Monster Fest is a celebration of all that is weird and wonderful in the international cult cinema palette – horror, science fiction, fantasy, dark drama, black comedy, animation, and much more.

Founded in 2011 by genre distribution specialists Monster Pictures, Monster Fest is a mix of premieres, international festival favourites, challenging new discoveries, and curated repertory sidebars alongside industry-focused events such as panels and masterclasses with renowned international and local guests, and a special emphasis on supporting emerging Australian genre talent through the festival and beyond.

From its humble beginnings in Victoria back in 2011 at Cinema Nova to the present day with nationwide festivals in partnership with Australia’s largest exhibition chain Event Cinemas, Monster Fest has grown to become the country's premier genre film festival.

More than a film festival though, Monster Fest is about engagement and a shared experience, uniting its audience as a community.

Monster Fest acknowledges the Traditional Owners of this country, pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and gives respect to Elders past and present.

MONSTER FEST has a juried competition for shorts and features. We offer award trophies and, in previous years, up to $10,000 in post-production prizes for Australian shorts. You can see a complete list of the 2022 awards here: https://www.monsterfest.com.au/mf2022-awards/

Upon submitting a film for consideration to MONSTER FEST, the submitter acknowledges and agrees to the following:

1. The submitter holds relevant copyrights for the submitted film and agrees to screen it at MONSTER FEST should it be selected for the program.

2. The submitter understands that submitting a film does not guarantee entry into the festival program and that no refunds will be issued for submission fees for films not selected.

3. The submitter agrees that if the film is selected for the MONSTER FEST program, they will provide a screening copy on DCP and arrange for KDMs (if required) and shipping of materials to Australia by the agreed festival materials deadline. If Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges, these costs will be charged back to the submitter.

4. Short films will only be accepted as DCP files for all screening requirements, and if Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges; these costs will be charged back to the submitter. should

MONSTER FEST only accepts submissions electronically, utilising online screeners. This allows your film to be seen by the whole programming team and thus increases its chances of being selected.

GENERAL RULES / SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Eligibility requirements for features and shorts:

-Features must be Victorian premieres, not publicly available online, and have not had an Australian festival debut before January 1, 2024

-Short films must be Victorian premieres, not publicly available online, and have not had an Australian festival debut before January 1, 2024.

-Expanded Cinema projects must be Victorian Premieres, not publicly available online, and have not had an Australian festival debut before January 1, 2024.

– Running time for all feature films must be 60 – 150 minutes.

– Running time for all shorts must be approximately 15-17 minutes or less.

– Selected feature films must be made available on DCP, and the submitter must arrange for KDMs (if required) and shipping of materials to Australia by the agreed festival materials deadline. If Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges, these costs will be charged back to the submitter.

-Selected short films must be made available on DCP (in 24 or 25 fps - 24 preferred), and the submitter must arrange for KDMs (if required) and shipping of materials to Australia by the agreed festival materials deadline. If Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges, these costs will be charged back to the submitter.

-Expanded Cinema proposals must be primarily self-sufficient; however, this can be addressed case-by-case. The artist should provide and operate all personalised equipment (laptops, small gauge film projectors, any video projectors outside of the existing cinema setup, etc.) and be able to travel to the festival at one’s own expense to present.

-Film submissions in a foreign language must be subtitled in English.

-Preview format is an online screener. We will not be accepting physical screeners under any circumstances.

-Submitting more than one film requires a separate completed entry for each title.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

SCHEDULING: Films are scheduled at the discretion of Monster Fest. Monster Fest retains the right to change the published schedule at any time and for any reason. Films may be screened more than once.

RELEASE: MONSTER FEST is granted the right to utilise an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorised to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless Monster Fest from and against any claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred because of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening materials entered.

FEES: Films submitted to Monster Fest waive screening fees unless invited to submit and are provided a waiver code.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Shane Anderson

    Wonderful fest run by wonderful people. Excellent communication and super nice all around.

    November 2024
  • Jake Whitford

    Monster Fest was a sweet experience for me. Having my short film placed among so many other high quality films was enough of a compliment to myself. A testament to the Monster Fest team for their hard work.

    October 2024
  • Lorenzo Manetti

    We were unfortunately not able to attend MONSTER FEST in person, as we are based in the U.S., but had an incredible experience with Grant Hardie and the festival’s team. Their communication and enthusiasm leading up to the event was excellent. We are honored to have had our short film, ESCAPE, be a part of the fest. As we embark on our next project, I really hope we are able to participate again, and experience MONSTER FEST in the flesh! Thank you again for including us!

    October 2024
  • Couldn't sing the praises of this festival more. A really welcoming community for a first timer, a great selection of films from all over the world and all taking place at a fantastic venue. It had a very personal feel to it which I appreciated. Very good communication across the board and just honestly a good time overall.

    October 2024
  • Dean Butler

    Had an absolute blast at Monsterfest 2024. Thrilled to have our short play there. Festival was well organised, great crowd and it was a lot of fun meeting fellow filmmakers before and after the screening. Highly recommended. The shorts in our block were all stellar and really different. LOVED IT!

    October 2024