Terms & Conditions

Very Short Film Festival Terms & Conditions

The Very Short Film Festival (VSFF) is an Australian film festival. Entries are open for the 2024 Official Competition. See entry details, here.  Films must be 2–5 minutes in length and include the 2024 signature ‘spark’ to win from a range of prizes.

VSFF offers two categories:

• Junior Category: For filmmakers aged 18 years and under or are attending an Australian High School at the time of entry.
• Open Category: For filmmakers aged 19 years and over.

Finalists will have their films premiered at the VSFF premiere launch event. 

VSFF 2024 Key Dates

• VSFF 2024 official competition is open, enter online here.
• Deadline for submissions is 7 April 2024 (at 11:59pm) AEDT.
• Shortlist announced on 14 May 2024 AEDT.
• Premiere and Livestream Event to announce winners is 31 May 2024. AEDT 

Eligibility

• Only Australian Residents may enter (this includes Australian residents currently overseas). This condition applies to all members of a group entry.
• Films must include the 2024 VSFF Official Competition signature ‘spark.
• Films must be original and produced after the announcement of the Official Competition signature on 1 November 2023.
• Films must be between 2–5mins in duration.
• Films can be of any genre. 
• One film entry per person (or group, if entering a group submission) will be accepted.
• Each film may be entered in either the Junior or Open category but not both.
• No entry fees are required. 
• In the Junior category, the Filmmaker may receive some support from individuals (parents or guardians) over 19 years old.
• Films must include the annual VSFF Official Competition signature in some way.
• Films must be original and produced after the announcement of the Competition Signature. 
• Films must not have been publicly screened, broadcast, or featured online.
• Films submitted in languages other than English must include English subtitles.
• Filmmakers are responsible for ensuring all copyright in their film  is cleared for all the uses described in these Terms & Conditions.
• Films can be created on any device and must be submitted 16:9 as MP4.

Filmmakers of Films deemed to be Finalists agree to:

• Grant the non-exclusive rights to VSFF to launch their films in front of a live audience, which will be live streamed through the VSFF website and/ or its social media platforms 
• Not air or share your film publicly until after the launch event. 
• Grant VSFF the non-exclusive rights to screen their films in front of live audiences at various locations in Australia
• Grant the non-exclusive rights to VSFF to screen their films on the website and its social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, Google and Guardian Australia website.
• Grant the non-exclusive rights to VSFF to include clips of their films in a promotional trailer and comms to promote the festival, with chosen clips to be approved by the filmmakers before release of the trailer.
• Submit screenshots and production stills of their Film, if requested by VSFF.
• Any screening of Films, live or online, will be done with no changes to the Films unless authorized by the Filmmaker, who will be credited in each instance. 

Judging Criteria

The judging panel’s decisions and Very Short Film Festival’s determination are final and are not subject to appeal in any way. 

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

You have the unencumbered right to grant Artology Ltd and partners the usage rights required as stated in these Terms & Conditions in the submitted film and in the associated materials for publicity. All rights not granted are retained by the applicant.

1. Artology Ltd accept 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. Artology Ltd have 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. Artology Ltd are not liable for any consequences of user error including (without limitation) costs incurred. Entries via email or other electronic transmission are deemed to be received at the time of receipt by Artology Ltd and not at the time of transmission by the entrant.
2. All entries will be acknowledged by return email to the email address provided by the entrant.
3. Each winner will be notified by email to the nominated email address provided by the entrant. If required by law or other relevant authority, Artology Ltd may publish the name and state of residence of the selected entrant. Artology Ltd will not publish the full address of any entrant.
4. If a prize is unclaimed by the entrant, Artology Ltd reserve the right to award the prize to the next best valid entry as considered by the VSFF team.
5. Artology Ltd and its associated 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 which is suffered or sustained (whether or not arising from any person’s negligence) in connection with VSFF or accepting or using, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law (in which case that liability is limited to the minimum allowable by law).
6. If due to any reason whatsoever Artology Ltd become aware after an entrant has been selected that the entrant has not complied with these terms, that entrant will have no entitlement to participate in VSFF, even if Artology Ltd have announced them as participating and that entrant will be required, at the direction of Artology Ltd, to return or forfeit participation.
7. Artology 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 any tampering with the entry process or with the operation of the program or acts in violation of these terms, acts in a disruptive manner or acts with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person.
8. If for any reason any aspect of the VSFF is not capable of running as planned, including by reason of infection by computer virus, telephone network failure, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any cause beyond the control of Artology Ltd, Artology Ltd may in their sole discretion cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the program, or invalidate any affected entries, subject to the approval of the relevant authorities in the relevant state, if required.
9. Without limiting any other paragraph, Artology Ltd may at their discretion amend any aspect of this competition or of these terms, subject to applicable laws and subject to the approval of the relevant authorities in the relevant state, if required.
10. Artology Ltd are considered the Promoter of the VSFF Program. The contact details are as follows:

Contact Details

Email: info@veryshortfilmfestival.com.au 

Phone: (02) 8007 7322

Website: veryshortfilmfestival.com.au