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SUBMIT

Submissions now closed for 2022

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By submitting your film, you warrant that you have read, understood, and will abide by the rules on this page and any additional requirements indicated on the Film Freeway online submission form.

Key Dates – 2022 Festival

  • Film Submissions opened Tuesday 1 March 2022

  • Early bird deadline 11.59pm AEST Monday 18 April 2022

  • Normal closing deadline 11.59pm AEST Monday 9 May 2022

  • Late entry deadline 11.59pm AEST Monday 30 May 2022

  • Last Date to Withdraw Entry Monday 30 May 2022

  • Digital Press Kit deadline 6 June 2022

  • Finalists Notification Thursday 9 June 2022

  • In-Person Festival Weekend Friday 19 to Sunday 21 August 2022 in Merimbula NSW

  • Online Festival 20 – 31 August 2022

  • Awards announced Sunday 21 August 2022

  • People’s Choice Voting deadline 31 August 2022

  • People’s Choice Award announced 1 September 2022

  • Submissions are not accepted after the Late entry deadline. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

  • You should receive an email from Film Freeway/Far South Film Festival confirming receipt of your submission within 24 hours. If you have not received confirmation in that time, please contact us.

Eligibility

  • Submissions are open to filmmakers living in regional and remote Australia.

  • At least 2 of the 3 key creatives (Writer+Director+Producer) must reside in a regional or remote area of Australia as defined here. Actors, DOPs etc do NOT count as key creatives. This means writer+director or director+producer or writer+producer or writer+director+producer must meet the regional criteria. If you grew up in a region but now reside in the city, you are not eligible.

  • If the film is a solo work, that person must reside in the defined regional area.

  • You may be asked to provide documentary evidence of regional residence by email once your submission has been received. You will be advised in an email of the kind of documents you can submit to show your eligibility. We will not ask for photo IDs.

  • Short films must be under 40 minutes in length, including titles and credits.

  • Feature films must be at least 40 minutes and no more than 150 minutes long.

  • Films must have been completed since 19 August 2020 (ie within 2 years before the start of the festival).

  • Films must not be freely publicly accessible online via another platform in the 2 weeks leading to, and including, the festival period – see Film Publication below.

Award Categories

  • The major prize for Best Film will be $1000. Other prizes, including their sponsors, will be announced in the month leading up to the festival weekend.

  • In past years, awards have been given for Best Performance, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Screenplay/Sory, Best Use of a Regional Location, Best Environment Film, Best Technical Achievement, Best Youth Film, Best Environmental Youth Encouragement Award and the Diversity Award.

  • Final award categories will be determined based on the number, genre and quality of entries received. Judges reserve the right not to make an award for a given category, or to add additional award categories.

  • The People’s Choice Award is voted for by audience members during the festival and will be announced on 1 September.

  • Prizes may be in the form of cash, filmmaking equipment or in-kind opportunities such as workshops accessible from regional areas and the Festival seeks sponsors for these awards each year.

  • Winners will be contacted directly to arrange transfer of prizes.

  • Awards will be announced live at the festival venue and available to view on demand via the online festival website. A brief clip of each winning film may be shown during the awards ceremony.

  • Winners will also be published on the festival website and social media pages and announced in the general media. Interviews with winning filmmakers may also be recorded by our media team.

Film Format

  • FilmFreeway and our streaming platform accept all major video formats in full quality HD up to 10 GB. Videos are transcoded for playback compatibility and performance. We recommend you use the following settings.
    Contact us well before submission closing dates if you are not sure if your film meets the specifications or if you are having difficulties uploading your video file.

  • Recommended video bitrate: 15500 Kbps

  • H.264, mp4

  • Audio: 128 Kbps, AAC, 2 channel stereo

  • Aspect ratio preserved

  • PAL 24 or 25 frames per second (required for cinema screening)

What You Need Submit

Mandatory items are denoted by an asterisk *

* Your film file (see Film Format) OR a private link to a password-protected file on Vimeo or YouTube.
If your film is shortlisted, you will receive a download request for the high quality version of your film for screening. (see Film Publication)

* Trailer for your film in HD format – no longer than 1-2 minutes

Separate subtitle file(s) in .srt format for each language if your film dialogue is not in English.
All films submitted must be accessible to an English-speaking audience and, optionally, to other language groups.
Subtitles should NOT be hard-coded into your film. Please include the title of your film and the language in each subtitle file name:
Examples: myfabulousfilm_english.srt, myfabulousfilm_italiano.srt
If you‘re not sure how to create an srt file, read: https://www.3playmedia.com/blog/create-srt-file/

Submission Form Details
You’ll need to enter the details below on the online submission form on FilmFreeway. To avoid Internet glitches, we recommend you prepare the answers in a document so you can easily copy/paste them into the online form.
Click here for DOCX version of submission form details

Project Information

    • * Town and State of Residence of the 3 Key Regional Creatives (the Writer, Director and Producer)

    • * OFFICIAL rating (if any) from the Australian Classification Board: G, PG, M, MA+ OR

    • If your film has NOT already received an official rating, the LIKELY rating based on the Australian Classification Board guidelines: G, PG, M, MA+
    • If your film is likely to have an M or MA15+ classification, list any classifiable elements and their position in the film.
      Example: fight with blood evident at 2:30
      Refer to https://www.classification.gov.au/classification-ratings/what-do-ratings-mean

    • * A short statement on which aspects of your film (if any) reflect regionality and/or diversity

    • How you found out about the Far South Film Festival

    • * Film Title (original language)

    • * Synopsis (in English)

    • Synopsis (in original language)

    • * Your (or your film’s) Website

    • Your (or your film’s) Facebook page

    • Your (or your film’s) Instagram page

Submitter Information

    • * Your Full Name

    • * Your Email

    • * Your Phone

    • * Address

    • Birthdate (* required for Youth Category submissions)

    • Gender (male/female/other/prefer not to say)

Digital Press Kit (this is REQUIRED for the online festival platform and media)

    • * Poster in A4 portrait format 300dpi resolution including at least the Film Title AND
      282 px wide x 422 px high @ 150dpi – main Poster image used in online festival

    • * Production Photos JPG or PNG in the following ratios:

      • Hero image landscape 1920px wide x 1080px high @ 600dpi

      • Hero image square 1080px wide x 1080px high @ 600dpi

      • Background image 1600px wide x 1100px high @ 150dpi minimum – used on the online Film page as a dark-blended background image to the text. Please provide at least 2 options.

      • Landscape 585px wide x 330px high image @ 150dpi minimum used in Collections online

      • Landscape 1600px wide x 600px high image @ 150dpi minimum used in Carousels online.

    • * Film Maker (usually Director) Headshot image portrait format 300px wide x 450px high minimum @150dpi

    • * Film Maker (usually Director) Biography

    • * Film Maker (usually Director) Statement about the film

Film Specifications

    • * Production Credits

    • Project Type

    • * Genre(s)

    • * Run Time – including titles and credits. Note: if you are submitting an episodic work (eg web series) the total length must not exceed 40 minutes and the whole series must be submitted as a single file

    • * Completion Date (must be after 19 August 2020 to be eligible for the 2022 Festival)

    • Production Budget

    • * Country of Origin

    • * Country of Filming

    • * Film Language

    • * Shooting Format

    • * Aspect Ratio

    • Film Colour

    • Student Project (Yes/No)

    • First-Time Filmmaker (Yes/No)

    • Past Screenings / Awards

    • Distribution Information

Ready to Submit Your Film?

Have you read ALL the rules on this page? Seriously, this will save you time and hassles in the long run!

The Far South Film Festival proudly accepts entries on FilmFreeway, the world’s #1 way to enter film festivals and creative contests.

  1. Click the above button after 7pm AEDT on 1 March 2022
  2. Sign up for a FilmFreeway login if you don’t already have one.
  3. When you sign up you’ll be directed to the Add Project page.
  4. Fill out the form using the Submission Details you prepared earlier  and save. You’re now ready to begin submitting your film to our festival, and other festivals too if you wish.
  5. Either:

    1. Upload your film to your project file. We recommend uploading your screening quality video directly to FilmFreeway. FilmFreeway accepts full quality HD videos up to 10 GB. It will be automatically transcoded by FilmFreeway to enable lower quality viewing by the selection panel. This way, if your submission is selected as a finalist for our festival, we can send you a download request, which you may then authorise or deny, to download your full quality HD video for screening. We can’t download your film for screening purposes unless you expressly authorise this request OR

    2. Alternatively, if your film is already on Vimeo or YouTube link your video to your FilmFreeway project. To submit with Vimeo or YouTube, go to ‘My Projects’ > ‘Project File’, then enter your video URL and password. Festivals you submit to will be able to watch your Vimeo video in FilmFreeway. However, if your film is selected and we need to download your video for screening, you will need to enable downloading within Vimeo and communicate this to us when you have done so.

      Important: If you are linking your video via Vimeo, be sure to update your settings in Vimeo to allow for embedding. Your video will still be password protected. Embedding allows the Vimeo video player to be displayed within the FilmFreeway interface for selection and judging purposes.

      To allow embedding, go to your video in your Vimeo account, click Settings > Privacy > Where Can This Video be Embedded? > Anywhere.

    3. Don’t forget to upload your trailer, poster and production photos!

Submission Fees and Entry Categories

Our festival Submission Fees go towards prizemoney for award winners, less costs of our film submission platform. You’ll be prompted to pay your submission fee when you submit online on Film Freeway.

  • Current financial Far South Film Inc Members receive a $5 discount on the fees below – contact us if you are a member and have not received this year’s Promo Code by email.

  • FilmFreeway does not charge any additional fees to filmmakers. Once you upload your film to FilmFreeway you can then choose to enter it into other film festivals that use the same platform.

Entry Category

Earlybird Fee
1 March –
18 April 2022

Standard Fee
19 April –
9 May 2022

Late Fee
10 May –
30 May 2022

Likely film rating limitation

Youth
(under 25 years)

AUD$10

AUD$15

AUD$20

G / PG

Open
(15+ years)

AUD$20

AUD$30

AUD$40

G / PG / M / MA15+

Screening

  • Selected films will be screened at the in-person festival venue in Merimbula NSW from 19-21 August 2022 as well as in the online festival as video-on-demand from 20-31 August 2022.

  • DRM/Geoblocking applies to viewing online content (ie films will only be viewable within Australia). If you use a VPN to connect to the online festival, you may not be able to view films.

  • Youth Category films will be screened together at a special Youth Screening (All Ages) rated session.

  • Q&As and the awards ceremony will be recorded live at the festival venue and be made available to view on demand via the online festival website.

  • Should the organisers decide to tour the Far South Film Festival, your film may also be selected to exhibit or screen in other venues in Australia at a later date for a period up to one year following the festival.

  • If your film is selected for screening, you will receive one free festival pass (either in-person or online, depending if you are attending the festival in-person or not). Sponsors will also receive one free festival pass. All other participants and festival goers will need to buy either an in-person ticket or an online festival ticket to view the films.

Classifications

  • Festival films are usually unclassified before screening. However, we still need to submit a likely classification for your film to the Classification Board for permission to screen it at the Festival.

  • Your film’s likely rating must conform to the Australian Government classification guidelines for G, PG, M or MA15+ ratings. Films that do not meet – or are unlikely to meet – these guidelines will not be eligible for screening or awards. You must tell us if your film has already received an official rating from the Australian classification board and what that rating is. Otherwise, you should include what you think your rating is likely to be in your submission form, based on the Australian Government classification guidelines and any reasons for that rating (eg mild cartoon violence, mature themes, drug references, etc).

  • For the Youth Film category, we accept films with a likely G or PG rating only as these films are screened to a younger audience. Films must not contain nudity, violence or images, language or behaviour that is unlawful or offensive, or that make reference to drug use including smoking or alcohol. Where this requirement is not complied with, provided the filmmaker(s) are 15+ years, a film with a likely M or MA+ rating may be entered into the Open Category instead.

  • Films likely to be classified M or MA 15+ must not be screened to anyone under 15 years unless they are accompanied during the viewing by an adult. As this is a hybrid festival, such films will be screened at separate sessions, and ticket purchasers will be warned and asked to certify that these conditions will be adhered to when they watch the session online. If selected for an award, only a selected trailer of an M/MA+ film that meets G/PG requirements may be screened during the Awards Ceremony.

  • Unclassified material with the following likely classifications, or material that has these classifications, will NOT be accepted for the festival: X 18+ or RC, R 18+

Copyright and Screening Rights

  • Films must not include any copyright material that you do not own nor have written permission to use. When you enter your film online, you will be asked to confirm this. If it appears your film could be in contravention of Australian copyright law, or to infringe others’ rights, you will be contacted to provide supporting documentation. If we do not receive adequate documentation prior to the closing date, your film will not be eligible for selection.

  • Contrary to popular opinion, the concept of ‘fair use’ applies only in extremely limited cases in Australia. Filmmakers must ensure their film complies with all aspects of Australian copyright law for screening at the festival and online. In particular, re-distributing music, sound and video sourced from commercial or free-to-air sources must have the explicit permission of the original copyright owner(s).

  • As permission can take many weeks or months to obtain, we recommend you avoid using such material and instead engage material from local artists with permission, or seek material from royalty free sources instead. Ensure that all sources are correctly attributed in your credits and submission documentation. Failure to do so may result in the Festival not accepting your submission. Check all licensing agreements carefully, as some restrict use of material to specific platforms and may not not suitable for festival screenings or online distribution.

  • For further details see our article on copyright:
    https://farsouthfilm.org.au/2019/08/06/using-music-and-other-copyright-material-in-your-film/

  • The submitter warrants to the Far South Film Festival that they have obtained all the necessary permissions to enter this film and that the film does not infringe the rights of any third party. This includes the use of locations, music, sound, recorded voice, video and literary material. You are advised to obtain signed location and talent release forms and to keep these on file. You may be asked to produce these on request.

  • The film’s Producer grants Far South Film Inc the non-exclusive right to:

    • Exhibit or screen your film at the festival venue and online during the period of the in-person and online Far South Film Festival, and for a period not exceeding 10 calendar days later (in the case of unforeseen delays or postponements).

    • Exhibit or screen the film in any subsequent tour of selected films within Australia for a period of 1 year from the date of the festival (Should the organiser wish to extend the touring period beyond 1 year, additional permission will be sought from the filmmaker).

    • Reproduce the film for inclusion as part of a compilation of films for Festival screening (eg Documentary Shorts).

    • Exhibit or screen clips from your film online or at the festival venue as part of a trailer for the festival. Please note that all online festival film content screening/streaming will be under a DRM/geo-blocked restriction, limited to viewing within Australia only.

Film Publication

  • If selected for screening, the film must not be publicly freely accessible on the Internet in the two week period leading up to and during the Festival, otherwise it may be disqualified. This is because our Festival relies on ticket sales to be able to stage the Festival, and audiences may not be willing to pay to view content that is freely available elsewhere. If your video is online, but is protected by a password or can only be accessed via a private link, that is fine.

Film Selection

  • If your film is selected for screening, we will send you a download request for your film and trailer. This enables the Festival to download the high resolution version of your film and trailer for screening purposes. We will also use an extract from your trailer or film for the overall festival trailer.

  • If you have provided a link only to a Vimeo or YouTube password-protected video, you must enable downloading and embedding within the settings. Your video will still be password protected. Embedding allows the Vimeo video player to be displayed within the festival interface. To allow embedding, go to your video in your Vimeo account, click ‘Settings’ > ‘Privacy’ > ‘Where Can This Video be Embedded?’ > ‘Anywhere’.

Compliance With Conditions

  • The producer shall:

    • Lodge a completed Entry Form through the Festival submission platform Film, Freeway. Incomplete Entry Forms will not be accepted.

    • Comply with State, Territory and Australian law in relation to all matters associated with making a film including obtaining relevant rights and permissions and entering the Festival contest.

    • Warrant that COVID-19 regulations that may have been in force during the filmmaking period (if applicable) were adhered to.

    • Be solely liable for and indemnify and save harmless to Far South Film Inc’s committee, members, employees and agents against all liability, claims, actions, proceedings, demands and penalties, to the extent that they are incurred by or brought against or made upon Far South Film Inc, or which Far South Film Inc may pay, sustain or be put to by reason of, or arising out of or in connection with the Producer entering the competition including but not limited to making the film, except where such liability, claims actions, proceedings, demands and penalties arises out of or in connection with a negligent or wilful act or default of Far South Film Inc, its committee, members, employees and or its agents.

Withdrawal of Entry

  • Entries may only be withdrawn in writing/by email by the Producer. Entries cannot be withdrawn after the withdrawal closing date except by the Festival Director. By submitting your film to the Far South Film Festival for consideration, you acknowledge this condition of entry and waive your right to withdraw your film from the Festival after this date. If you withdraw your film at any time, the film entry fee will not be refunded.

Judging

  • The decision of the judges will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

  • Far South Film Inc members may enter films into the Festival, however these members are excluded from being selected for the Festival judging panel and may not take part in any aspect of the judging or award selection process.

Privacy

  • The personal information requested on the entry form is being collected by the Far South Film Inc for the delivery of the Far South Film Festival. Personal information will be used by Far South Film Inc for that primary purpose or directly related purposes. If this information is not collected you may not be eligible to enter your film in the Far South Film Festival. The applicant understands that the personal information provided is for administration and promotional purposes and that they may apply to Far South Film Inc for access to and/or amendment of the information. Requests for access to data and/or corrections should be made by contacting Far South Film Inc.

Stay in Touch

Help Us to Promote the Festival and Your Film!

  • We encourage filmmakers to promote their entry in the Far South Film Festival through their local media and film networks and to encourage other filmmakers from your region to enter. Share our social media posts and tag your local media in them too. Contact our media team if you need ideas on how to connect in your region.

  • Media outlets can be directed to the following link to find up to date information about the festival, including information about closing dates, finalist films and winning entries:
    https://farsouthfilmfestival.com/media