Very Short Film Festival — Terms & Conditions

Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully, as they outline the conditions governing participation in the Very Short Film Festival (VSFF).
By submitting a film, you agree to comply with these Terms & Conditions. Information provided in your submission form forms part of these Terms.

The Very Short Film Festival (VSFF) is an Australian short film festival celebrating creativity and diverse storytelling. The Festival includes the Official Competition and other program categories, which may vary from year to year.

Categories

The Official Competition is open to films between two and five minutes in length, including credits, that incorporate the annual Signature announced by VSFF. Categories currently include:
• Open Category – for filmmakers aged 19 years and over
• Junior Category – for filmmakers aged 18 years and under, or turning 19 while still attending an Australian school

Additional Categories: VSFF may present additional categories from time to time, including Out-of-Competition screenings and experimental formats (such as Micro Films). These categories may have different eligibility requirements, screening conditions and award structures, as published on the VSFF website and FilmFreeway. Out-of-Competition films are not required to incorporate the annual Signature, may have been produced before the announcement of the Signature, and are not eligible for Official Competition awards.

International submissions are open to filmmakers worldwide (excluding Australian residents). Films must be under 5 minutes in length, including credits. Films do not need to incorporate the VSFF 2026 Signature “THREAD”. Premiere status is not required. Films may have been previously screened, broadcast or shared online. Entry fees apply to this category and are outlined within the FilmFreeway listing.

International submissions are curated as part of the VSFF program and are not part of the Official Competition. These films are not eligible for Official Competition awards or prizes. Submission fees for international entries are non-refundable and do not guarantee selection or screening.

Submission to the International category does not constitute entry into the Official Competition.

Eligibility

Entry to the VSFF Official Competition (Australia) is free. International submissions are subject to entry fees, as outlined on FilmFreeway. International submissions are accepted separately via FilmFreeway and are considered as part of the Festival’s Out-of-Competition program.

Films must be original works and, where entering a Signature category, must be finalised and submitted in alignment with the annual Signature announced by VSFF. For Signature categories, entries must not have been publicly screened, broadcast or shared online before the VSFF Premiere Festival Weekend. Out-of-Competition and other non-Signature categories may have different eligibility requirements, including in relation to the annual Signature and screening status, as outlined on the VSFF website and FilmFreeway. Selected films may be included in the VSFF program, including the Premiere Festival Weekend and National Tour.

Films in languages other than English must include English subtitles.

The filmmaker is responsible for clearing all rights to any music, footage, images or materials used in their film.

VSFF reserves the right to disqualify entries that do not meet eligibility or submission requirements.

Where school term dates impact participation, VSFF may, at its discretion, consider requests from students or schools entering the Junior Category for flexibility in submission timing.

Use of AI and Emerging Technologies

VSFF is open to the use of a wide range of creative tools, including artificial intelligence (AI). Filmmakers must disclose any use of AI tools as part of their submission. All submitted films must remain original works and comply with these Terms & Conditions, including rights clearance and authorship requirements.

Film Rights & Permissions
References to VSFF include Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd and VSFF’s official partners, sponsors and presenting organisations, where use relates to the promotion, presentation or delivery of the Festival and its programs. By submitting a film, entrants grant the Very Short Film Festival, Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd and their official partners non-exclusive rights to:
• screen their film at the VSFF Premiere Festival Weekend and National Tour;
• screen their film at additional festival or partner events within Australia;
• share excerpts or stills on the VSFF website and social-media platforms (including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube and LinkedIn);
• include approved clips or stills in promotional trailers, highlight reels and communications for the Festival or its partners; and
• use film titles, credits and synopses for marketing, editorial and programming purposes.

Entrants retain full copyright and ownership of their work. Finalists agree not to publicly release their film until after the VSFF Premiere Festival Weekend, unless otherwise agreed in writing with VSFF. If a film is not selected as a finalist, the entrant may request in writing that VSFF withdraw future promotional use of their film, subject to any use already published or reasonably required for Festival, program, partner or archival purposes, including marketing, communications and audience engagement activity.

Prizes & Awards
Prizes, awards and festival opportunities are determined annually and may include cash prizes, travel contributions, mentoring and industry recognition. All prize allocations are at the discretion of the Festival organisers. VSFF reserves the right to vary or withhold prizes without notice. Out-of-Competition and international submissions are not eligible for Official Competition awards.

Judging

Official Competition films are reviewed by an independent panel of Australian screen professionals. Entries are judged on creativity, originality and storytelling strength, including their use of the annual Signature. Out-of-Competition and international submissions may be curated by the Festival team and are not part of the Official Competition judging process.

The judges’ decisions and the Festival’s determinations are final and not subject to appeal.

Legal Warranties, Disclaimers and Liability

By applying to the Very Short Film Festival you warrant and represent that:

You have the unencumbered right to grant Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd, trading as the Very Short Film Festival (VSFF), and its official partners the usage rights required as stated in these Terms & Conditions in the submitted film and associated materials for publicity. All rights not granted are retained by the applicant.

1. Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility for late, lost, incomplete, incorrectly submitted, delayed, illegible, corrupted or misdirected entries, nor for claims due to error, omission, alteration, tampering, deletion, theft, destruction, transmission interruption, communications failure or otherwise. Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd has no control over communications networks or services, the internet, or computer or telephone networks or lines and accepts no responsibility for any problems associated with them, whether due to traffic congestion, technical malfunction or otherwise. Entries via FilmFreeway or other approved platforms are deemed received at the time of confirmation by Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd, not at the time of transmission by the entrant.
2. All entries will be acknowledged by return email to the address provided by the entrant.
3. Each finalist will be notified by email to the nominated address provided by the entrant. If required by law or other relevant authority, Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd may publish the name, state of residence and film title of selected entrants, in accordance with Australian privacy laws. Personal contact details will not be shared without explicit consent.
4. If a prize is unclaimed by the entrant, Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd reserves the right to award the prize to the next best valid entry as determined by the VSFF team.
5. Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd and its associated partners, agencies and companies will not be liable for any loss (including without limitation indirect, special or consequential loss or loss of profits), expense, damage, personal injury or death suffered or sustained (whether or not arising from any person’s negligence) in connection with VSFF or accepting or using a prize, except where liability cannot be excluded by law (in which case liability is limited to the minimum allowable by law).
6. If due to any reason whatsoever Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd becomes aware after an entrant has been selected that the entrant has not complied with these Terms & Conditions, that entrant will have no entitlement to participate in VSFF, even if previously announced. That entrant may be required, at the direction of Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd, to return or forfeit participation.
7. Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd may, in its sole discretion, disqualify any or all entries from, and prohibit further participation by, any person who tampers with or benefits from tampering with the entry process or operation of the program, or who acts in a disruptive, offensive or unlawful manner.
8. If for any reason any aspect of VSFF is not capable of running as planned, including due to computer virus, telecommunications failure, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical malfunction or any cause beyond the control of Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd, the organisers may cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the program, or invalidate any affected entries, subject to approval by relevant authorities if required.
9. Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd, its partners, and any current or future managers of the Very Short Film Festival will not be liable for any delay, cancellation or disruption to the Festival or related events caused by circumstances beyond their reasonable control. This includes but is not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics, public health emergencies, fire, flood, government or regulatory actions, strikes, power outages, network or communication failures, acts of terrorism, war or civil unrest. In such circumstances, Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd reserves the right to modify, postpone or cancel the Festival and will make reasonable efforts to notify participants and provide alternative arrangements.
10. Without limiting any other paragraph, Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd may, at its discretion, amend any aspect of this competition or these Terms & Conditions, subject to applicable laws and any required approvals.
11. Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd has the right to grant or assign all rights acquired by it under these Terms & Conditions to any legal successors or companies that assume management of the Very Short Film Festival.

Promoter: Film Fest Collective Pty Ltd
Email: info@veryshortfilmfestival.com.au
Website: veryshortfilmfestival.com.au