OZ Indie Film Festival

About

At a time when movies are becoming more and more programmed by market research, demographics, comic books and computer game sales, it has never been more important to discover and foster new brave independent and visionary filmmakers.

Your film will be judged on one criteria only – the quality of your work. So feel free to let the world know your opinions and politics, provided these are dramatically crucial to the work you submit. Within the realms of what's legally decent, we won't censure your work.

All the winners are nominated, awarded, and honored on our website and will receive certificates along with exclusive laurel and dedicated promotion. Every submission can also add additional categories, increasing the chances to become multi-award-winning.

Awards

• Best Short Film
• Best Long Short
• Best Feature Film
• Best Short Documentary
• Best Feature Documentary
• Best Animation
• Best Director
• Best Male and Female Actor
• Best Indigenous/First Nations Work
• Best LGBTIQ+ Project
• Best Music Video
• Best Dance Film
• Best Comedy
• Best Horror
• Best Sports Related Film
• Best Student Project
• Best Experimental Film
• Best Web Series
• Best TV Pilot
• Best Feature and Short Screenplay

Rules

To submit a film, you must have created the project yourself, own the rights or have permission from the owner of the content to submit the film to us.

1. Any non English films must include English subtitles. (Music Videos don't require subtitles)

2. All films are nominated and voted upon by a global jury, including Hollywood film and TV professionals, from an independent point of view.

3. Student filmmakers are encouraged to apply but must present their valid Student ID in order to benefit from our student discount.

4. OzIFF is not responsible for broken or non-functioning films.

5. Films do not have to be screened publicly to be eligible for our festival, prizes, or awards. Due to time constraints not all films selected for inclusion in our festival can have a public viewing but will qualify for award nominations.

6. No film may be withdrawn from the festival programme after its selection, or withdrawn after 30 September 2020. By submitting your project to the Oz Indie Film Festival for consideration, you acknowledge this condition of entry and waive your right to withdraw your film from the Festival after this date or selection for screening.

7. All genres and formats are considered eligible for nomination into one or more competitive categories.

8. Scheduling - for selected films ONLY
Screenings are scheduled at the discretion of Oziff. Whilst every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule, Oziff reserves the right to make changes at any time for any reason. Oziff will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in scheduling.

9. All fees are non-refundable.

10. Promotion - for selected films ONLY
Selected films must acknowledge that Oziff reserves the right to promote the films on Oziff website and social media using both images and video that you provide.

11. Selection of Films
Submissions are reviewed and selected under the following criteria:
- Quality of narrative and production values.
- Independent nature of the production.

PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world.

PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement .

DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution .

We strongly encourage filmmakers to submit their film only after it is fully finished and will judge each submission as a completed work, whether it is or not. Once a film is entered, we can update the submission with a more recent cut so long as it is uploaded to our dropbox 4 weeks before screening. That said, because OzIFF’s focus is on story, minor technical changes will not affect the final decision of any film. Should the film be accepted to play during the Festival, the filmmaker will have the opportunity to supply the Festival with their most recent version.

Please do not send original material or masters for preview or screening.

The Oz Indie Film Festival will not return preview or screening tapes.

The Oz Indie Film Festival will screen films only from Digital download, QuickTime Video Codecs: Apple Pro Res 422/4444 or H.264. (.mov or .mp4).

Premiere Requirements

No premiere requirement

Jury and Organizers

Festival Director: Barry Porter-Robinson

Mini Movie Hour Director: Roger Neal Smith

Judge: Mabel Moran

Judge: Irshaad Motiwala

Judge: Nathan Porlucas

Judge: Jun Hyung Cho

TV Syndicator & Judge: Terry Elaqua

Music Director: Rocky Dabscheck