The StarBest Film Festival is interested not just in films with potential commercial success but films of artistic merit and scope. The goal is to build a festival that will be on par with Sundance, Cannes, and other major festivals but geared to the truly independent filmmaker, actor, and script writer. Giving them opportunities and opening doors that would not otherwise be open to them.

Those "selected" for their films will receive our logo to post on their sites as a selected film for screening at the Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne. We are going to choose the winner of each category, We are going to screen some of the Official Selections in our casual events.

The StarBest Film Festival is seeking outstanding filmmakers of all ages. Innovative, creative, unique in their vision. All genre are accepted.

** No competition New Film Makers for film makers who are new in film industry.
*** Iranian Movies - from Iran Only
This category created for Iranian film makers from Iran as Iran sanctions condition limited their financial transactions.

Only entries receive Official Selection StarBest Film Festival.
Our jury will select the winners of each category:

Best Australian Movie
Best Best Human Rights
Best Script
Best Best Trailer (one minute to two and half minutes)
Best Music Video
Best Science Fiction
Best Horror
Best Animation/Cartoon
Best Short Film (5 minutes to 30 minutes)
Best Documentary
Best Student Film
Best Feature (No-Budget under $25,000)
Feature (Budget under $250,000)
Feature (Budget over $250,000)

The jury will also select the films that will be screened at our casual events.

OFFICIAL SELECTION will be awarded to films that while not winning a prize or screening, show exceptional potential in their film work.

Only entries receive Official Selection StarBest Film Festival. StarBest film festival is going screen only some of the Official Selections in their casual events but festival is going to show on online TV program.

Only completed films may be submitted. (No rough cuts).
Filmmaker must own all rights to their film and/or have secured rights.
Competition is open to Australia and International entries. International films must be in English or with English subtitle.
Films submitted must not have any distribution deal.

If film makers apply to the festival though "FILM FREE WAY" website, they don't need to send us material please check below for more rules.

Unfortunately we can not screen all wonderful movies in our festival, we can only screen 1 to 2 minuets of our ’Official Nominations’, 'Finalist' and 'Winner' movies to our winners in our event date.

We are going to screen some of the ’Official Nominations’, 'Finalist' and 'Winner' movies (Not all of them) in our casual events (base on events title).
StarBest film festival will email our contact (Person who applied in FilmFreeway),

Please keep follow our website and facebook for our casual events.

StarBest Film Festival accepts digital copy, If film makers wanted to send us material please check below for more rules.

The Filmmaker understands and accepts that they do not participate in receiving any funds from the StarBest Film Festival proceeds which are fully retained by the festival to help cover the cost of the festival presentation and The association to produce movies. It should be noted for the record that StarBest Film Festival proceeds never cover the cost of presentation of the Features and Short Film Programs.

Required Legal Stuff: The filmmaker releases the festival (StarBest Film Festival) from any and all liability for damages or destruction of the entered DVD/BluRay/Jump Drive/DCP. The Filmmaker understands that the entered DVD or BluRay will be retained in a secure facility by the festival, and every effort will be taken to protect and control the viewing of this production. The festival assumes no liability whatsoever for theft, copyright violations or piracy of the entry. This is only for film makers who are not comfortable to send their material online.

The Filmmaker accepts and understands that the festival using Mernda Jindi Centre community room and will do everything possible to present the video in the best possible manner but the festival (StarBest Film Festival) is not responsible for any and all malfunctions during the presentation of the production at its festival screening. We use BluRay/DVD playback systems, all formats, all regions, including Region 0. All entries are carefully pre-screened prior to the public showing to assure that the BluRay/DVD does perform to industry Standards. The Festival (StarBest Film Festival) assumes no responsibility for any technical difficulties in the presentation of this video at the actual event or our online TV program.

The Film Festival (StarBest Film Festival) reserves the complete right to make changes in the program dates and times and to possibly not screen the video, despite its being selected for screening.

The filmmaker will endeavor to present to The Festival (Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne) a new and pre-checked BluRay/ DVD / Thumb Drive for the actual presentation of the video at the festival. This is only for film makers who are not comfortable to send their material online.

You may send just one DVD/BluRay for multiple category entries. You may combine multiple TV commercial entries on a DVD, with no color bars, no automatic looping feature to begin again and a 5 second break between spots. Make sure their titles and order/sequence are correct on the DVD. Screenplays must be properly bound in some way, and can be optioned but not currently produced, and there is no limit to the number of screenplays that can be entered. DVD Entries can be NTSC, PAL, or SECAM, – any and all regions. There is no extra charge for PAL or other formats. We accept all regions and all formats. We also accept Thumb Drive and Blu-Ray discs, any region. This is only for film makers who are not comfortable to send their material online.

A short paragraph, 50-100 word synopsis, is required for all scripts and all entries (except TV commercials, music videos), which is for the jury and if selected, for the program book. Shorts and features are to provide (when selected into program) a color or B/W production digital still photo (resolution of 300 Dots per square inch DPI or higher, higher is much better) for the program book jpeg photo files are OK. (Photos not required for video, cable, TV commercials, website entries, or screenplay entries). If accepted, feature entries should also send several production still photos of a high resolution (300 DPI or better), a press kit, and short CV (resume) with photo of the director(s). This is only for film makers who are not comfortable to send their material online.

Special note for script entries: A Synopsis needs to accompany the script. You may ID the script with title, your name & contact details, and your WorldFest entry ID. Scripts must be bound in some way! We do prefer scripts to be printed in Courier 12pt – 14pt if at all possible. We will not accept loose pages in a box. Unproduced scripts only, please, and no digital files. Our judges like to hold the script in their hands and feel the paper! This is only for film makers who are not comfortable to send their material online.

In Consideration:: Movie under process.
Incomplete:: Movie under process require information, documents or original movie.
Disqualified:: Unfortunately, we are not able to include it in our program this year.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Fatemeh Mohammadi

    Thanks a lot for selected my short film.This is proud for me

    December 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Fatemeh
    Thank you, It was our pleasure to have you in Film Festival Melbourne 2019

  • hi
    thanks for your attention and select my project in your festival. I hope I can make new project and send to your festival again

    June 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Majid
    Thank you, It was our pleasure to have you in Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne 2019

  • Angela Andersen

    Thank you so very much for selecting "Inviolable - The Fight for Human Rights". I hope we can come to Melbourne. A dream. But so far already this has been a great experience working with the organizers. All the best, Angela Andersen

    June 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Angela
    Thank you, It was our pleasure to have you in Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne 2019

  • Tina Jetter

    great festival cannot wait to submit again

    June 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Tina
    Thank you, It was our pleasure to have you in Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne 2019

  • I thank the organisers for officially selecting my urban wildlife documentary on the Kuli bird. I have no regret that my film has not got any award. I am particularly thankful to the Phoenix Film Festival for understanding the value of the Kuli bird, a bird more heard than seen and very hard to capture on video.

    June 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Satyakam
    Thank you, It was our pleasure to have you in Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne 2019