Melbourne Documentary Film Festival

There has never been a better time to experience and be apart of the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. The theme this year is Past, Present, Future. To celebrate our 10th anniversary, here are the sidebar events happening in July 2025:

Docudining
Date: 1st July 2025
Details: A unique event combining food and documentary screenings.

Docs Down Under
Date: 2nd to 6th July 2025
Details: A showcase of short documentary films from Australia.

Screentalk
Date: Every Monday in July 2025 (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th)
Details: Engaging discussions about documentaries.

Soundscape Documentary Film Festival
Date: 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th July 2025
Details: A reimagined/remake presentation of the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, featuring music documentary screenings.

Documentary Reimagined: Rescoring Koyaanisqatsi
Date: 9th July 2025
Details: A special event featuring a new score for Koyaanisqatsi by Josh Mitchell.

72 Hour Filmmaking Competition
Date: 10th to 13th July 2025
Details: A fast-paced challenge for filmmakers to create a 5-minute documentary in just 72 hours.

DocPitch: Nonfiction Narratives
Date: All July 2025
Details: A month-long pitching event for nonfiction storytelling projects.

IMAX Documentary
Date: 31st July 2025
Details: A special IMAX documentary screening to close out the festival.

Additional Opportunities:
Fed Square Documentaries
Volunteering
DocPitch

For more information or to get involved, please email info@mdff.org.au
Prizes have been updated please see terms and conditions.

The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (MDFF) is looking for a Melbourne-based or Melbourne-made feature documentary to either open or close our historic 10th edition. You can submit via FilmFreeway or email us at info@mdff.org.au.

The festival has become a cultural phenomenon in Melbourne, with sold-out sessions and encores, ranking as one of Australia’s top film festivals. We aim to promote diverse, independent, and creative filmmakers, supporting global and local talent. MDFF has helped filmmakers reach major platforms.

MDFF is known for its commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and safety. We’ve had no reported COVID cases at our events for the last five years and have worked to ensure a safe environment for everyone.

This year, we're excited to host encores for popular short documentaries and have seen great success. We've also become the FilmFreeway Top 100 Melbourne Film Festival and are ranked in the top global documentary festivals. We are especially proud to have had 7 documentaries eligible for the 2024 Oscars and 3 in 2025.

MDFF showcases documentaries that promote critical and independent thinking, debate, and diverse perspectives, with a focus on issues like human rights, equality, social issues, and freedom of speech. We have supported various causes, including BLM, Indigenous communities, and environmental organizations.

MDFF is an indie festival that helps filmmakers make their mark, offering opportunities for premieres, screenings, and networking with industry professionals. The festival takes place at Cinema Nova, one of Australia’s largest independent cinemas, and offers a fun, community-driven atmosphere.

We’re looking for local and international feature documentaries, short films, VR projects, video essays, and web series to compete in our Australian Documentary Awards. Submit your documentary to be part of this prestigious event and help us celebrate the best of the documentary genre.