The Aotearoa Poetry Film Festival is an event entirely devoted to the celebration and showcase of poetry film. Poetry film or video poetry is a fast-growing art form that combines poetry, moving images, sound and music. We would like to invite film-makers and poets of any age and backgrounds to participate in the second edition of the Festival which will take place in October 2024 in Wellington. In particular, we encourage the submission of innovative and eclectic takes on poetry film as a distinct media form.

The Festival will feature a poetry film competition, workshops, seminars, poetry readings and retrospectives and it will offer the opportunity to showcase the diversity of poetry film produced both in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. The 2024 Aotearoa Poetry Film Festival is organised in collaboration with Victoria University of Wellington.

The 2024 Aotearoa Poetry Film Festival is inviting entries for three categories of the film competition:

- Best International Poetry Film
- Best New Zealand Poetry Film
- Best Student Poetry Film (film-makers need to be enrolled in a secondary or tertiary education institution at the time of submission)

All films selected for competition will receive a festival laurel and the winners of each competition category will receive a trophy.

The festival jury will comprise local and international award-winning film-makers, poets and academics.

Film-makers assert, under their own liability, the complete right of use on copyrighted materials (images, words, sounds, music) that compose the artwork. Film-makers undertake complete liability for any breach of copyright laws. By submitting, participants release the festival from any legal claims, liabilities and damages.

The festival organisers reserve the right to disqualify films that are in breach of New Zealand copyright laws. 

Film-makers shall retain all copyrights of any image they submit.

Films may have been screened before at another festival or online, but must have been created after 1 January 2021 to be considered for competition. Entries that are publicly available online may not be selected. 

All films must be under 10 minutes in length including credits (for the International and New Zealand categories). Films must be under 7 minutes in length including credits for the Student category.

We welcome submissions in all languages, however, films that are not in English must contain English subtitles. Subtitles for films in Te Reo are optional. If a barrier to understanding language is part of the concept of your poetry film, we will respect your stylistic choices and honor the piece in its authentic form.

Festival organisers reserve the right to disqualify submissions that feature political propaganda, gratuitous violence, or discriminatory content. This includes (but is not limited to) ableism, homophobia, misogyny, racism, and transphobia.  

The Festival will accept a maximum number of 2 submissions per person. 

The Festival Jury will make the final decision on the Official Selection. The Jury’s decisions will be final and cannot be appealed.

The festival organisers reserve the right to alter, amend, or modify the Competition rules at any time, and all Participants concerned by these changes will be notified by email.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Hospitality
Networking
  • What a priviledge for my film Ara, Made of Stardust, to be screened in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The film was shot and produced on Wurunjeri woi Wurrung land across the sea inOz... so great to see my work travelling! The communication was smooth and easy. Looking forward to more opportunities together.

    December 2024
  • Thanks for including my film, for the sharp communication, and for working through some technical issues to screen the film.

    November 2024
  • Simon Ray

    A dynamic festival run by a brilliant team. Communication was great and the event was really enriching and enjoyable. Great hospitality and food around the events too!

    November 2024
  • We are most grateful to have ON THE BLUE SUMMER EVENINGS selected at Aotearoa film festival. A great place for those who love poetry. Poetry in Motion!!

    November 2024
  • Sarah Tremlett

    This is a precious jewel of a festival with really knowledgeable and creative organisers. I would like to thank everyone for including my film Flight (Vuelo) in the 2024 screening. One day I am going to make it to New Zealand and see all the poetry filmmakers at the forefront of the field right now.

    November 2024