Graduate Short Film Prize
GSA is excited to launch the Short Film Prize, a new creative competition for postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne to showcase their storytelling talents through film.
Whether you’re a seasoned filmmaker, a passionate storyteller, or simply curious about exploring a new medium, this competition invites you to express your ideas through motion, narrative, and visual creativity.
The Short Film Prize is a celebration of graduate creativity and a platform to share the diverse perspectives, experiences, and stories that shape our community.
Prizes 🏆
- Best Fiction – $500 cash prize
- Best Documentary – $500 cash prize
- Best Animation – $500 cash prize
- Best First Nations Filmmaker – $500 cash prize
- Mindspace Award for Stories that Redefine – $500 cash prize
Theme: Unfold
Not everything reveals itself all at once. Some things unravel slowly, shift unexpectedly, or come into focus over time. This year’s theme, Unfold, invites you to explore change, discovery, and the quiet (or chaotic) moments that move us forward. Whether your film is grounded in reality or entirely imagined, we’re looking for stories that reveal something, gradually, suddenly, or even incompletely.
Interpret it your way. What’s unfolding in you, around you, or in the world you create?
Key dates
Submissions Open: 12th May
Submissions Close: 30th June, 5:00pm
Film Screenings: Southbank, 24th July; Parkville, 31st July
Award Ceremony: 29 August
Eligibility
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Open to currently enrolled postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne. You must be currently enrolled at the time of submission (e.g. if you graduate after submission but before the prize ceremony, you are still eligible)
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A maximum of two individuals can be credited on the prize if their submission wins. Both individuals must be currently enrolled postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne when they are awarded at the GSA Art Prize Ceremony on 29 August.
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One submission per student may be entered into the competition.
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Entries must be submitted using your UniMelb student email.
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GSA staff and elected student reps are not eligible.
Film Requirements
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Maximum film length: 5 minutes
- Minimum film length: 1 minute
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The film must be produced in 2025
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Must be original (no AI-generated content)
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Must include English subtitles if not in English
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All sound/music must be royalty-free
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No offensive or discriminatory content, films must align with GSA values
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Read all the requirements in the terms and conditions
Terms and Conditions
Before submitting your entry, please ensure you’ve read the full Terms and Conditions carefully. By entering the GSA Short Film Prize, you confirm that you understand and agree to all eligibility requirements, submission rules, and content guidelines. Entries that do not comply may be disqualified, so we strongly recommend reviewing all details in advance.
Contact
For any questions or issues related to the submission process, please email shortfilm@gsa.unimelb.edu.au
Submit your entry 🎬
How to Submit Your Film
- Read the terms and conditions before submitting your film
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Log in or create a free FilmFreeway account at filmfreeway.com
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Create a new project and upload your short film.
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Add your film details
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Upload the video or provide the streaming link
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Make sure English subtitles are included if your film is not in English
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Visit the GSA submission link at filmfreeway.com/GSAShortFilmFestival and click “Submit Now.”
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Select your project and fill out the form with your student details
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Complete the process by going to the ‘checkout’ and ‘complete order’ (note: this is not an actual checkout, there is no monetary transaction)
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You’re done! Keep an eye on your email for any updates from the GSA team. You will receive a confirmation email from FilmFreeway shortly after submitting
Frequently asked questions
The competition is open exclusively to currently enrolled postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne. GSA staff (including casual student staff), Board, and elected student representatives are not eligible to enter.
Yes! The GSA Art Prize is running alongside the Short Film Prize this year, and postgraduate students are welcome to submit entries to both competitions.
Your short film must be no longer than 5 minutes, including if you decide to include credits.
Films must be a minimum of 1 minute.
No, but English subtitles are required for any film not primarily in English.
Your film must be submitted in a widely accessible video format (e.g. .mp4 or .mov) and must be viewable without requiring special access. All submissions must be complete and fully functional.
Yes, you may work with however many people you like, however only up to two students can be credited per submission (ie; if you are a winner, only two people can be credited on the prize), and both must be currently enrolled postgraduates at the University of Melbourne at the time of the awards ceremony.
All individuals featured in the short film must have given informed consent to appear in the submission. For participants under 18, written parental or guardian consent must be obtained and provided upon request.
There will be two screening events where shortlisted films will be shown to the public — one at Southbank on 24 July, and another at Parkville on 31 July.
Friends, family, and fellow students are warmly invited to attend and celebrate your work!
More information will be available closer to the date.
Finalists will be notified in advance, and winners will be announced at the GSA Art Prize Ceremony on 29 August 2025.
No. All content — including music, sound effects, and footage — must be original or royalty-free, and you must have permission to use it.
No, each student is allowed only one submission to the Short Film Prize.
If you have any questions about the Short Film Prize or the submission process, please email us at shortfilm@gsa.unimelb.edu.au.