BREAKING NEWS!! NATIONAL ROADSHOW TO TAKE BEST OF SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL INTERSTATE; LOCAL TALENT TO FEATURE ALONGSIDE WORLD’S FINEST SCI-FI.

The 2022 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival will hit the road in September, ensuring some of the best speculative cinema from Australia and around the world will find the widest audience possible.

Upon completion of the hometown leg of the festival at Event Cinemas George St from August 25-28, a ‘Best Of..’ collection will screen at six other Event Cinemas on Sept 2-3.

The multiplex locations that will carry the roadshow event are Brisbane City MC, Qld.; Palmerston, N.T.; Marion, S.A.; Whitford, W.A.; and, two regional New South Wales sites, Tuggerah on the Central Coast and Shellharbour in the state’s south. A Victorian venue is also currently being negotiated.

“Our first national screening program is happening entirely because of the feedback we have received from interstate fans, pleading for fresh, big-screen science fiction in their part of Australia” says Festival Director Simon Foster. “Every year, our social pages, all the DM avenues, even my email address - they are filled with comments like, ‘When are you coming to Brissy?’ or ‘How do I see this in Perth?’ So we listened and now hope that audiences will turn out for the challenging, beautiful, thrilling films we program.”

In addition to a fresh treat for national cinema-goers, the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival roadshow will highlight works from the respective regions. Foster encourages directors to submit scifi/fantasy genre works of any length, with the festival giving a commitment to program at least one session of local talent.

“Rarely do the current generation of filmmakers get to see their films in a traditional auditorium space, enjoying that unique audience experience, hearing the applause,” says the founder of Australia’s largest celebration of speculative cinema. “Our roadshow festival seasons offer that very opportunity, to filmmakers of all ages from coast-to-coast.”

KEY SUBMISSION DATES OF THE 2022 SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL:
EARLY BIRD SUBMISSION PERIOD: January 3 - March 28
FIRST WAVE SUBMISSION PERIOD: March 29 - May 23
SECOND WAVE SUBMISSION PERIOD: May 24 - June 27
OFFICIAL DEADLINE: June 28
DEEP SPACE DEADLINE: July 22
NOTIFICATION DATE: July 25

Awards & Prizes

The Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival patron and the organisation's Board Members will preside over the following three honours:

THE RON COBB BEST FEATURE FILM: The feature (over 40 mins) that best exemplifies the vision, values and ambitions of the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival. Named in honour of the late Ron Cobb, an adopted son of Sydney and iconic conceptual artist on such films as Dark Star, Alien, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Conan the Barbarian and The Abyss.

THE ADAM LEE MEMORIAL AWARD: Awarded to a figure in the science fiction/fantasy community who has exhibited a dedication to their life’s work and served the genre and its fanbase with the enthusiasm and passion. Adam Lee was a Melbourne film archivist and genre fan who passed away in July 2021.

BEST SHORT FILM: The short (under 40 mins) that best exemplifies the vision, values and ambitions of the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival.

BEST ACTOR (Feature Film) and BEST ACTOR (Short Film)

BEST ACTRESS (Feature Film) and BEST ACTRESS (Short Film)

BEST DIRECTOR (Feature Film) and BEST DIRECTOR (Short Film)

SSFFF AUDIENCE AWARD: The most popular feature film as voted upon by Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival audiences.

Rules & Terms

Terms and Conditions:

1. All filmmakers/applicants or entity submitting a film to the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival (hereafter known as “SSFFF”), accept and agree to comply with the following Terms and Conditions. The person submitting a film to SSFFF is hereafter known as ‘You’ or ‘Your’.

2. We welcome films from any country in the world. If the film is in any other language other than English, the submission requires embedded English subtitles.

3. We only accept films that have been produced during and after 2020. Films that are widely available via public screening platforms (Vimeo, YouTube, etc) or on the filmmaker's official website will not be considered.

4. All submission fees are non-refundable. Please do not ask for a full fee waiver. Waivers are only offered to films invited to screen by SSFFF.

5. How to submit:
• Complete and submit Your online submission form.
• Pay relevant submission fee
You will receive confirmation of Your successful registration

6. Student and Young Filmmaker category entrants must be registered in a recognised film school, university, college, high school, middle school or elementary school with proof of ID from the institution to qualify for the relevant fees. You must supply the following:
• Your Student ID
• Name of school, college or university
• Name of Your Course
• Lecture or teacher
• Email of lecturer or teacher

7. FAN FILMS: SSFFF will accept fan films to this festival. You must have all permissions from the copyright holder and/or franchise holder and/or intellectual property owner and reveal those for the SSFFF upon request.

8. Filmmakers submitting must supply:
• Production credits/contact details
• 5 (five) photos for promotional purposes, (min. resolution 1024 x 576 pixels)
• Press Kit for promotional use by SSFFF
• Film Poster
• A trailer and/or scene clips from the film (ProRes 422 Full HD; 1920x1080 or higher).

9.
a) A .DCP file on a formatted hard drive of the full film must be supplied for the SSFFF theatrical screening, unless an alternate format is otherwise agreed upon by SSFFF.
b) A video file in any single-file format (i.e. .mp4, .mov, .avi, .m4v, .mkv, .wmv, etc.) must be supplied in full HD resolution for online festival sessions.

10. Once a film is accepted by SSFFF and programmed, it cannot be withdrawn from the festival line-up, other than at the discretion of the SSFFF.

11. The SSFFF undertake to make every effort to adhere to the published schedule program. However, SSFFF reserves the right to alter this schedule and venue at any time for any reason. SSFFF does not accept any liability for any costs claimed to arise as a result of a change in the scheduling.

12. Awards may be presented during the SSFFF, at the discretion of the organisers and the Jury Panel (where applicable).

13. By submitting a film, You grant us the right to screen Your film at one or more SSFFF event, copy and/or reproduce, modify, adapt and any part thereof, up to one (1) minute of the film submission. We may also use Your submission and any other promotional material/photo’s and/or information submitted by You to communicate it to the public in all media, including via our website and publicity materials, or to advertise and promote SSFFF event(s), its products and services, or all, and to showcase Your film.

14. You own the copyright to Your film as its author and represent and warrant that You have (and will continue to have during the duration of SSFFF and thereafter) all necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions we need to use Your film and You will provide evidence of such on our reasonable request.

15. We accept no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities or injury incurred or suffered by any person as a result of submitting a film to SSFFF and its curation and all related events.

16. You indemnify and hold harmless SSFFF from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening materials entered.

17. By submitting, You agree that you have read and understood these terms & conditions of entry.

18. The SSFFF reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify or otherwise alter these 'Terms and Conditions' at any time. Unless otherwise indicated, amendments will become effective immediately.

For further information contact SIMON FOSTER, Festival Director.

22 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Brady O'Sullivan

    Fantastic festival! Thank you for allowing my film to be involved!

    November 2021
    Helpful
  • Tony Olsen

    There are three things you can count on with the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival, and it’s director Simon Foster, in particular: great communication, administrative efficiency, but most importantly – a genuine passion for the genre!

    The crew of kiwi fantasy short ‘HOT WOOL’ are thrilled our Australian Premiere was streamed with the award-winning Peruvian feature film ‘El Corazon de la Luna’.

    We predict exponential festival growth and influence in seasons to come. Thank you, Simon.

    November 2021
    Helpful
  • Keith Barnfather

    What I call a "proper" film festival - run by people who really love their art. Proud to be included.

    November 2021
    Helpful
  • ryan Andrews

    Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival was at the top of our list for experience. From communication, marketing to the event Simon the festivals organise was A class. The festival program was quality Sci-fi and we felt part of something during the whole process. I think SSFFF is going to grow into something really special.

    November 2021
    Helpful
  • Jude The IV

    A great festival for upcoming directors. The staff were incredible and quite nice!

    November 2021
    Helpful