery says, "With innovation at the heart of everything we do at Chery, we are proud to partner with Tropfest, a festival that echoes our desire to support forward-thinking creativity. We look forward to contributing to an unforgettable festival experience, celebrating the bold ideas shaping Australian storytelling and supporting emerging talent."

In addition to the Chery Creative Acceleration Award, Chery is turbocharging the Tropfest experience with:

  • Chery’s Road Ahead Lounge, where Tropfest’s audience can experience and interact with vehicles from the Chery range. With free popcorn up for grabs, it’s the perfect pitstop between screenings.
  • The Chery Mobile Black Carpet Studio, a custom Chery vehicle transformed into a fully equipped studio space, complete with professional lighting and a fixed camera. Festival finalists, VIP guests and industry heavyweights will step inside the studio for exclusive interviews captured live from the heart of the action, further reinforcing Chery’s commitment to spotlighting emerging artists and voices in film.

  • The Chery Filmmaker Challenge, an initiative set to be announced at the event, designed to further ignite Australia’s filmmaking community.

    The partnership signals a shared commitment to the next generation of creative voices. Tropfest returns to Sydney’s Centennial Park on Sunday, 22 February 2026. The event is FREE to attend and will be livestreamed globally on YouTube. For more information, visit tropfest.com or follow @tropfest on socials. 

    Tropfest is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and events agency, Destination NSW, and Screen NSW