Online Festival 2022
(Looking for the In-Person Festival in Merimbula? Go HERE instead)
You can watch the Far South Film Festival from anywhere in Australia as long as you have Internet access and a compatible device and Web browser. Get your friends and family together for a good old fashioned movie night in your own living room!
How do I access the Online Festival?
- Our online festival platform hosted by our friends Shift72 is HERE.
- You can now view the trailers and pre-rent your Online Pass or individual films: hover over the Pass or Film you want to rent and click on the Yellow Rent button.
- Films in the online festival show as Coming Soon and will become available as video-on-demand from 20 to 31 August 2022.
What do I need to view films online?
- You can watch on a Smart TV, laptop, notebook or even a mobile phone (but the bigger the screen, the better!).
- No special software required – you just need a web browser. We recommend you use the latest version of your browser.
- Internet Explorer is NO LONGER SUPPORTED. Try using an alternative such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera or Safari.
- Check the supported system requirements here.
How do I create my online account?
- Once you go to the Online Festival platform, you can Create an Account with an email address and a password. .
- Just like other online viewing platforms, there will be information and a trailer so you can preview each film.
- Once you log into your account, you can purchase Online Passes or Individual Films, ready to watch them when they go live from Saturday 20 August.
What does it cost to watch the festival online?
Watch the films from your own living room with as many people as you can fit in the room – great value!
Online Passes offer discounts over renting each film individually.
- $75 Online Festival Pass
View all 14 Festival Films plus recorded in-person festival content including Q&A panels and Awards Ceremony
Save $15 over individual purchases - $60 Online Films Pass
View all 14 Festival Films including Unclassified 15+ films
Save $10 over individual purchases - $45 All Ages Pass
View all 11 Festival Films rated Unclassified – No age restrictions (equivalent to G/PG)
Save $10 over individual purchases - $5 Individual Film
View any film or festival content of your choosing - VIP Pass
Sponsors and Festival Film Finalists receive one in-person OR online Festival Pass – details will be emailed direct to participants
How do I watch the films online?
- There is a rental window during which you can watch your pre-purchased films/bundles. The rental window starts on 20 August and ends at midnight (AEST) on 31 August.
- Get your family and friends together and watch the festival from your sofa with your favourite snacks and drinks to hand!
- Sign In to the Online Festival and either go to My Library (top right of screen) or click Play on any films you have already purchased.
- Once you start watching a given film, you can pause a film and come back and finish watching it later, as long as you finish before the rental window ends.
- Our tip: Don’t leave it until 31 August to watch all the films!
Can I view the Q&As and Awards Ceremony online?
- Yes! We’ll be recording these events from our in-person festival and uploading them to the online festival. There will be a delay between the live event and the recording being available online.
- You’ll be able to see these recordings as individual films on the Online Festival platform. If you’ve purchased an Online Festival Pass, these will appear in your My Library once they have finished uploading. We’ll also let everyone know via our Facebook page when they are available.
- Spoiler Alert: We’ll be announcing the winners after the awards ceremony on our Facebook page and website, so avoid looking at those if you want the excitement of watching the awards online without knowing ahead of time who won!
Film Classifications and Warnings
- We have received permission from the Australian Classification Board to screen Unclassified films at the festival. Though unclassified they carry likely classifications of either:
- All Ages (equivalent to G or PG ratings) or
- 15+ (equivalent to M or MA15+ ratings)
- When you purchase films online with a 15+ classification, you are certifying that any children under 15 present are accompanied by an adult while viewing. Alternatively, you can buy an All Ages Pass which does not include any of the 15+ Films.
- Films that depict First Nations people or contain footage that may trigger some viewers have warnings in addition to the likely classification information. These are included in the film description and trailer and before each film is screened.
I’m having problems viewing films online
- Older computers/devices/TVs/browsers may not be compatible with the streaming platform. Check the supported system requirements here.
- Check the Help page on the Online Festival platform for more details on system requirements and compatibility of browsers
- Try using a different web browser that is supported if you are having browser issues, or use a different device.
- Online films are geoblocked for viewing within Australia only. If you’re having problems, it may be because you are using a VPN or accessing the Internet via an overseas provider.
- Films are streamed at HD 1080p by default and will automatically adapt to a lower resolution depending on your bandwidth. If the film is not playing smoothly however, try lowering the resolution of the video stream by changing to a lower number setting (eg 720p).
- Avoid watching in prime time (5-7pm) when Internet speeds tend to be slower in regional areas.
- Check what other devices might be using high amounts of bandwidth in your household (someone online gaming, or watching other videos online, or downloading large files, for example)
- If you’re having streaming issues, follow the steps in this article.
- If you’re having Chromecast issues, read this article.