Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival

The Short Film Competition at The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival in Winton is geared to independent filmmakers from Australia. Filmmakers are asked to make a film no longer than 7-minutes. In 2021 the theme of the Festival will be ‘PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY'. Following the sold out Short Film screenings in 2017, 2018, 2019 and already heavily booked 2020 we are expanding our short film program throughout the festival in 2021. We welcome submissions of quality films that address the festival theme and especially films that are family friendly and funny.

In 2021 we are opening submissions to feature films to highlight our commitment to Independent Australian cinema. If selected, the feature films will be programmed in throughout the nine days of the Festival.

Your film can be fiction or documentary, funny or sad but it has to be memorable, significant and lasting and also family friendly! The theme is open to interpretation. Get creative!

Films will be reviewed by a jury of film professionals in the first week of the Festival to shortlist the submissions to the top ten film entries. Some films will be screened alongside feature films throughout the two weeks of the Festival.

Finalist films will be screened on the Closing Night at the historic, 103 year old Royal Open Air Theatre at a special awards ceremony with celebrity judges selecting the Best Film and associated prizes.

The Short Film Competition is part of The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival – a nine-day program that focuses on promoting screen culture through new Australian cinema. The Festival has become a key exhibitor for Australian films and stories that otherwise would not find an audience. The program features and supports film made in Queensland and will often provide a first run for some films that have struggled with commercial distributors.

Short Film Competition awards are presented at the closing night. The Awards will be announced shortly and will be a combination of cash and technical production:

GRAND JURY PRIZE – $1,000
STUDENT AWARD - $500
AUDIENCE AWARD – $500
(All cash is awarded in Australian dollars, Festival organisers are not responsible for any fees or charges associated with currency exchange)

All films screening as Official Selections are eligible for the Audience Award. The award is based solely on audience voting at the film screening.

The producer whose submission best captures the theme of this year’s contest and is considered the most engaging, imaginative and formally innovative in content and delivery, will be deemed the winner. The judging panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The prize will be awarded to one nominated producer on the entry form of the short film. If entrants are from a team they must negotiate this between themselves.

Winners will also be shown on Vision Splendid's partner, Queensland Online