On the east coast of Australia, the Southern Gold Coast’s world-class surf breaks provide the perfect backdrop to a film and photography festival that brings together surfers, filmmakers, photographers and ocean lovers to experience inspiring stories related to beach and surf culture.

Entering it's 3rd year, Flotsam Festival 2024 will be a two week-long event in May celebrating surf culture through a diverse program of short and feature length ocean-themed films, photography exhibitions, workshops and art projection works.

A successful pilot run from 1-8 May, 2022, featured:
• 22 Event sites
• 82 Film makers + photographers exhibited
• 13 Live music acts
• 52 Accommodation providers and 34 restaurants, cafes and breweries spanning Currumbin to Coolangatta actively participated in festival ticketing

Surf culture is at home in the Southern Gold Coast region. The area from Coolangatta to Burleigh has produced an unprecedented 21 surfing World Champions across various surf disciplines, and spawned an industry hub that still influences global surf fashion and board design. Since the dawn of surfing in Australia in the 50’s-60’s, photographers and filmmakers have immortalized the waves that roll into the Southern Gold Coast shores. Their images and films have documented and in some cases propelled the world champs, the surf brands, and the board designers.

Timed to lead into major surf events in the region, Flotsam creates a platform for local and international surf and ocean-inspired creatives to, in turn, be celebrated for their craft.

Awards & Prizes

All films selected for programming are supplied with digital laurels and paid screening fees.

Several categories including photography will also be subject to various prizes and awards - these will be announced at the festival's closing event, FLOTSAM Homegrown.

Rules & Terms

As we are a surf and ocean-themed festival, please only submit films that relate to those topics.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting your film, you accept the following:
+ By submitting this film, I give permission for this production to publicly screen during Flotsam Festival
+ I have the right or authorisation to submit this film, and the production has no litigation or disputes regarding any part of the production, distribution or originality
+ I hold Flotsam Arts Inc and Flotsam Festival harmless from any damage to submitted media
+ I give permission for use of excerpts of the film/trailer stills, titles, copy, and/or information from the film for promotional purposes, including online and in any print media or campaigns connected with the festival
+ By submitting this film, I agree to take on all copyright liability in regard to submitted film in terms of music, product and other copyright licensing
+ I understand submitting a film does not guarantee acceptance, and that Flotsam Arts Inc can not be held responsible or liable for losses or damages resulting from failure to screen entries accepted into the festival programme
+ I hold the Flotsam Arts Inc and Flotsam Festival management, juries, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates, and etc. harmless from any and all claims of liability resulting from my entry
+ I certify that I have full rights to the use of the music and footage in the Production. I own or have authorization to all necessary copyrights and licenses; (If requested) will be able to provide model/actor release verification if requested; will be able to provide music, product and other copyright licensing verification if requested. As the Submitter/Producer, I agree to take on all c copyright liability in regard to submitted film

Filmmakers whose productions have been selected for screening as part of the main festival programme will be informed by email/ phone and required to sign a formal contract outlining all terms and conditions
If accepted as an official selection, film makers must submit a hi-res format of the film to specifications that suit the venue chosen for screening. Generally, this will be 4K or HD (1920x1080) Mp4 or .Mov

Film Submissions

+ All Festival submissions should be sent through a private video server, password-protected (Vimeo, Dropbox, Youtube etc.)
+ Ocean-related content only, however open genre; meaning we accept all forms and genres that would be deemed within a G, PG, PG-13, M etc. We do not accept pornographic entertainment. 
(1) Short form submissions are those under thirty (30) minutes. 
(2) Long form (feature length) submissions are those thirty (30) minutes and over in length.
+ MULTIPLE ENTRIES are allowed; however, a separate entry form shall be submitted for each
+ PRODUCER / FILMMAKER / COPYRIGHTS: Submitter (filmmaker or producer) will be referred to as “Producer or Submitter”. Producer must own all copyrights; must be able to provide model/actor release verification if requested; must be able to provide music, product and other copyright licensing verification, if requested. Producer agrees to take on all copyright 
liability in regard to submitted film. ENTRIES are allowed; however, a separate entry form shall be submitted for each
+ PREMIERE/DISTRIBUTION STATUS: We accept submissions that have premiered elsewhere, however submissions that have distribution agreements already in place should advise us of this status. Online, TV, theatrical, festival, or other distribution outlets that run concurrently, pre or post Flotsam or in a similar geographic region may render a film ineligible for screening.

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  • Alexandre Ribas

    Amazing fest. Thanks for the opportunity to make part of it.

    July 2023
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