As many as you would like! There is no limit to the number of entries you can enter.

Yes. If you entered an entry which wasn’t successfully shortlisted in a previous year, you are more than welcome to re-enter it this year.

No. Our Festival is only open to entrants based in Aotearoa New Zealand. For anyone based in Australia, please check out our sibling festival, Australia Youth Film Festival (AUYFF).

No. Only entrants based (living) in Aotearoa New Zealand at the time of the completion of your entry (which needs to have been completed within 2 years before our entry deadline) are eligible. New Zealand citizens or permanent residents who were not based (living) in New Zealand at the time of the completion of an entry are not eligible. If you were based in New Zealand at the time of the completion of your entry but are not at the time of the submission of your entry, you are eligible to participate.

Yes, but there are some exceptions. The entrant (the person entering the entry) needs to be aged 15 - 24 years at the time of the completion of the entry (and the entry needs to have been completed in the 2 years before the entry deadline). Executive Producers and anyone else in your cast or crew who helped in a limited capacity can be of any age. For example, any actors or actresses who played characters of older or younger ages can be outside of this specified age range. Anyone else who helped create your entry can be of outside of this specified age range so long as your entry was by and large formed by individuals within this specified age range.

Our Festival splits entrants into 3 Age Groups. This is to help level the playing field for younger entrants who may not have the same access to equipment, logistical support, or other technical goods or services as older entrants. These are:

• 15 - 18 Age Group

• 19 - 21 Age Group

• 22 - 24 Age Group

Select the region you are based (living) in at the time of the completion of your entry, not where your entry was filmed. For example, if you are based in Pōneke Wellington but filmed your entry in Piopiotahi Milford Sound, please select ‘Pōneke Wellington’.

We only accept entries up to 20 minutes in length (maximum). No exceptions can be made to this rule, and if you submit an entry which exceeds this limit your entry will be automatically disqualified without notice.

No. You can submit entries of any length up to a maximum of 20 minutes.

No. Our Entry Deadline for 2024 is strictly 11:59PM NZST (New Zealand Standard Time) Friday, 25 October, 2024. We cannot make any exceptions to this entry deadline, regardless of reason. This policy is strictly enforced to ensure fairness for all entrants.

Between 3 - 5 entries will be nominated in each award category in each year.

Yes. Entries can be of any language, including in languages other than English. If your entry is not in English, however, please enter a version with English captioning (subtitles).

No. The decisions of our Festival and our Judges are final. If your entry was not nominated or was not awarded as the winner in any of our award categories, you cannot appeal this decision and we do not make any reconsiderations.