Why do you love nature? Is it the calming feeling of warm sand between your toes as you step onto the beach? The joyful sound of magpies chortling to each other from the treetops in your neighbourhood? Or the pops of colour appearing in your garden as flowers begin to bloom in spring?

Wild by Nature Short Film Festival celebrates everything we love about Victoria’s incredible natural environment. From your local park or creek, to your favourite wild place to escape the busy city, nature plays an important role in all of our lives.

We want to hear why you love nature! Submit a film that highlights the amazing local nature we have in Victoria, and explores why nature is so good for us and what we can do to care for it.

Please read the rules and terms to ensure you are eligible before submitting your film.

PLEASE NOTE: due to COVID-19, the closing date for entries has been extended to 11:59 pm Sunday 13 September 2020 and the screening event has been moved online to early November. Details to come.

Awards & Prizes

Pobblebonk Prize: primary age, 12 and under. Winner will receive a $1,000 voucher for a wildlife experience with Zoos Victoria.

Swamp Skink Prize: secondary age, 13 to 18 years. Winner will receive a $1,000 voucher for video production gear, plus a hands-on workshop with the Remember The Wild productions team to finesse your nature filmmaking skills.

Black Swan Prize: over 18. Winner will receive $3,000 cash.

Rules & Terms

Wild by Nature Short Film Festival Terms and Conditions

1. Wild by Nature screens films made by entrants living in Victoria, Australia, only. Films must focus on nature in Victoria.

2. Films submitted to Wild by Nature must be no longer than five minutes, including credits.

3. Films submitted to Wild by Nature Short Film Festival must address at least one of the following three themes:

Caring for nature
Community conservation groups are doing fantastic work looking after our environment, but the work of individual people is also incredibly important – there’s plenty you can do in and around your home to help care for nature.
Films should focus on how groups or individuals can or are caring for nature.
Ideas to consider:
- How do you care for nature where you live?
- Why is it important for us to preserve nature in the suburbs?
- What is one of your favourite memories volunteering to conserve nature?

Together in nature
From camping and hiking, to snorkeling and birdwatching – adventures and activities in nature are a great way to spend time and connect with family, friends and your community.
Films should focus on the joys and benefits of spending time in nature with friends, family and community.
Ideas to consider:
- Why are parks and gardens important for our community?
- How does nature bring people together? How does it inspire us?
- What is one of your favourite memories of spending time with loved ones in nature?

Dandenong Creek corridor
The Dandenong Creek corridor provides a vital haven for native flora and fauna, and the region’s human inhabitants. The Living Links program (https://livinglinks.com.au/current-projects/dandenong-creek/) is working hard to improve the quality and connectivity of habitat along the creek, and to improve community use and appreciation of it.
Films should highlight the natural values of the Dandenong Creek corridor for people, nature or both.
Ideas to consider:
- What do you love about this unique waterway?
- Why are waterways so important to our way of life?
- What is one of your favourite memories of the Dandenong Creek?

4. Wild by Nature accepts fiction and non-fiction film genres.

5. If selected for screening, your film must not be publicly available on the internet.

6. In submitting your film, you give Wild by Nature the rights to:
- screen your film in the 2020 Wild by Nature Short Film Festival
- use a section of your film for promotional purposes
- share your contact details with local councils who may be interested in including your film in other local public screenings

7. In submitting your film, you must have obtained all the necessary permissions to enter your film, and your film must not infringe the rights, including copyright, of any third party. This includes the use of music and literary material.

8. All productions screened at the Wild by Nature Short Film Festival in 2020 must have been completed within two years of the original entry closing date of 12 April 2020. (Films completed between the original closing date of 12 April and the postponed closing date of 13 September 2020 will also be eligible.)

9. If your film is selected for screening at Wild by Nature, you will be sent an email notification by Monday 12 October.

10. If your film is selected for screening at Wild by Nature, the final delivery format must be in QuickTime Video Codecs: Apple Pro Res 422/4444.

If you are unsure of eligibility, please contact info@wildbynaturefilms.org.