Monster Fest is a celebration of all that is weird and wonderful in the international cult cinema palette – horror, science fiction, fantasy, dark drama, black comedy, animation, and much more.

Founded in 2011 by genre distribution specialists Monster Pictures, Monster Fest is a mix of premieres, international festival favourites, challenging new discoveries, and curated repertory sidebars alongside industry-focused events such as panels and masterclasses with renowned international and local guests, and a special emphasis on supporting emerging Australian genre talent through the festival and beyond.

From its humble beginnings in Victoria back in 2011 at Cinema Nova to the present day with nationwide festivals in partnership with Australia’s largest exhibition chain Event Cinemas, Monster Fest has grown to become the country's premier genre film festival.

More than a film festival though, Monster Fest is about engagement and a shared experience, uniting its audience as a community.

Monster Fest acknowledges the Traditional Owners of this country, pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and gives respect to Elders past and present.

MONSTER FEST has a juried competition for shorts and features. We offer award trophies and, in previous years, up to $10,000 in post-production prizes for Australian shorts. You can see a complete list of the 2022 awards here: https://www.monsterfest.com.au/mf2022-awards/

Upon submitting a film for consideration to MONSTER FEST, the submitter acknowledges and agrees to the following:

1. The submitter holds relevant copyrights for the submitted film and agrees to screen it at MONSTER FEST should it be selected for the program.

2. The submitter understands that submitting a film does not guarantee entry into the festival program and that no refunds will be issued for submission fees for films not selected.

3. The submitter agrees that if the film is selected for the MONSTER FEST program, they will provide a screening copy on DCP and arrange for KDMs (if required) and shipping of materials to Australia by the agreed festival materials deadline. If Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges, these costs will be charged back to the submitter.

4. Short films will only be accepted as DCP files for all screening requirements, and if Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges; these costs will be charged back to the submitter. should

MONSTER FEST only accepts submissions electronically, utilising online screeners. This allows your film to be seen by the whole programming team and thus increases its chances of being selected.

GENERAL RULES / SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Eligibility requirements for features and shorts:

-Features must be Victorian premieres, not publicly available online, and have not had an Australian festival debut before January 1, 2024

-Short films must be Victorian premieres, not publicly available online, and have not had an Australian festival debut before January 1, 2024.

-Expanded Cinema projects must be Victorian Premieres, not publicly available online, and have not had an Australian festival debut before January 1, 2024.

– Running time for all feature films must be 60 – 150 minutes.

– Running time for all shorts must be approximately 15-17 minutes or less.

– Selected feature films must be made available on DCP, and the submitter must arrange for KDMs (if required) and shipping of materials to Australia by the agreed festival materials deadline. If Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges, these costs will be charged back to the submitter.

-Selected short films must be made available on DCP (in 24 or 25 fps - 24 preferred), and the submitter must arrange for KDMs (if required) and shipping of materials to Australia by the agreed festival materials deadline. If Monster Fest incurs any screening materials-related charges, these costs will be charged back to the submitter.

-Expanded Cinema proposals must be primarily self-sufficient; however, this can be addressed case-by-case. The artist should provide and operate all personalised equipment (laptops, small gauge film projectors, any video projectors outside of the existing cinema setup, etc.) and be able to travel to the festival at one’s own expense to present.

-Film submissions in a foreign language must be subtitled in English.

-Preview format is an online screener. We will not be accepting physical screeners under any circumstances.

-Submitting more than one film requires a separate completed entry for each title.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

SCHEDULING: Films are scheduled at the discretion of Monster Fest. Monster Fest retains the right to change the published schedule at any time and for any reason. Films may be screened more than once.

RELEASE: MONSTER FEST is granted the right to utilise an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorised to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless Monster Fest from and against any claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred because of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening materials entered.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Joe Reilly

    Is Monster Fest the greatest film festival on earth? It may very well be, and I wasn't even able to attend in person! The amount of exposure and screenings I have received off of this one festival has been nothing short of astounding! The team clearly love their movies, and run multiple screenings across Australia for a curated selection of them too which is awesome.

    It's expensive to fly to Australia for sure from the States, but I 100% am saving up to make this a priority to attend next year! Fantastic fest and look forward to returning.

    November 2023
  • Karl Redgen

    I'm thrilled to have had my film premiere at Monster Fest, a festival I've attended as an audience member several times. While I couldn't be there in person this year, the feedback from my cast and crew who attended was overwhelmingly positive. The festival's exceptional communication and support made this experience a dream come true. Monster Fest is truly a well-run and welcoming platform for genre cinema, and I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity. Thank you, Monster Fest!

    November 2023
  • Izzy Lee

    Proud to be a multi-alumni at this super-rad festival! I only wish I could have gone, but it's half a world away. Jealous of all those who can go; enjoy for me!

    October 2023
  • Awesome film festival. Great people and communication and lots of cool films. Thank you Monster fest!!!

    October 2023
  • Kenny Foo

    Really enjoyed attending this festival and saw some films which I could not unsee! Great event run by a passionate team. Thank you Grant for programming “Slash”!

    September 2023