Australia Independent Film Festival

OUR PROMISE TO YOU.

At AIFF we believe it is our core values which help set us apart from many other festivals. We are totally committed to being an ethical festival and make the following promise to all entrants. It is our filmmakers guarantee and what we believe is an industry first.

1. We will be honest and provide regular festival updates.

2. All entries will be played in their entirety and judged as per the listed judging and selection process. We do not promote favoritism.

3. At AIFF25 every finalist film 'will' screen in a real cinema in attendance by paying public. We screen all finalist films and not just films from attending filmmakers.

Finalist = Official Selection = Live screening.

4. The awards ceremony is a live event following the final screening session.

5. If a film wins but a filmmaker is not in attendance their award will be delivered at no charge.

AIFF SELECTION PROCESS:

Being an independent festival, we encourage all genres and a greater emphasis in the judging process is the overall appeal verses technical perfection and or money spent. Each entry is judged internally using standardized criteria before the top scoring films are judged by an external jury of industry professionals.

REWARDING FILMMAKERS

QUARTER-FINALISTS The top thirty percent (subject to seasonal variations) of each category will be named as quarterfinalists and will be awarded a high-quality quarter-finalist laurel which can be proudly displayed on social media and on film posters.
Please note: Quarter-finalist films will not be screened at the festival.

SEMI-FINALISTS. The top twenty percent (subject to seasonal variations) of each category will be named as semi-finalists and will be awarded a high-quality semi-finalist laurel which can be proudly displayed on social media and on film posters.
Please note: Semi-finalist films will not be screened at the festival.

FINALISTS will be selected from the semi-finalist group and will be awarded a finalist laurel, official selection laurel and a digital certificate. All finalist films sill screen at the festival.

WINNERS of each category will be awarded a special winner's laurel, an original print quality digital certificate and an original high-quality award. Other prizes will be added once confirmed.

AIFF NETWORKING @ausindefest
We believe a festival is not a festival without the opportunity for filmmakers to network and socialize between fellow creatives'.

Before and after screening sessions festival goers will be encouraged to network and socialize at the theater.

For those that like to socialize and network into the early hours. Each night a nominated venue will be selected and announced during the screening sessions. There is a reason locals like to call Brisbane – BRISVEGAS.

THE CITY and THE VENUE:

Brisbane located an hour's drive from the World-famous beaches of the Gold Coast is a vibrant, art loving new world city that can be considered the Gateway to Australia. Brisbane, the capital of Queensland is rich with culture and renowned for its hospitality and safety. AIFF25 will take place at Palace | James Street, Brisbane City.

Need to know more?
We welcome all questions. Please email contact@ausindefest.com and we'll do our best to answer your questions.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (AIFF) RULES

AIFF does not provide entry fee waivers and does not reply to fee waiver requests.

Entry fees are set in U$ - The reason for this is that most communities are best able to calculate the price in their native currency from the US dollar.

By entering a submitter agrees that they have read and understood the rules and regulations and to the best of their knowledge accept all statements as being true.

AIFF reserves the right to disqualify any submission without refund of submission fees. By entering a submitter confirms that they own the rights and or have permission from the owner of the content to enter the festival.

1. DATES:
The 2025 Australia Independent Film Festival will be held November 7&8 2025 Brisbane City Australia.

2. ENTRY RESTRICTIONS:
Nil.

3. SUBMISSION CATEGORIES:
Please select the category that best fits your project.
The Festival reserves the right to determine eligibility of any project for any Festival program or submission category. The Festival also reserves to change the entered category if the entry is better placed within a different category.

4. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
SUBMISSIONS ARE ACCEPTED EXCLUSIVELY VIA FilmFreeway. AN ENTRY WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED INTO AIFF WITH PAYMENT OF THE APPROPRIATE ENTRY FEE.

5. SELECTION:
Each entry will be played in full and judged internally under a unified marking system to give a final averaged score out of ten. Where an entry is judged by multiple people the final score is the average of all scores.
Judging categories include:
Originality / Creativity
Direction
Writing
Cinematography
Performances
Production Value
Pacing
Structure
Sound / Music

The decisions of AIFF will be FINAL.

6. PROGRAMING:
Upon completion of the selection process, AIFF will attempt to contact the Submitter using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Submitter of the Project's acceptance status.

AIFF will not be held responsible for any failure to contact the Submitter using the contact information provided on the submission form. It is the sole responsibility of the Submitter to ensure that the contact information provided on the submission form is correct throughout the entirety of the Festival selection period.
AIFF will establish the schedule of the films submitted.
Language (SUBTITLE POLICY)
IF YOUR FILM IS SELECTED for screening at the festival:
-If the film is another language than English it must have English Subtitles.

7. OTHER CONDITIONS:
AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT provide discounts or fee waivers.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT pay any screening fees.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT cover any travel or accommodation expenses.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT cover any subtitling expenses.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT guarantee distribution.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT provide feedback, judging insights or entry statistics.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL DOES NOT refund an entry fee if you change your mind.

8. GENERAL CONDITIONS:
By entering you agree and accept that the AIFF may use entered film titles, log lines, film frames, film photos, productions photos, film posters and short segments of the film for event promotion online and or in print media. Furthermore, Filmmakers are responsible for adhering to all guidelines and deadlines needed to ensure the highest quality exhibition of their film.

AIFF will promote the event and screening sessions to the best of their capabilities through multiple channels however AIFF will not and cannot be held responsible for actual attendee numbers.

AIFF is entitled to make interpretations in any case not considered in these rules and regulations and may make exceptions whenever justified. AIFF will review unforeseen cases. Whenever a controversy arises from the interpretation of any of the articles in these rules and regulations, the ruling document shall be the original document in English.

A submitted project implies full agreement with AIFF terms & conditions. Failing to comply with any of these articles may result in denying the participation of a project in the Festival.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL has the right to add, alter, change, or delete any portion of the guidelines and or components of listed prizes at any time without notice.

AUSTRALIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL reserves the right to add, alter, and change event inclusions and or screening venues at any time without notice. AIFF will not be held responsible for technical problems beyond our control that may affect the screening of a film and or films at the festival.

The Australia Independent Film Festival will facilitate the delivery of all listed prizes however will be not be held responsible for non-delivery or prize substitution by a prize sponsor.

Prizes are listed in good faith and AIFF cannot guarantee individual prize sponsors will deliver prizes as listed.

It is expected prize winners confirm the following with prize sponsors when accepting individual prizes:

Certain prizes may require prize winners to agree to additional terms and conditions made avaliable by a prize sponsor.

Certain prizes are only redeemable at certain locations within a certain time frame.

Prizes are non-refundable, non-exchangeable, and not redeemable for money.