The Transitions Film Festival is a visionary program dedicated to spotlighting the complex challenges, cutting-edge ideas, creative innovations and mega-trends that are redefining what it means to be human.

Our mission is to share global stories about the trailblazing changemakers that are tackling society’s greatest challenges and creating a social impact.

In an era that could very well define the fate of the planet and our species, there has never been a more important and exciting time to be engaged, educated and inspired. The Transitions Film Festival is a guiding light in these critical and exciting times we are living through.

We use the power of film to grow the changemaker movement and reinvigorate the everyday heroes who are already working hard to tackle our greatest challenges.

The Festival takes place in Melbourne in February / March 2020 before touring a smaller selection of films to various cities across the country, and features a line-up of inspirational guest speakers, panels and filmmaker Q and A's.

Audience Choice awards for:

Best Feature
Best Short
Best Australian Feature
Best Australian Short

ELIGIBILITY

Short and feature documentary and narrative films completed after January 1, 2017, are eligible for Transitions Film Festival 2020.

RUNTIMES

Features: 40 minutes plus / Shorts: From 1 minutes to 40 minutes / VR up to 15 min

FILM THEMES

We are interested in documentaries and narratives that relate to any of the themes below:

Emerging technologies, science and innovations
Social innovations
Environmental sustainability
Environmental architecture
New ideas related to business and economics
Progressive themes including, human rights, gender and economic equality
Activism and community
Advances in health and well-being

SCREENERS

Online preview screeners are required as part of the film submission process, either via a password protected link (Vimeo preferred) or uploaded directly to FilmFreeway. The submitter is responsible for ensuring that their screener link and password is active through to at least end of February 2020.

PREMIERE STATUS

No formal requirements. When making final decisions, programmers do take a film’s exposure into consideration, especially prior screenings in Australia, VOD plans/launch dates.

FESTIVAL TOUR

The festival starts in Melbourne in February before screening in select cities around Australia. Films officially selected for the festival will all screen in Melbourne, and only a small select number of films will tour. The tour may involve hosted and partnered screenings, potentially up until July 2020.

OPEN CAPTIONS

We are keen to make the festival as accessible and inclusive as possible and we encourage and look favorably on the submission of open captioned films. Please advise via the submission form if the film has been or will be captioned for the deaf.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. THE FESTIVAL

a)    The Filmmaker grants the TFF a non-exclusive limited licence that permits the TFF to communicate the Film on screen to the public for the following purposes: As part of the 2020 Festival.

b)    The Filmmaker agrees that the Film will be shown as part of a program of several films, the programming and scheduling of which is at the discretion of the TFF organisers. Scheduled dates, times and venues will be communicated in the selection announcement letter. Any other intended screenings will be determined on a rolling basis. ANY FURTHER INTENDED SCREENINGS AFTER MELBOURNE WILL NOT TAKE PLACE WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL / NOTIFICATION.

c)    TFF agrees that at all times the Filmmaker remains the Owner of the Film.

d) Exhibition Format - preferred format for screening is DCP (24fps) sent either via FTP or by post. BluRay discs region free are also an accepted format.

e) Shipping / Delivery
Shipping / direct delivery instructions will be sent to the film submitter once the film has been selected. In general, TFF will cover one-way shipping (inbound or outbound) unless agreed otherwise.

f) Filmmaker attendance at the festival is welcomed, however unless traveling and attending on own expenses, the Filmmaker will need to discuss / request cost coverage with the Festival Director as early as possible after selection is announced.

2.  PROMOTION AND MARKETING

a) The film submitter / film rights owner grants TFF permission to use any extract, excerpt, part, clip, still image and/or sound recording from the Film not exceeding 5 minutes in length and/or to use the Filmmaker’s name and biography in any media for the purpose of promoting and marketing the Festival.

b) The film submitter / film rights owner grants TFF permission to upload the official trailer on the Festival's Vimeo or YouTube Channel for the purpose of promoting and marketing the film within the program. This includes permission to use the Festival logo branding and dates within the trailer.

“Promotion and Marketing” may include, but is not limited to: 

i.        The production of the official 2020 Festival trailer.

ii.        Festival programming and advertising.

iii.        Radio and television interviews.

iv.        Uploading and screening extracts of the film on the Festival website.

b) The Filmmaker grants TFF permission to share the film screener with Festival speakers, judges, sponsors and the media for the purposes of preview and review.

The TFF may NOT do any of the following acts under the continuing licence: 

i.        Submit or provide the Film to third parties for broadcast purposes.

ii.        Generate revenue from the Film other than revenue from conducting the Festival and other activities as set out in clause 1 above.

3. FILM SUBMISSION

I.        The Filmmaker / Film Rights Owner will submit the Film to TTF on DCP or BluRay and will ensure it has undergone all appropriate technical and quality checking prior to submission.

II.        TFF will retain all physical materials, including the copy of the Film that the Filmmaker submits and all submitted physical materials unless the Filmmaker provides TFF with instructions to return the material and a return address. TFF will request this information upon the film's acceptance into the festival.

III.        Any Film submitted to TFF is done so at the Filmmaker’s own risk.

IV.        The Filmmaker is solely responsible for the content of the Film and agrees that the Film does not contain any content that may be construed as: libellous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, sexually, racially or ethically offensive, intimidating, threatening, hateful, discriminatory or abusive.

4. OWNERSHIP AND RIGHTS

The Filmmaker gives the following warranties:

I.        The Filmmaker / submitter has legal authority to enter into this agreement and grant the Rights.

II.        There are no legal actions, claims, demands or proceedings against the Film or the Filmmaker in respect of the Film.

III.        The Filmmaker will not make any claim against the Festival in respect of the exercise of the Rights.

IV.        The Filmmaker is the sole Owner of the underlying Works or has consent in writing from all the respective owners of the Works in the Film for the Filmmaker, the Filmmaker’s licensees, and any person authorised by the Filmmaker, (including the Festival), to do any or all of the following to their Work/s: reproduce, exploit, convert between formats, edit, alter and/or reproduce the Work/s in any manner or context.

V.        Without limiting clause 4IV. above, the Filmmaker is the sole Owner of the copyright or has the relevant permission from the Owner of the copyright, in any sound recordings used in the Film and music and lyrics reproduced in those sound recordings.

VI.        All performers in the Film have unconditionally consented in writing to the use of their performances in the Film.

VII.        Exercise of the Rights will not infringe any rights of any third party (including copyright); and to the extent that it does, the Filmmaker has obtained written consent from each of such third parties.

VIII      The Filmmaker will provide copies of any or all of the Consents listed in this clause at any time if requested to do so by the Festival.

5. MORAL RIGHTS

The Filmmaker warrants that:

I.        The Filmmaker is the sole Owner of the Moral Rights in the Film for the purposes of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) or that the Filmmaker has obtained from each person who contributed any copyright material in or any performance to the Film, a written consent for the Filmmaker, the Filmmaker’s licensees, and any person authorised by the Filmmaker, (including TTF), to do any or all of the following to their contribution or performance: reproduce, exploit, convert between formats, edit, alter and/or reproduce the contribution or performance in any manner or context (Moral Rights Consents).

II.        The Filmmaker will provide copies of any or all of the Moral Rights Consents listed in this clause at any time if requested to do so by TTF.

6. INDEMNITY

The Filmmaker indemnifies and will keep indemnified TFF against any claims made against TFF in connection with the Film and associated rights.

7. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

I.        By completing the Film Submission the Filmmaker agrees that these T & C form the entire agreement in relation to the Film submitted by the Filmmaker to TFF.

II.        The submitter agrees that all information provided to TFF (including, without limitation, the information set out in the entry form) is correct and not misleading.

III. Where the submitter has any issues agreeing with any component of these terms, alterations can be agreed upon in writing.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Roger Ungers

    Such a wonderful festival to be a part of, Transitions Film Festival hosted the world premier of my first feature documentary and the screening was an awesome success! Really positive vibes, everyone was so friendly, the cinema was packed and great staff!

    Highly recommend this festival!

    March 2020
  • Michelle Taylor

    excellent strong festival, with dedicated staff, and lots of networking possibilities. I have 3 or 4 festival selections with films from MY BEST FOR FESTS curated line-up, I was very lucky and really happy about it. Bruno Chatelin Festival agent
    congrats to all. Bruno Chatelin

    March 2019
  • Melanie La Rosa

    While I was not able to attend, this festival still made me feel like a part of the community. They were wonderful, communicative, and helpful every step of the way. I hope to make it there in future years.

    July 2018