PROJECTED on the walls of the Fossicker's Hall at the Gympie Civic Centre are the dusty sights of an old gold mine.

From the lanterns swinging silently to the obligatory canary, no expense was spared on the production for the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival.

In a lavish ceremony to commemorate the official opening of the festival in its tenth year, artistic director Emily Avila said Heart of Gold continued to go from strength to strength.

"We might be a regional festival, but we've really become truly international,” Ms Avila said.

"What is special about Heart of Gold and what I believe keeps people coming back is that we don't look for accolades. We look for films that move you on an emotional level.”

Attendees were treated to a selection of the festival's best films before a party stretching into the night.