MIFF is an Academy Awards®, BAFTA, and AACTA Awards accredited festival.
All short films completed after 1 January 2023 are eligible for competition if they:
- are 40 minutes and 29 seconds or less in length (including credits)
- have not been available in their entirety for download or viewing online in the state of Victoria prior to 26 August 2024.
- have not been released on physical media, theatrically exhibited (excluding graduation and cast-and-crew screenings) or broadcast on television (cable or free-to-air) in the state of Victoria prior to 26 August 2024.
The Shorts Programmer/s will select films screening in competition to be shortlisted and submitted to the Shorts Awards Jury; the shortlist will not be made public. The Jury’s processes, discussions, and deliberations are strictly confidential, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding their decisions. The award winners will be announced during the festival at the MIFF Shorts Awards Ceremony.
The short films in competition compete for the following prizes*:
- Grand Prix for Best Short Film (Academy Awards® accredited)
- Award for Best Australian Short Film (Academy Awards® accredited)
- Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker
- Award for Best Fiction Short Film
- Award for Best Animation Short Film (Academy Awards® accredited)
- Award for Best Documentary Short Film (Academy Awards® accredited)
- Award for Best Experimental Short Film
*Please note: these prizes are subject to change.
All winning films will screen in cinemas as part of the Best MIFF Shorts package. Additionally, the package will be available to view on MIFF Play.
For more information, please visit our Shorts Awards page.