You will need to complete the Volunteer Application Form by 11.59pm on Sunday 8 June 2025. This form is for all applicants, including those who have volunteered at MIFF before.
As part of this application, you are required to read the MIFF Volunteer Terms of Engagement (available in PDF or DOCX format) and accept these terms before submitting your online application.
If you have any questions about the application process or any issues completing the application form, please contact volunteers@miff.com.au.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible!
Volunteer applications close at 11.59pm on Sunday 8 June 2025. Group interviews for successful candidates will be conducted in the week commencing Monday 16 June.
Please note: for new volunteers, not attending a group interview may adversely impact your application.
- You must be at least 18 years of age.
- You must provide availability across at least 10 of the 18 days of the festival period (7–24 August). You will have an opportunity to submit your shift availabilities, and then the roster will be created around your schedule.
- All volunteers must complete a minimum of 5 shifts.
- Passion and enthusiasm for MIFF and the cinema experience!
- A willingness to engage with the general public in a friendly and professional manner.
- A desire to be part of a team.
- Proficiency in English.
- A commitment to making the festival a fantastic and memorable experience for all MIFF attendees.
MIFF is committed to an inclusive volunteer team and welcomes applications from everyone. We especially encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, culturally diverse people, d/Deaf people, neurodivergent people and people living with a disability.
If you require any more information about the specific tasks and/or the inherent physical requirements of a MIFF volunteer or any assistance with the application process, please feel free to contact volunteers@miff.com.au.
The 300+ volunteers engaged for MIFF each year carry out their duties at the festival-managed cinema and event venues in the Melbourne CBD and metropolitan suburbs. Volunteers are generally engaged in customer-service roles such as ushers, ticket scanners, queue managers and information guides, as well as in other venue-support roles.
The volunteer Position Description provides a detailed overview of the kinds of tasks and duties assigned to a MIFF volunteer.
The average shift is approximately three (3) to five (5) hours.
While volunteering at MIFF, you will meet lots of new people, make new friends and learn new skills in a creative, fun environment. If you are interested in working in the film or events industries, volunteering is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience and develop skills at a world-renowned festival. Many people who previously worked, or currently work, with MIFF started out as volunteers!
As a MIFF 2025 volunteer, you will also get to enjoy:
- a MIFF volunteer uniform
- four (4) single-session admit-one tickets, upon attending the Volunteer Induction Day
- one (1) admit-one ticket for every shift completed. An admit-one is not linked to an individual so can be shared with family and friends!
- a complimentary MIFF membership for MIFF volunteers who complete ten (10) or more shifts throughout the festival period
- entry into the MIFF End of Festival party
- where possible, the opportunity to watch films during your shift!
Throughout the festival, volunteers may be offered discounts on select food and beverage items as well as access to Secret Sessions!
After submitting your online application form, you will be redirected to a message confirming that we have received your application. Receiving this message does not mean you have successfully been chosen as a MIFF volunteer; it simply confirms that your application has been received.
If you have further enquiries about your application or wish to change any details within it, please email volunteers@miff.com.au.
Applicants may be asked to attend a group interview in the week commencing Monday 16 June alongside other prospective volunteers and the Volunteers Manager. Please make sure that you have a valid email address, and that you save ‘@miff.com.au’ as a safe email server so our correspondence does not go into your ‘Junk’ folder.
Applicants who are available to attend both a group interview and the Volunteer Induction Day will be prioritised – dates for these are listed in the application form.
Following these interviews, MIFF will be in contact to inform you if you have been successful with your application.
Please be aware that we receive a very large volume of applications each year – more than the positions we have to fill. If you are unsuccessful, we encourage you to apply again in the future and thank you for your interest!
The Volunteer Induction Day is a chance for you to:
- meet your fellow volunteers
- receive your MIFF volunteer T-shirt
- find out about important MIFF policies and procedures
- gain a better understanding of your duties as a volunteer
- receive some very special volunteer perks!
As the Volunteer Induction day is such a crucial part of being a volunteer, applicants who are available to attend it will be prioritised. If your availability changes and you are no longer able to attend the Induction Day, we may not be able to progress your application.
You will receive a branded MIFF volunteer T-shirt to wear while you are on shift. This is your uniform and it is mandatory to wear it at all times during your volunteer shifts. Please only wear your uniform when you are on shift, and please ensure it is not visible while travelling to and from venues and while on break. You must not consume alcohol or smoke/vape while wearing your volunteer uniform.
We encourage you to show your personality through what you wear; however, all attire must be work-appropriate. You must wear closed-toe shoes. You may be required to undertake tasks outside at times, too, so please ensure you bring something warm to wear underneath your T-shirt.
MIFF does not provide volunteer meals. All volunteers must arrange their own meals.
Any costs associated with transport to and from MIFF shifts are the responsibility of the individual and will not be reimbursed.