Instagram has partnered with Sydney Film Festival (SFF) and VICE to create the first IGTV Film Festival: a short film competition for young Australians with a $5,000 prize.
Filmmakers under 35 are asked to shoot and submit an innovative vertical film up to 10 minutes in length, designed for Instagram’s IGTV platform.
Entries for are now open, with finalists to have their films screened publicly throughout the Sydney Film Festival in June. The winner will be awarded $5,000 cash and $2,500 worth of equipment hire from Panavision by an industry jury.
The theme is ‘Future’, and entrants should share a sense of what it’s like to live in Australia today, and what it might be like in the years to come. Films should depict the filmmakers’ universe through the lens of the people and things they’re most passionate about. The project also aims to celebrate the diversity of Australia, so submissions can come in any language.
The films will screen during SFF in the ‘Instagram Lounge’ at Sydney Town Hall. The public will also be able to vote for a People’s Choice Award. Winners will be announced June 11 at a special event.
“We’re always looking for innovative ways to create and celebrate filmmaking, so we are thrilled to partner with Instagram and VICE to launch this initiative at our 2019 festival,” said Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley.
“We recognise the unique ways audiences are consuming film and media in today’s mobile-first world, and want to continue encouraging new voices to share their stories on the platforms they use every day. We’re excited to see these visions of Australia’s future and share these with festival goers at our SFF Hub.”
VICE Australia head of editorial Wendy Syfret said: “As a multiplatform media company, we’re always experimenting with new ways to tell stories, reach our audiences, and express the voices and experiences of young Australians, and we’ve embraced IGTV since the day it launched.
“We want to put new voices front and center, and develop a new generation of filmmakers in Australia. The IGTV Film Festival is a ground-breaking initiative that any young Australian can enter and share their story with the country.”
Instagram Australia group industry director Naomi Shepherd said: “We’ve seen IGTV become a vibrant playground for young creative voices since it launched just last year.
“We believe the future of storytelling is vertical, and now we want to see how young Australians bring their vision of the future to Instagram. The IGTV Film Festival is an incredible opportunity to partner with Sydney Film Festival and VICE to inspire new levels of creativity and we’re honored to celebrate these films with festival audiences in June.”
Entrants will need to upload their film to their IGTV and submit the link at igtvfilmfestival.com.au