Short Film
This category is reserved for any film whose runtime is 40 minutes and 29 seconds or less (including credits). If the film is submitted into any Short category and the length is greater than this definition stipulates, MIFF will change the category and the Submitter will be required to pay the fee increase before the film is considered. Failure to do so will mean that the film will not be considered for the Festival and any and all fees paid prior will be forfeited.
Feature Film
This category is reserved for any film whose runtime is 40 minutes and 30 seconds or more (including credits). If the film is submitted into any Feature category and the length is less than this definition stipulates, MIFF will change the category; the film will still be considered for the Festival, but MIFF will not refund any portion of the fees paid.
Australian
If at least half of a film’s total film funding for development or production is from Australian sources, if at least half of the film was shot in Australia, and/or if at least half of the post-production work was done in Australia, a film can be classified as (at least) an Australian co-production and is thus eligible to be submitted into any Australian category. If the film is submitted in an Australian category and there is no indication that any of the corresponding definitions apply within the FilmFreeway fields ‘country of production’ or ‘country of filming’, MIFF will change the category and the Submitter will be required to pay the fee increase before the film is considered. Failure to do so will mean that the film will not be considered for the Festival, and any and all fees paid prior will be forfeited.
International
This includes all films that do not fall under the ‘Australian’ definition; to reiterate, Australian co-productions can be submitted into any Australian category. If the film is submitted into an International category and it meets the conditions for an Australian category, MIFF will change the category; the film will still be considered for the Festival, but MIFF will not refund any portion of the fees paid.
Experimental
This sub-category of short film is reserved for films that have an absence of linear narrative and/or include abstraction within the structure and conventions of the physical medium itself. It is not for unconventional fiction films.
Episodic
This category is for any project presented or intended to be presented in a multi-episode format, including limited series, docuseries, web series, anthologies or any other project that was designed to develop over multiple episodes. There is no limitation as to the length of each episode or the number of episodes in each submission; however, only one screener will be accepted for any submission, so all episodes for consideration must be presented in succession within that single screener.