The 62nd Melbourne International Film Festival will be held from Thursday 25 July to Sunday 11 August 2013.
These guidelines are for the submission of both short and feature films.
Early bird submissions open Monday 29 October 2012, 10:00am AEDT
Early bird submissions close Thursday 22 November 2012, 11:59pm AEDT
Early bird submission fees:
Shorts AUD$65
Features AUD$75
DVD/package must be received by MIFF by Thursday 6 December 2012.
Regular submissions open Friday 23 November 2012, 12:00am AEDT
Regular submissions close Thursday 21 February 2013, 11:59pm AEDT
Regular entry fees:
Shorts AUD$70
Features AUD$80
DVD/package must be received by MIFF by Thursday 7 March 2013.
Late submissions open Friday 22 February 2013, 12:00am AEDT
Late submissions close Thursday 14 March 2013, 11:59pm AEDT
Late entry fees:
Shorts AUD$90
Features AUD$100
DVD/package must be received by MIFF by Thursday 28 March 2013.
By accepting these regulations you acknowledge the entry fee cannot be refunded, even if your film is not selected or ineligible to screen at the festival.
Films that are 31 minutes or more should be submitted as a feature film while films 30 minutes or less (including credits) should be submitted as a short film.
MIFF accepts both fiction and documentary feature films. You will not need to select a category for submission of a feature film.
For short films, you will need to select one of four categories to submit your film under:
Fiction
This is a broad category that covers most live action films.
Animation
We accept all styles of animated films, but please ensure that the majority of your film is animated before entering it under this category.
Documentary
Please note that mockumentaries or fiction films based on true stories should be submitted under the fiction category.
Experimental
Please ensure that films submitted as experimental films are experimenting with form and style. Films that simply contain unconventional narratives or ‘weird’ content, or are considered to be ‘art films’ are often better suited in the fiction category.
Preview screeners must be on DVD. We accept both NTSC and PAL formats, but please ensure your DVD is set to all regions.
MIFF cannot accept formats other than DVDs for previewing films.
Please test your DVD on a stand-alone DVD player before sending it in, as technical problems may affect your submission. Please also ensure your DVD is suitably protected in transit.
Make sure your DVD is clearly labelled with either the label included in the email attachment (if submitted through the MIFF website) or the Tracking ID (if submitted through Withoutabox).
If your film is selected to be screened at MIFF 2013 then it must be delivered on one of the following formats:
We cannot theatrically screen from DVD, Blu-ray, HD CAM SR or any other format that is not listed here.
We accept and can screen all aspect ratios. We accept films in 24fps and 25 fps, however, we prefer 24fps and films in 25 fps may be converted by the festival into 24 fps for screening purposes.
Please note that short films may be transferred to a compile and screened from format during the festival.
Films must have been completed after 1 January 2012.
Films must not have been nor will be theatrically exhibited in the state of Victoria, Australia, in any form or duration prior to 12 August 2013. Private cast and crew and graduation screenings are accepted so long as MIFF are notified about such screenings.
Films must not have been nor will be broadcast on Australian television (cable or free-to-air) prior to 12 August 2013.
Films must not have been nor will be made available for sale or rent on home video, DVD, Blue-ray, or any other commercial format prior to 12 August 2013.
Films must not have been nor will be broadcast on the internet or available for download in any capacity prior to 12 August 2013. Film available online via secure password protected links or on sites such as Festival Scope are accepted.
Films must be in their original language, with English subtitles if the original language is not English.
Only films 30 minutes or less (including credits) will be eligible for entry in the MIFF Shorts Awards.
MIFF reserves the right to program films that fall outside of the eligibility criteria under special circumstances. In the case of short films these films will be screened out of competition.
MIFF encourages filmmakers to submit films that are not yet finished during the submission period, but will be finished in time for the festival.
Works-in-progress and rough cuts will be accepted providing the only things to be completed are colour grade, final sound mix or credits. The film must be at picture lock stage.
A work-in-progress/rough cut can only be submitted during the late submission period.
You must first send details of the status of the film to submissions@miff.com.au to then have your film approved for submission as a work-in-progress/rough cut.
Please include the following materials with your submission:
Please do not include publicity materials with your submission.
Preview DVDs will not be returned.
Festival programmers select and invite all films presented at MIFF. All entrants will be notified of the Festival’s programming decisions by email by late June 2012. Please notify MIFF if you change the email you provide when submitting your film.
MIFF’s selection decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. We do not provide critical analysis or feedback.
If after submitting to MIFF your film becomes ineligible (screened at another festival, broadcast on television, put online etc) it will be automatically removed from consideration for MIFF and submission fees will not be refunded.
MIFF will not pay freight or customs charges for preview DVDs. MIFF will only pay the in-bound freight and customs charges for films invited to the festival.
MIFF will only insure prints/tapes of films invited to the festival, for the duration of their stay in Australia and during transit to and from the entrant or to and from a following engagement.
MIFF agrees to not to hold more than three screenings of any film.
All shorts in competition will be having their official Victorian premiere screening at MIFF.
At the discretion of the festival, some short films that are not eligible for competition will still be screened in the festival, but these films will be marked in the program as not in competition.
The MIFF Shorts Awards are decided by the MIFF Short Film Jury, consisting of at least three Australian (and/or international) film industry professionals with no connection to any of the films presented in the short competition program of the festival.
The MIFF Artistic Director and Short Film Coordinator will select films from the official competition program to be submitted to the Short Film Awards Jury. The shortlisted films will not be made public.
The Jury’s processes, discussions and deliberations are strictly confidential and no discussion will be entered into regarding their decisions.
The award winners will be announced during the MIFF Shorts Awards Ceremony during the festival.
The short films competition are competing for the following prizes:
Grand Prix for Best Short Film
Award for Best Australian Short Film
Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker
Award for Best Fiction Short Film
Award for Best Animation Short Film
Award for Best Documentary Short Film
Award for Best Experimental Short Film
The prizes are subject to change and will be announced in the festival program.
The winners of the 2013 Best MIFF Short, Best Fiction and Best Animation categories will be eligible to submit their film for the 86th Academy Awards® in 2014. Please ensure you are familiar with the Academy’s® short film eligibility guidelines.
MIFF is also a BAFTA and AACTA Awards accredited festival.
Email: submissions@miff.com.au
Postal address:
GPO Box 4982, Melbourne, 3001, VIC, AUSTRALIA
Street address:
Level 5, 225 Bourke Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
AUSTRALIA
T: +613 8660 4888
F: +613 9654 2561
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