The (new) Melbourne Underground Film Festival
MUFF, Year Zero (2023)
We want films that are strange, daring, experimental, avant-garde and indefinable, radical, subversive, transgressive, unorthodox and weird.
If you’ve got one of those you could lend us for a night that’d be great.
The Melbourne Underground Film Festival takes place in September. We’ll be showing short films only in our first year. Up to 30 minutes, and completed any time since 1/1/2021.
See below and on our website for more details.
In its third season, The Quantum Physical Horrific Experience! A haunting desolation of apocalyptic wastelands and the chilling suspense of claustrophobic underground horror!
If you're a writer aged 18 or above, we invite you to submit your screenplay. When you enter, you're granting us permission to use the winners' names and likenesses for publicity and promotional actions without any additional compensation. We will actively publicize and promote all progress, development, and success of the scripts you enter. We welcome submissions from any genre and it must be your original work. Please ensure you register your script with the Library of Congress before submitting it. You can do so at http://www.copyright.gov. Please provide a Copyright or WGA registration number (or foreign equivalent).
This Fall, Oct 19th 2024, the festival will showcase the unique and terrifying visions of both established masters and emerging talents in the genre.
Attendees can expect an array of spine-tingling screenings, unsettling Q&A sessions, and blood-curdling surprises. Unearthing the dark side of cinema at the Quantum Physical Horrific Experience, where every screening is a journey into the unknown. Dare to join us as we delve into the depths of fear and fascination, exploring a world where nightmares become reality, and terror is the main event.
Venture if you dare into the heart of horror at the Quantum Physical Horrific Experience Festival, where every scare is a masterpiece.
Vision and objectives of the festival:
A) Raise awareness: The festival aims to raise awareness about various issues related to social justice, such as inequality, discrimination, human rights, sustainability, among others. Through the films and activities, it seeks to inform and educate the public on these important issues.
B) Promote dialogue and reflection: The festival seeks to create a space for constructive dialogue and critical reflection. Through panel discussions, talks with filmmakers and chat rooms, the exchange of ideas is encouraged and attendees are invited to reflect on the themes presented in the films.
C) Inspire and motivate to action: The festival aims to inspire attendees to take concrete action in pursuit of social justice. Through the stories presented in the films, the aim is to generate empathy, motivation and mobilization towards positive social change.
D) Promote diversity and inclusion: The festival seeks to highlight and celebrate diversity in all its forms, including cultural, ethnic, gender and sexual orientation diversity. It seeks to promote inclusion and equality, providing a platform for diverse voices to be heard and represented.
E) Support Committed Filmmakers: The festival seeks to support filmmakers who address social justice issues in their work, giving them a platform to showcase their films and broaden their reach. It seeks to promote film production committed to social transformation.
F) Generate impact in the local community: The festival seeks to generate a positive impact in the local community, involving local organizations, community leaders and spectators in the activities and in discussions about social justice. It seeks to create greater awareness and sensitivity in the community about these problems.
The African Film Festival focuses on films made by Africans and those in the African Diaspora. Additionally, we showcase films shot in Kisumu, Kenya – an exciting birth of local stories being told through the medium of film.
Our first festival was opened by the RT. Honourable Prime Minister of Uganda, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, and the Governor of Kisumu Kenya, his Excellence Professor Peter Nyong'o (also father of Oscar-winning actress, Lupita Nyong'o). We also welcomed the Ugandan High Commissioner to Canada, Kisumu's Minister of Arts, Culture and Tourism, and filmmakers from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, the UK, Canada, and the US. Since then, we have continued to welcome filmmakers and film lovers from around the world!
In 2019, we were excited to open the festival with Bed of Thorns, Uganda's first movie made with an all-female crew, and to welcome Artist in Residence Giggs Kgonamotse Kgole, one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 young South Africans, whose work “God Ke Mama” was the catalogue cover of the 10th Anniversary Young Masters Art Prize in London.
During COVID, we were forced to present scaled down versions of the festival, but we returned in full force in December, 2022 for our 5th edition of the festival, during which we held two open forums, multi-day workshops on production design and sales/distribution, three days of screenings and a gala awards event, and welcomed the Kenyan Film Commission, Kenyan Film Classification Board and the Kisumu Minister of Arts, Culture and Sport. In 2023 we welcomed Kenyan actor Charles Ouda, who came to present an award and speak with the kids who came to watch our world premiere of episodes 3 and 4 of Twende, in which he starred. Our guest of honour was her excellency, Kisumu First Lady Dorthy Nyong'o, who also happens to be the mother of Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o.
All festival programmers are Africans. Given our focus on filmmakers, each submission is watched by at least two people. If they disagree, a third programmer will review the film. Then, the top scoring films are considered by the programming team as a whole. Our goal is to be as fair as possible, giving every submission a reasonable opportunity to be selected. With that said, in 2023, each film was watched by at least 5 programmers.
SMIfest is the festival of Asian AV experimentation, art-house cinema, and art video from Asia that takes place in Madrid (Spain). It is especially dedicated to emerging Asian filmmakers and artists, but with an eye always on classics and pioneers. It is an ideal platform to present the most relevant and avant-garde current audiovisual works and creators from China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia. As well as making them dialogue with their emerging Spanish and Latin American colleagues.
INDEPENDENT CINEMA IN THE HEART OF MEDIEVAL ITALY
The Cultural Association Aedon is pleased to present the 5th Festival dei Lumi, an arts festival that takes place annually in Soriano nel Cimino, in the heart of the Cimini mountains, in the province of Viterbo.
A PLACE FULL OF HISTORY, LOVED BY ARTISTS
A place steeped in history, which belonged to the greatest families of the Italian papal aristocracy (Orsini, Colonna, Albani), it retains a strong tradition and in its recent history was the creative residence of world-famous Italian artists such as PierPaolo Pasolini, who lived in the of Chia, or Luigi Pirandello who also dedicated a poem to the beech forest of Soriano nel Cimino, from which he was greatly entranced.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR ART
Festival dei Lumi aims to propose independent Italian and international cinema to the Soriano audience.
We are looking for spontaneous films, created by artists who have the courage to use their intelligence and put their essence into their work. We are looking for sincere works, we don't care about the budget, the genre, the nation, the medium used for filming.
We are looking for artists who care about their work, who love the creative process and who don't make art out of vanity.
CutreCon, Madrid International Cutre Film Festival.
The worst movies in the world on the big screen, where nonsense and bad taste are the protagonists.
A Night of Misfit Films Film Festival, presented by Full Figure Productions announces the sixth edition of A Night of Misfit Films Film Festival held at High Octane Picture Studios 9096 E Bahia Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Founded by Dineta Williams-Trigg a filmmaker and actress, A Night of Misfit Films came out of a desire to see more diverse content in the Valley of the Sun community. The festival celebrates the artistic talent of all filmmakers and artists by focusing on original content that has not been screened at other festivals.
A Night of Misfit films is in association with the Lebanese Independent Film Festival - LIFF and co-directed by Gauthier Raad and FFF Film Festival.
Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre (BARS) is an international film festival devoted to the genres of HORROR, science fiction and fantasy.
Born in 2000 to put focus on independent genre film, and since 2004 in the form of a competitive festival.
PLAY is the first Portuguese film festival, exclusively dedicated to children and teenagers, determined to promote the access to culture for a younger audience through Cinema and screening films for audiences aged between 1 and 16 years old.
Colortape International Film Festival is a multicultural film festival promoting worldwide arts & culture through films, while bridging cultural differences, friendship, showcasing the creative vision of filmmakers from over the world. We are strong advocates and promoters of peace, love, friendship and mutual respect. One of very few festivals, if not the only one, to guaranteed acceptance, entry and certification for every filmmaker!
Over 2810 filmmakers were rewarded in the past 8 years!
Colortape is a film competition and film festival offering an Indoor/Outdoor screening opportunity , to showcase filmmakers work, and reward everyone towards the end of the competitive season.
ISFFC is an international short film festival organized by the 1895 Film Society in Guangzhou. The festival showcases top films from renowned filmmakers worldwide while also providing a platform for emerging talent from across the globe.
As always, we take pride in welcoming submissions from both China and abroad. In our inaugural international short film competition in 2019, we meticulously screened over 1000 submissions to curate a selection of 50+ films. This lineup included works from prestigious festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, as well as contributions from Oscar® Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Emmy®, and Grammy® award-winning artists from various corners of the globe.
The Manuel Trujillo Duran Foundation and the Maracaibo Film Festival Foundation, together with other organizations and institutions of regional and national prestige, present the IX Edition of the Maracaibo Film Festival, which will take place from November 20 to 24, 2023, offering an excellent program of workshops, talks and exhibitions, both in person and virtually.
As in previous years, this 2023 we will open spaces for the creation, promotion and dissemination of new and unprecedented ways of telling, hearing and seeing local stories that are transformed and gain global importance, being vital and unique testimonies of people, individuals and communities.
In this IX edition we have the support of: CNAC, FEDA-LUZ, Fe y Alegría, Ciudad Guayana Children's Film Festival and Barquisimeto Film Festival.
PLUM! is an international animated film festival that aims to disseminate and promote the art of animation in its diversity of techniques, voices and stories through the exhibition of works by local artists and from the rest of the world.
We wish to generate a platform for independent animation with an emphasis on those works that expand the visual, conceptual and narrative limits of animated cinema and, at the same time, build a meeting point to promote creativity, exchange and collaboration between artists and the general public.
The two main competitions, one for animated shorts produced in Latin America and those from the rest of the world will complement each other with the other activities organized by the PLUM! festival: retrospectives, special programs, activities for children and adolescents, workshops related to the production of animated content, discussion panels, exhibitions and installations, creation of video games and special screenings with the CineMóvil in other parts of the Calchaquíes Valleys, among others. We seek to give the festival an eco-sustainable profile, diverse and inclusive and generate a close bond of respect, work and cooperation with the different communities that make up the Tafí Valley.
The Cyprus Dance Film Festival is the most important film festival for filmmakers and dancers in Cyprus.
Our purpose is to celebrate the art of dance films, the joy of dance and the passion for music and filmmaking. We bring the dance filmmaking art to the big screen and top that with a unique after event dance party.
We value your work and promote your dance film all over the year on our social media with a rapidly growing number of followers. We give you space on our platform for background information regarding your work and your regular news.
You and your team members are welcome to join the glamorous red carpet event and award ceremony taking place at the Rialto Theater in Limassol on the 5th of November 2023.
Our festival is organized by “Cult Experiences”, which helps dancers, choreographers, producers, directors, actors, screenwriters, musicians and many other artists showcasing their voice.
What we consider a Dance Film:
A dance film, also known as a screen dance, dance-based film, is a genre of film that focuses primarily on dance as its central theme or storytelling element. Dance films typically feature choreographed dance sequences as a prominent aspect of the narrative or as the primary form of artistic expression. These films often combine elements of dance, music, and visual storytelling to create a unique cinematic experience.
In a dance film, the plot may revolve around a specific dance style or form, the journey of a dancer or dance group, or the exploration of dance as a means of personal or cultural expression. The narrative structure can vary, ranging from straightforward stories to abstract or experimental formats that emphasize the physicality and visual aesthetics of dance.
Dance films can encompass various dance styles, including ballet, contemporary dance, hip-hop, jazz, tap, and cultural or traditional forms of dance. They can be fictional narratives or documentaries that showcase real-life dancers, dance companies, or dance competitions.
Judging criteria Dance Film:
- Music
- Script / Scenario / Idea
- Dance Skills
- Choreography
- Directing
- Performances / Acting
- Cinematography
- Production Design
- Costume Design
- Editing
- Hair & Makeup
- Creativity
- Originality
- Emotion
What do we consider A Dance Photograph?
Dance photography is a genre of photography that focuses on capturing the artistry, movement, and physicality of dancers. It involves photographing dancers during their performances, rehearsals, or in specially arranged photo shoots. The aim is to freeze a moment of motion and convey the grace, athleticism, and expression of the dancer through the medium of photography.
Dance photography requires a good understanding of both photography techniques and the nuances of dance. It involves capturing dynamic poses, jumps, leaps, turns, and fluid movements that dancers perform. Photographers often work closely with dancers and choreographers to create visually striking images that showcase the beauty and energy of dance.
Dance photography can be seen in various contexts, including promotional materials for dance companies, dance magazines, online publications, and personal artistic projects. It not only documents the performances but also serves as a form of artistic expression, capturing the emotion, storytelling, and the spirit of dance through the lens of a camera.
Judging criteria Photography:
- Composition
- Photographic Technique
- Visual Storytelling
- Theme
- Aesthetics
- Impact
- Dancer's Performance
- Production Design
- Styling
- Hair & Makeup
- Representation of Movement
- Creativity
- Originality
- Emotion
International Student Animated Film Festival Animafantasia invites the international community to join us to delight in all things animated. After months of preparation and anticipation, we are excited to release the new visual identity from our collaborative efforts for International Student Animated Film Animafantasia Festival.
International Student Animated Film Festival Animafantasia is run by Modesta Lupașcu, CEO and Festival Director.
ISAFFA is well known as a progressive and inclusive festival that celebrates a wide variety of animation, standing in close contact with the audience and connecting the animation sector.
Animation is everywhere, from the smallest smartphone screen to the largest cinematic projection. ISAFFA unites artists, practitioners, students and enthusiasts and all those in between to savour the many and varied achievements of the animated form.
International Student Animated Film Festival Animafantasia, dating back to 2011, is the oldest and largest of its kind in the North-Eastern European region. The festival now takes place in October in the town of Iassy, Romania. We want to build an animated world in a few days.
The festival is a professional arena for the animation industry, as well as an important event for students and educational institutions within animation, graphic design and digital media production. Each edition, top animation industry professionals hold seminars and lectures, and the festival has previously hosted guests from the national creative area.
Don’t miss out on your chance to meet fresh animation talent from art schools in Iassy, Romania. Check out the latest animated gems, find out about current and future trends, meet up with up-and-coming talents, find out new associates and partners... in the fun and friendly atmosphere of the International Student Animated Film Animafantasia Festival.
If you’re an animation insider or just want to see something unique, you don’t have to be an animation fan to join us for animated short competitions, feature films, retrospective screenings, workshops, networking events, panel discussions, seminars and screen talks from the industry’s finest over few packed days– this year, both physical and online activities only.
The SPICY INDIE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SPICY IIFF) is an annual event and is organised by Spicy Daisy Productions based in Europe|Greece.
The main concern of SPICY IIFF is the promotion of the art of Cinema through the presentation of an eclectic mix of exceptional independent short films from International filmmakers
The aim of the festival is also to promote, recognize and support the production of short films and to develop a spirit of friendship and cooperation among filmmakers.
"Spicy Indie International Film Festival" is a true filmmakers festival by a team of filmmakers dedicated to the language of cinema and arts and aims to bring a range of independent short films of all genres, who successfully use creative cinematic language forms, from all corners of the world to Greece.
