Submission fee and deadlines:
All 2026 submissions MUST include a processing fee. Submit through FilmFreeway.
Any filmmaker may submit a short film which was completed AFTER Jan.1, 2025 and has a runtime of less than 25 minutes in the following genres:
Drama
Action/Drama/Suspense
Animation
Comedy
Documentary
Horror
Music Videos
Science Fiction
The MIFF is a short film festival that may include several features if time permits. Productions longer than 25 minutes may be submitted through special arrangement only. Contact us for details.
Productions that would be rated more restrictively than “R” will not be selected by the MIFF.
If selected:
You will be notified of your selection and receive one All Access Pass upon check-in at the theater. You will be asked to provide a high-quality copy of your program that we will convert into a DCP for theater screening. Adhering to high standards for this copy of your movie will help us maintain the high standards possible at the Premiere Theaters/Oaks 10 MIFF location. Specific image and audio guidelines are below.
MIFF Delivery Guidelines for Accepted Productions
If your submission is accepted, review the guidelines below and send us a link(1) to a high-quality copy of your production ASAP to MIFF@ACutAboveVideo.com.
Goal: Provide us with a high-quality copy of your production. All material will be encoded by us with other submissions, many with prerecorded introductions, and presented in a movie theater with available 5.1 audio using a 4K digital cinema projector from a Digital Cinema Package (DCP).
Audio encoding is best if 48KHz 24-bit samples with no compression; mono to 5.1 is accepted
Non-English submissions must have English subtitles burned in (included in the video)
Resolution and Framerate should be the same pixel dimensions and framerate used in production (no letterboxing or pillerboxing)
Delivery formats include ProRes, DNxHD, DNxHR, or another high-quality commonly available low compression CODEC(2) (H.264/mp4, though more highly compressed, is accepted; do not send a DCP unless arranged in advance.
Delivery medium preferred is via electronic transfer (DropBox, WeTransfer, FileZilla, or other file transfer service)(1) contact us for delivery of hard media.
Delivery or technical questions email MIFF@ACutAboveVideo.com
All other questions email Contact@MelbourneFilmFestival.org
NOTES:
(1) If the best version you can send us is thru FilmFreeway, let us know by email at MIFF@ACutAboveVideo.com
(2) To keep files sizes practical, we prefer that you limit encoding to 4:2:2.
RELEASE:
By submitting a production to the MIFF on my behalf or on behalf of my minor child or person for whom I am a legal guardian, I hereby irrevocably grant the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival hereafter referred to as MIFF, their licensees, agents, successors, and assignees the right in perpetuity throughout the world in all media now or hereafter known to promote and advertise the MIFF utilizing the names credited for the production, fictitious name, the promotional and collateral material submitted, and short segment(s) of the motion picture I submitted to the MIFF.
The MIFF may publicly exhibit the complete submitted motion picture during the MIFF in a movie theater or other public venue. Other than for review for acceptance to the MIFF, promotion of the MIFF using short excerpts from the submission, and display of the full production at the MIFF, the MIFF has no rights to reproduce, display, or distribute the submitted motion picture.
I am at least 18 years of age, and I am authorized to submit the production for public exhibition in a movie theater during the MIFF. I affirm that proper license(s) for use of performances and intellectual property (music, images, etc.) within this production have been obtained and display of my submission by the MIFF does not violate any laws or copyright restrictions within the United States. I understand that I am not entitled to any financial compensation from the MIFF for this release.
On my behalf or on behalf of a minor child for whom I am submitting, heirs, successors, and assignees, I indemnify and hold harmless the MIFF and its agents from any and all claims, actions, and judgments, including all costs of defense and attorney’s fees incurred in defending against same, arising from and related to the display and use of materials provided by me under this agreement.
