A5. Best Acting (Nominee)
Just an Apartment Please
From Max Stanner
Rural-born Isaac comes to Sydney to grow up fast—only to learn the city’s true rite of passage is fighting for a cupboard-sized studio with twenty strangers.
Max Stanner, 21 years old grew up living in Sydney and Canberra, creating short-film style videos as a kid on YouTube before entering narrative film, attending AFTRS in 2024 and leading onto create award winning short films. Max is a highly skilled director premiering satirical comedy film 'Just an Apartment, Please' this year in 2026. Max also has a background in cinematography, using this visually informed process as a director. He loves crafting evocative atmosphere within each scene, and leans into his younger perspective as a storyteller, connecting with gen-z audiences foremost.
What inspired you and your work?
This film is loosely based on my own personal anecdotes of moving out to Sydney at 18; where my young protagonist Isaac is about to embark on an odyssey of absurd inspections that the viewer will lose themselves laughing to. Directing this film, I tried to visually portray this journey of naivety. You'll see the beautiful romantic city of Sydney, yet satirically decrepit apartments it offers amidst a rental crisis, as these optimisms and cynicisms clash heads.