The Pavilion Film Festival at MAP mima is an annual celebration of contemporary screen culture, showcasing innovative short films, experimental video art, and immersive moving image works from local, national, and international artists and filmmakers. Set within the unique 360-degree projection cube at Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie, Australia, the festival transforms the pavilion into an enveloping cinematic environment where audiences are surrounded by light, sound, and storytelling. The program features curated screenings, artist talks, and panel discussions exploring new directions in digital art and film. Designed to highlight diverse voices and creative experimentation, the Pavilion Film Festival invites audiences to experience cinema beyond the screen, where technology, art, and imagination converge.

Central to the festival’s ethos is a commitment to diverse voices and new perspectives. By foregrounding works from artists of different backgrounds, disciplines, and cultural contexts, the festival creates a platform for dialogue around identity, place, technology, and the future of visual storytelling. It encourages audiences to engage with cinema as a living artform, one that evolves through collaboration and cross-pollination between art, science, performance, and design.

Awards & Prizes

MAIN CATEGORIES:

SHORT FILM $500
EXPERIMENTAL $500
IMMERSIVE 360 $500

TECHNICAL AND PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES:

DIRECTOR $500
ACTRESS
ACTOR
CINEMATOGRAPHY
SCREENWRITING
SCORE & SOUND DESIGN
EDITING

Rules & Terms

1. Filmmakers must own all rights to their submission or have obtained permission from the rights holder.

2. All submission fees are non-refundable.

3. Any film not in English must include English subtitles.

4. The festival relationship is exclusively with the individual submitting the film.

5. MAP mima and the Pavilion Film Festival are not responsible for any damaged copies of submitted films.

6. Not all submissions will be selected for the Official Selection. Judging decisions are final, and no feedback will be provided for films not selected.

7. The festival reserves the right to disqualify any film deemed inappropriate. For enquiries regarding disqualification, contact us at mapmima@lakemac.nsw.gov.au

8. A submission fee is required for all categories. Please refer to the FilmFreeway submission page for details on fees and payment.

9. All submitters must agree to the Pavilion Film Festival Rules and Terms.

10. By submitting your film, you grant the festival permission to use and share your film poster, trailer, synopsis, and stills on our website and social media channels.

11. The maximum runtime for submissions is 15 minutes.

12. Submission implies consent to our Privacy Policy. Filmmakers may be contacted via the email for updates regarding submission status, screening requirements, ticketing, and relevant festival information. Official submission communications will be through FilmFreeway. For more information, contact us at mapmima@lakemac.nsw.gov.au

13. The immersive 360 film category is for films that are 14,000px by 1,800px