SMARTFONE FLICK FEST 2021 IS STILL TAKING ENTRIES

A scene from ‘Hollow Hands’, featured in SmartFone Flick Fest 2020 Festival

Australia’s international smartphone film festival, the SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3), returns for its 7th big year in November, and entries have been extended until 1 September, 2021! 

Last year the festival weathered the Covid storm with a combination of online and live screenings. This year with the current Sydney lockdown – the SF3 Mini category (formerly the ‘Iso’ Award) has – for better or worse – come into its own again! 3 minutes or less, shot inside or out with only phones and tablets – and imaginations! 

Festival founders and co-directors Angela Blake and Ali Crew have set the Mini film theme as “RISE” and it’s partnered with the United Nations Association of Australia. Says Angela: “For more inspiration check out their 17 Sustainable Development Goals and use these as a starting off point for your film – https://sdgs.un.org/goals.”  

There are over $40,000 in prizes, including mentorships, classes, memberships, apps, lenses, mics, phones and tablets… plus more.  

Since its creation by dynamic duo Angela Blake and Ali Crew (below right), filmmakers of all ages, from all over Australia – and every corner of the world – have taken to this hugely accessible and creative festival…whose main rule is that all movies must be shot entirely on a mobile phone or tablet!

This year the Gala Awards Final – in partnership with the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) – is confirmed for Saturday 27 November 8pm at the Chauvel Cinema Paddington. Its popular SF3 Kids, Feature Film and new SF3 Mini screenings will take place at the Actors Centre Australia in Leichhardt throughout the afternoon and evening on Sunday 28 November. Categories include: 

     * the SF3 Gala Awards – short films up to 20 mins in length; 

     * SF3 Kids and SF3 Teens – short films made by filmmakers 16 years and younger 

     * SF3 Feature Film Award – feature films 40 mins and longer;

     * SF360 – Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D/360 degree films up to 20 mins in length; 

     * SF3 Mini: ‘RISE’ – shorts with a maximum three minute time limit.

Another exciting innovation is the SF3 First Nations Award – sponsored by Dolby. This is open to the best and most promising filmmaker – worldwide – who identifies as First Nation, Indigenous and/or Aboriginal. On offer for the winners are mentorships with SF3’s new Indigenous Festival Ambassadors: journalist and producer Stan Grant, actor and director Wayne Blair (left) and high profile screenwriter Jon Bell (below right). 

Among the other more than 30 awards across the five categories are the #FILMBREAKER award for first-time filmmakers, Best Female Creative, Best Feature Film, two SF3 Kids Best Film awards (Teen and Junior/Primary) plus three new ‘gongs’: Best Documentary, Best Editing and the SF3 Luma Touch, Finished on Mobile Award – for a film that is both shot AND edited on a smart phone or tablet. Amazing prizes include mentorships, equipment, classes, professional memberships and more.

Iconic Aussie actor and festival ambassador Kerry Armstrong (Lantana, Seachange) said: “It’s so wonderful to see smartphone films catapulted onto the big screen for all the world to see!” 

And filmmaker Philip Noyce (Rabbit-proof Fence, Heatwave, Bluu Drift) added: “A smart phone is an instant portal to the world. These innovators have no fear of technology, no barriers to expressing themselves. These are truly our next generation of cinema pioneers… I’m in awe of their films.”

Entries for SF3 2021 close 1 September.

For entries, full details of categories, awards, masterclasses, judges and more, visit:

www.SF3.com.au

View the extended, full festival trailer here:

https://youtu.be/nlu_S0iTh0s

Featured image : Festival founders and co-directors Ali Crew  and Angela Blake