KLEFF 2023 IS BACK AS BOTH PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL FILM FESTIVAL!!

The International Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Fest (KLEFF) is Malaysia’s homegrown environmental film festival for the past 14 years. Conceptualised and organised by a not-for-profit environmental organisation, EcoKnights, the Festival is a platform to facilitate the building of a nation of ESG-conscious individuals through film screenings, on-ground activities and partnerships focused on critical sustainability topics.

Recovering from various pandemic challenges, KLEFF is back as both physical and digital film festival in October 2023, marking its 15th year in mobilizing its role as a media platform for filmmaking, storytelling and knowledge-sharing in the global transformational journey towards sustainability.

Inspired by the world population record of 8 billion individuals in November 2022, KLEFF breathes a new air and makes comeback with the festival’s concept of ‘8-Billion-Strong Pursuit of Endeavour’. Under the theme ‘Normalizing Low-Impact Living’, KLEFF 2023 seeks for thought-provoking films that educate and empower people towards sustainable development and mainstreaming low impact living. It all boils down to self-initiated changes that we can make on different levels and capacities as changing mindsets and habits, starts from ourselves.

Awards & Prizes

Main Awards
• Best Feature Film Award
• Best Short Documentary Award
• Best Short Film Award
• Best Animation Award
• Best Public Service Announcement (PSA) Award

Special Awards
• Best Malaysian Eco Film Award (for Malaysian film)
• Special Jury Award
• Young Filmmaker Award (for Malaysian student filmmakers)
• KLEFF Merit Award (awarded to 5 - 10 Malaysian filmmakers)
• Audience Choice Award

Rules & Terms

CLAUSE 1: THEMATIC
- Theme: Normalizing Low-Impact Living

- Subtopics: Sustainability mindset & behaviour, climate change, science, technology and innovation, waste and resource management, sustainability, alternative energies, green architecture, green finance, agriculture, food security, wildlife conservation, forestry, indigenous or local community and issues, youth in environmentalism, resilience.

*Films should cover the elements of having sustainability mindset, behaviour or culture, but can certainly overlap with social, economic, spiritual, or other themes. We do not limit the films chosen to ones that, to us, have the right answers. It is more important that the films are thought-provoking. This is an open forum designed to inspire awareness and action on a myriad of worldwide environmental topics. The quality of the film production will also be considered and weighed. We also welcome family-friendly films that can also be great to educate children about sustainability.

CLAUSE 2: COMPETITIONS
At present, the festival’s official competition involves FIVE (5) sections:

• FEATURE or FULL-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY:
- Non-fictional motion picture intended to document and reflect reality
- Film run-time: 40 -60 minutes

• SHORT DOCUMENTARY:
- Non-fictional motion picture intended to document and reflect reality
- Film run-time: 5 - 39 minutes

• SHORT FILM:
- Original motion picture of any genre: drama, action, comedy, thriller, etc.
- Film run-time: 5 - 39 minutes

• ANIMATION:
- Includes: traditional animation, 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphics, and stop motion
- Film run-time: 3 - 60 minutes

• PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS (PSAs):
- A commercial/advertisement that is able to disseminate information quickly, clearly and efficiently
- Film run-time: 1 - 4 minutes

CLAUSE 4:- RIGHTS
By submitting films to KLEFF, candidates thereby grant KLEFF to obtain full access permission to the film and make sure the film does not contravene the rights, including copyright of any third party.

CLAUSE 5:- PROMO USE
Filmmakers who submitted films grant KLEFF the right to use up to 30 seconds of the film for media promotion purposes.

CLAUSE 6:- SUBTITLES
All films submitted MUST have English subtitles. It is optional to have Malay subtitles.

CLAUSE 7:- UNFINISHED FILMS
Please contact us before the deadline to request permission to submit an incomplete film, or have an extension granted. We will need to see a rough cut of whatever you have ready before our submission deadline closes. If your film is accepted, we will need the final version by 30th June. Please make sure you contact us before the entry deadline to discuss this with us.
26 Reviews
Overall Rating
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  • Caravan Fantasia

    This festival offered not only an official selection but also very good networking, for example the films were represented in the Malaysian pavilion at the Expo in Dubai and at the IGEM. Thank you for this and chosing our documentary tripleF*** to be part of it!

    June 2022
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  • Elliott LOUCIF

    Thank you for selecting our film to be part of your festival.

    November 2021
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  • Anna Girbau

    Very good festival with fantastic films

    November 2021
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  • Karen Coates Jerry Redfern

    What an opportunity to see so many important environmental films from around the world! We're honored that ours was among such a great list. I hope this festival continues to grow and gain more attention in future years.

    November 2021
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  • Peter Bosman

    Very well organized festival well done!

    October 2020
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