FEATURE AND SHORT FILM CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
Brisbane International Film Festival will take place 26 October - 5 November 2023. By submitting your film (Film) to Brisbane International Film Festival (Festival), which is organised by Gold Coast Film Fantastic Ltd (A.C.N. 098 091 260) (BIFF), you (Filmmaker) agree to the following:
All the information provided either through the online entry form or through email correspondence with BIFF is true and accurate.
You either own the rights to, or have permission to use, the footage, sound, music, images and all other contributions that are part of the Film to the extent necessary to submit the Film to the Festival and, if accepted, screen the Film at the Festival. Please note: if you have any doubts about any of the rights in the Film, you must notify the Festival at the time of submission.
The film must be completed in the past two years with completion date after 1 March 2021.
If your film is selected to screen as part of Brisbane International Film Festival:
You grant BIFF a royalty-free, non-exclusive, Australian license to screen the Film between 26 October - 5 November 2023.
You agree to provide BIFF with a downloadable version of the short Film or DCP of the feature Film by no later than 9 October 2023 (9 October 2023 is the content delivery date.)
BIFF will prepare professional session compiles at its own cost for screening at all its venues. You grant BIFF all necessary rights to copy and otherwise reproduce the Film for the purpose of making such compiles and otherwise screening the Film and promoting the Festival and BIFF.
You must notify BIFF immediately if any of the rights in the Film become disputed or a claim is made against you in relation to the Film.
You must indemnify BIFF and the Festival from all claims made against BIFF or the Festival arising from or in connection with the submission of the Film, or any infringement of any intellectual property in connection with the screening of the Film as part of the Festival.
You grant BIFF and the Festival a royalty-free, non-exclusive Australian license to use film excerpts, film stills, press kits and other promotional materials from the Film for publicity and promotional purposes in relation to the Festival, including on its website.
FEATURE FILM RULES:
BIFF accepts Australian and International feature films over 70 minutes in length, including credits.
Feature films must have been completed within the last 2 years (1 March 2021).
All non-English language films must be subtitled in English. If selected, the screening version must also be subtitled.
We discourage entries which may be considered corporate or marketing documentaries.
SHORT FILM RULES:
We accept Australian and International short films up to a maximum 20 minutes in length, including credits.
Short films must have been completed within the last 2 years after 1 March 2021.
We discourage short film entries which may be edited versions of longer length films or short film entries which may be considered corporate or marketing documentaries.
All non-English language films must be subtitled in English. If selected, the screening version must also be subtitled.
To be eligible for consideration, all submissions must meet the following requirements:
Films must not have been (or will not be) broadcast on television or a streaming platform or publicly screened, distributed or exhibited (for a targeted cinema release) in a physical location within the state of Queensland, Australia, prior to the festival dates (ie 26 October - 5 November 2023). The only exceptions to this requirement are for private screenings held for cast, crew or investors, and film-school graduation screenings. Exemptions may be considered by the programming team on a film by film basis.
Films must not have been (or will not be) available commercially online and accessible from the state of Queensland, Australia, either for free or via on-demand services prior to the festival dates. Screenings as part of a digital or online festival are permitted if the festival is for a limited run and geoblocked such that access by Australian viewers is prohibited. Exemptions may be considered by the programming team on a film by film basis.
PREMIERE STATUS
Feature films and shorts that have premiere status: World, Australian or Queensland (minimum) will be considered. Waiver to premiere status (ie films that have screened in Queensland) will be considered on a film by film basis.
Work In Progress Submissions:
Our programmers are well accustomed to viewing work that is near completion. If you need to send the film when there is still post-production work left to do, then please let us know what is left to be done (eg colour grade, sound mix, vfx).
However, please note that we will not re-view different cuts of the same film, so it is best to wait until you have a cut you are happy with. If you are submitting a work in progress, please ensure a final completed film will be delivered to the festival (if the film is selected) by the content delivery date (noted below).
Official Selection - Feature films:
In the event of your short or feature film being officially selected, you will be notified by invitation. At that point an Official Selection form will be sent for your completion, to confirm the invitation has been accepted, and to gather all the information necessary for the presentation and marketing of the film in the Festival.
For international and Australian filmmakers, all "Official Selection" films will be paid a screening fee.
Entry Fees for all submissions:
All entrants must pay a flat fee per film entered. The fee varies based on the category entered and whether it is submitted in the early bird period or not.
PLEASE NOTE, THE ENTRY FEE CANNOT BE WAIVED AND IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
Unselected Projects:
Please note the team and judging PANEL DO NOT PROVIDE SPECIFIC FEEDBACK on unselected projects.
We DO NOT OFFER REFUNDS to films or projects that aren’t selected for the festival.
Other Important details:
In the event that the Brisbane International Film Festival's in-person events are cancelled, restricted or rearranged due to COVID-19 or any other Government regulations, BIFF will award all prizes to winners either during a digital awards ceremony or otherwise. Submission fees will not be refunded in the case of restrictions to the Festival.
Programming decisions are made at the discretion of the programming team and take into consideration a myriad of factors for curation of the overall final festival program.
It is the filmmakers’ or rights holders' responsibility to ensure that the film or submission meets the eligibility criteria. If a submission subsequently becomes ineligible, while we are grateful if you could let us know, however it is not possible to refund once films are already submitted.
