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{{Short description|Annual Australian film festival}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2011}}
{{Infobox Film Festival
| name = Melbourne International Film Festival
| image = MIFFlogo.jpg
| caption = MIFF logo
| location = [[Melbourne]], Victoria, Australia
| awards =
| founded = 1952
| number = 300 (approx.)
| website = {{Official website|http://www.miff.com.au/}}
}}
The '''Melbourne International Film Festival''' ('''MIFF''') is an annual [[film festival]] held over three weeks in [[Melbourne]], Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world.<ref name="About" /> MIFF is one of Melbourne's four major film festivals, in addition to the [[Melbourne International Animation Festival]] (MIAF), [[Melbourne Queer Film Festival]] (MQFF) and [[Melbourne Underground Film Festival]] (MUFF). As of 2017, the festival's Artistic Director is Michelle Carey.<ref>{{cite web|title=FILM – MIFF 2013: Early highlights|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/films/festivals-awards/11/melbourne-international-film-festival/907288/miff-2013-early-highlights|publisher=SBS|access-date=11 August 2013|author=Craig Mathieson|date=28 May 2013}}</ref>

==History==
Established in 1952, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_International_Film_Festival Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)] is one of the oldest film festivals in the world and has become the most notable screen event in Australia. An iconic Melbourne event, the festival takes place annually in various theatres in the [[Melbourne CBD]], presenting an acclaimed screening program including films from local and international filmmakers, alongside industry events.

==Overview==
MIFF is the largest film festival in both Australia and the southern hemisphere, and is Australia's largest showcase of new [[Australian cinema]]. The 2012 festival generated [[Australian dollar|A$]]8 million for the Victorian economy.<ref name="About">{{cite web|title=About|url=http://miff.com.au/about|work=MIFF|publisher=Melbourne International Film Festival|access-date=11 August 2013|date=11 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Investment fund boosts Melbourne’s world premiere tally|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/melbourne-boosts-world-premiere-tally/5057974.article|work=Screen Daily|publisher=Media Business Insight Limited|access-date=11 August 2013|author=Sandy George|date=3 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)|url=http://www.meldmagazine.com.au/2011/06/melbourne-international-film-festival-miff/|work=Meld Magazine|publisher=Meld Magazine – Melbourne's international student news website|access-date=11 August 2013|author=aunngo|date=8 June 2011}}</ref>

As of 2013, the festival is accredited by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]],<ref name="FFWR">{{cite web|title=Resources|url=http://www.filmfestivalworld.com/resources|work=Film Festival World|publisher=Film Festival World, Inc.|access-date=11 August 2013|year=2007–2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329021529/http://www.filmfestivalworld.com/resources/|archive-date=29 March 2009}}</ref> the [[Australian Film Institute]]<ref>{{cite web|title=PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION CRITERIA|url=http://www.afi.org.au/AM/ContentManagerNet/ContentDisplay.aspx?ContentID=7083&Section=Criteria|publisher=Australian Film Institute|access-date=11 August 2013|year=2013}}</ref> and the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]].<ref name="FFWR" />

As of 2013, the festival's CEO is Maria Amato, Carey is the Artistic Director and Mark Woods is MIFF's Industry Director/Executive Producer.<ref name="Staff">{{cite web|title=Staff|url=http://miff.com.au/about/staff|work=MIFF|publisher=Melbourne International Film Festival|access-date=11 August 2013|date=11 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806042421/http://miff.com.au/about/staff|archive-date=6 August 2013}}</ref>

==Program==
[[File:Hamer Hall interior pano.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The MIFF Opening Night Gala and film screenings take place in the [[Arts Centre Melbourne]]'s Hamer Hall]]
In 2013, the festival program consisted of the following categories:

*International Panorama - a handpicked selection of world cinema
*TeleScope – curated program of 12 new films from 12 [[European Union]] countries
*Australian Showcase – new Australian cinema
*NextGen - a program of films aimed at younger audiences
*Accent on Asia - showcase of films from Asia-Pacific region
*Inside the DPRK - two film exploring life within [[North Korea]]
*Juche Showtime: Films of the DPRK - North Korean cinema
*Defying the Times: Activism on Film – films on political activism
*Documentaries
*A League of Their Own: New Arabic Cinema – films from the pan-Arabic world
*States of Play: American Independents – independent cinema from the United States
*Masters and Restorations – documentaries on filmmaking and film restorations
*Backbeat – music films
*Animation
*Shining Violence: Italian Giallo – films of the Italian 'giallo' subgenre
*Night Shift – thriller, horror and gore movies
*This Sporting Life – sporting films
*Short Film Packages – short film category that features the Accelerator programs (emerging filmmakers), Best MIFF Shorts Screening (best short films of the festival selected by the MIFF Shorts Awards Jury) and the MIFF Shorts Awards Ceremony (see: [[#Competition]])
*Pre-Feature Shorts – short films featured prior to feature film screenings
*Special Events – includes the opening night feature film and a screening at the Melbourne Planetarium
*Talking Pictures – discussion and Q&A events with the festival's filmmakers and personalities
*MIFF Premiere Fund – Australian films supported by the MIFF Premiere Fund
*37ºSouth - see: [[#37ºSouth Market]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Categories|url=http://miff.com.au/program-categories|work=MIFF|publisher=Melbourne International Film Festival|access-date=11 August 2013|date=11 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806140807/http://miff.com.au/program-categories|archive-date=6 August 2013}}</ref>

==Venues==
[[File:Australian Centre for the Moving Image.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Australian Centre for the Moving Image]] is a main venue for screenings and the 37ºSouth Market]]
The festival is conducted across various venues located in Melbourne and in 2013 the following venues were used: [[Australian Centre for the Moving Image]], [[Forum Theatre]], Greater Union Cinemas, Mandala Festival Wine Bar, Hoyts Melbourne Central, the [[Arts Centre Melbourne]], Kino Cinemas, Wheeler Centre, Village Roadshow Theatrette, and Speakeasy Cinema.<ref>{{cite web|title=Venues|url=http://miff.com.au/venues|work=MIFF|publisher=Melbourne International Film Festival|access-date=11 August 2013|date=11 August 2013}}</ref>

==37ºSouth Market==
The 37ºSouth Market is the only international [[film finance|film financing]] marketplace to take place during a film festival in Australia or New Zealand (NZ). The event occurs during the opening days of the festival and is a forum for around 45 invited sales agents/distributors to meet with up to 100 pre-selected Australian and NZ producers who are seeking co-financing support. As of 2013, the 37ºSouth Market is also the exclusive partner of the London's Production Finance Market (PFM) for [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand|NZ]]. As of 2013, the 37ºSouth Market has attracted companies such as: Studio Canal, Wild Bunch, [[Paramount Pictures]], BBC Films, HanWay, Independent, [[Miramax Films]], Visit, Bankside, The Works, eOne, Cargo, West End, Aver, Level K.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cannes: Melbourne's Movie Market Secures Four|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-melbournes-movie-market-secures-526205|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=11 August 2013|author=Stuart Kemp|date=21 May 2013}}</ref>

==Film Competitions==
Since 1962, MIFF has staged a short film competition, as well as numerous feature film award categories.<ref name="IMBDAwards">{{cite web|title=Melbourne International Film Festival|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000427/overview|work=IMDb|publisher=IMDb.com, Inc|access-date=11 August 2013|year=1990–2013}}</ref> It also presents audience popularity awards for feature film and documentary.<ref name="IMBDAwards" /> The festival's inaugural award was 'Best Short Film', but the title was changed to 'Grand Prix for Best Short Film' in 1965.<ref name=IMBDAwards /> From 1985 onwards, the Grand Prix has been officially presented by the [[City of Melbourne]].<ref name="IMBDAwards"/>

[[File:Forum Theatre Melbourne.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Forum Theatre]] is a main venue for the short film competition, as well as festival panels and lectures]]

===Feature film awards===
*People's Choice Award for Best Feature
*People's Choice Award for Best Documentary
*TeleScope Best European Feature Award
*''The Age'' Critics' Award (presented by ''The Age'' newspaper)

===Short film awards===
*City of Melbourne Grand Prix for Best Short Film (A$10,000)
*[[Film Victoria]] Erwin Rado Award for Best Australian Short Film (A$7,000)
*Swinburne Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker (A$5,000)
*Cinema Nova Award for Best Fiction Short Film (A$5,000)
*Holmesglen Award for Best Animation Short Film (A$5,000)
*BBC Knowledge Award for Best Documentary Short Film (A$5,000)
*The [[Astor Theatre, New York City|Astor Theatre]] Award for Best Experimental Short Film (A$5,000)
*Jury Special Mention

As of 2013, the MIFF short film awards are accredited by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]], the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] (BAFTA) and the [[Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts]] (AACTA), and winners in the Best Short, Best Fiction, Best Animation and Best Documentary categories are eligible to submit their films for [[Academy Award]] consideration. The judges for the 2013 MIFF short film awards were Lorin Clarke, Michael Matrenza and Ramona Telecican.<ref>{{cite web|title=MIFF 52nd Shorts Awards|url=http://miff.com.au/shortfilmawards|work=MIFF|publisher=Melbourne International Film Festival|access-date=14 August 2013|date=August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808073224/http://miff.com.au/shortfilmawards|archive-date=8 August 2013}}</ref>

===Winners of Grand Prix for Best Short Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"
! width="5%" | Year
! width="*" | Film
! width="25%" | Director
! width="10%" | Country
|-
| 1965
| ''La gazza ladra''
| Giulio Giannini, [[Emanuele Luzzati]]
| Italy
|-
| 1966
| ''The Inheritance''
| Harold Mayer
| United States
|-
| 1967
| ''Petrol-Carburant-Kraftstoff''
| Hugo Niebeling
| [[West Germany]]
|-
| 1968
| ''You're Human Like the Rest of Them''
| [[B. S. Johnson]]
| UK
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Pas de deux (film)|Pas de deux]]''
| [[Norman McLaren]]
| Canada
|-
| 1970
| ''Calcutta''
| [[Louis Malle]]
| France
|-
| 1971
| ''Blake''
| [[Bill Mason]]
| Canada
|-
| 1972
| ''Scarabus''
| Gérald Frydman
| Belgium
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Street Musique]]''
| [[Ryan Larkin]]
| Canada
|-
| 1974
| ''Edward Burra''
| Peter K. Smith
| UK
|-
| 1975
| ''[[Last Grave at Dimbaza]]''
| Nana Mahamo
| [[South Africa]]
|-
| 1976
| ''Leisure''
| [[Bruce Petty]]
| Australia
|-
| 1977
| ''Corralejas de Sincelejo''
| Mario Mitrotti
| [[Colombia]]
|-
| 1978
| ''Manimals''
| [[Robin Lehman]]
| United States
|-
| 1979
| ''Malj''
| Aleksandar Ilic
| [[Yugoslavia]]
|-
| 1980
| ''Interview''
| [[Caroline Leaf]]
| Canada
|-
| 1981
| ''New York Story''
| Jackie Raynal
| United States
|-
| 1982
| ''Shadows''
| Royden Irvine
| Australia
|-
| 1983
| ''Douglas Mawson: The Survivor''
| [[David Parer]]
| Australia
|-
| 1984
| ''Aquí se lo halla''
| Lee Sokol
| United States
|-
| 1985
| ''In Heaven There Is No Beer?''
| [[Les Blank]]
| United States
|-
| 1986
| ''My Life Without Steve''
| Gillian Leahy
| Australia
|-
| 1987
| ''Panya shugeki''
| Naoto Yamakawa
| Japan
|-
| 1988
| ''The Critical Years''
| Gérard L'Ecuyer
| Canada/United States
|-
| 1989
| ''Twilight City''
| Reece Auguiste
| UK
|-
| 1990
| ''Swimming''
| Belinda Chayko
| Australia
|-
| 1991
| ''Sink or Swim''
| [[Su Friedrich]]
| United States
|-
| 1992
| ''The Writing in the Sand''
| [[Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen]]
| UK
|-
| 1993
| ''Lektionen in Finsternis''
| [[Werner Herzog]]
| Germany
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Only the Brave (1994 film)|Only the Brave (film)]]''
| [[Ana Kokkinos]]
| Australia
|-
| 1995
| ''Twilight''
| [[Tengai Amano]]
| Japan
|-
| 1996
| ''Baka''
| Thierry Knauff
| Belgium
|-
| 1997
| ''[[At Sea (film)|At Sea]]''
| Penny Fowler-Smith
| Australia
|-
| 1998
| ''The Storekeeper''
| [[Gavin Hood]]
| [[South Africa]]
|-
| 1999
| ''So-poong''
| [[Song Il-gon]]
| [[South Korea]]
|-
| 2000
| ''Wildlife''
| Kate de Pury
| UK
|-
| 2001
| ''Muakah''
| Hadar Friedlich
| Israel
|-
| 2002
| ''Palace II''
| [[Kátia Lund]], [[Fernando Meirelles]]
| [[Brazil]]
|-
| 2003
| ''Destino''
| Dominique Monfery
| France
|-
| 2004
| ''Talking with Angels''
| Yousaf Ali Khan
| UK
|-
| 2005
| ''Silent Companion''
| Elham Hosseinzadeh
| [[Iran]]
|-
| 2006
| ''Avatar''
| Lluis Quilez
| Spain
|-
| 2007
| ''Blood Sisters''
| Louise N.D. Friedberg
| Denmark
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Dennis (film)|Dennis]]''
| Mads Matthiesen
| Denmark
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Next Floor (film)|Next Floor]]''
| [[Denis Villeneuve]], Phoebe Greenberg
| Canada
|-
| 2010
| ''[[The Lost Thing]]''
| [[Shaun Tan]], Andrew Ruhemann
| Australia
|-
| 2011
| ''A Fine Young Man''
| Kevan Funk
| Canada
|-
| 2012
| ''It’s Not A Cowboy Movie''
| Benjamin Parent
| France
|-
| 2013
| ''Pandas''
| Matúš Vizár
| [[Czech Republic]]
|-
| 2014
| ''The Queen''
| Benjamin Parent
| [[Argentina]]
|-
| 2015
| ''Everything Will Be OK''
| Patrick Vollrath
| Germany
|-
| 2016
| ''Mrs Metro''
| Aggelos Papantoniou
| Australia
|-
|}

==Rebiya Kadeer film controversy==
During the 58th festival in 2009, the controversial film ''[[Rebiya Kadeer#The 10 Conditions of Love|The 10 Conditions of Love]]'' (2009), which documents the life of the exiled [[Uyghur people|Uyghur]] leader [[Rebiya Kadeer]], was screened despite many attempts by the [[Government of the People's Republic of China|Government of China]] (which labels her a [[terrorism|terrorist]]) to have the film withdrawn from the festival.

Chinese filmmakers withdrew their films from the festival two days before it opened on 24 July 2009.<ref>{{cite news|title=Chinese entries boycott film festival|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/21/2632440.htm|access-date=11 August 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=22 July 2009}}</ref> Former MIFF director Richard Moore refused to remove the film from the festival program,<ref>{{cite news|title=MIFF 'sticking to guns' over Uighur film|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/26/2636770.htm|access-date=11 August 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=27 July 2009}}</ref> despite the hacking of the festival website and attempts to hack its online ticketing system from [[IP addresses]] of Chinese origin. Later, both pro-Chinese and pro-Uyghur activists attempted to disrupt ticketing due to the media coverage.<ref>{{cite news|title=MIFF website hacked amid Chinese film row|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-07-26/miff-website-hacked-amid-chinese-film-row/1366924|access-date=11 August 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=26 July 2009}}</ref><ref>pers comm. R.Raulings, director eFirst</ref> The festival website was hacked soon after the launch of its 2009 program, with information replaced with the Chinese flag and anti-Kadeer slogans.<ref>{{cite news|title=Chinese hackers attack film festival site|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/01/2643083.htm|access-date=11 August 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=1 August 2009}}</ref> [[Victoria Police]] was placed on alert during the screening of the film and Pro-Uighur demonstrators also gathered outside the [[Melbourne Town Hall]].<ref name=MTH>{{cite news|title=Demonstrators turn out at Kadeer film screening|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/08/2650130.htm|access-date=11 August 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=10 August 2009|author=Gus Goswell}}</ref>

The [[14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]] also sent a message of support via [[Michael Danby]], the [[Member of Parliament|Member]] of the [[Parliament of Australia]] for [[Division of Melbourne Ports|Melbourne Ports]]:

{{Quote box
|quote=''[The Dalai Lama] asked me to convey to you, in Melbourne, that [Kadeer] is another one of the national leaders who is a paradigm of non-violence... He wanted to make it very clear to people that the claims of this woman being a violent person or instigating violence, is from his point of view, and with all of his authority, wrong.''
|source=— Michael Danby (quoting a letter form the Dalai Lama).<ref>''[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/09/2650267.htm?section=justin Dalai Lama sends message of support to Kadeer]'' - [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]], 9 August 2009
</ref>
|align=center
}}

The Government of China attempted to have the film withdrawn from the festival, going to the extent of contacting [[Robert Doyle]], the [[Lord Mayor of Melbourne]] at the time.<ref name=MTH /> Doyle, however, refused to intervene. Australia's Ambassador to China [[Geoff Raby]] was summoned by China's Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun to express displeasure about Kadeer's attendance at MIFF.<ref>{{cite news|title=China summons Australia over Uighur leader visit|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-08-01/china-summons-australia-over-uighur-leader-visit/1374488|access-date=11 August 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=1 August 2009|author=ABC/Reuters}}</ref>

==''Looking for Eric'' controversy==
In June 2009, [[Ken Loach]], [[Paul Laverty]] (writer) and Rebecca O'Brien (producer) pulled their film ''[[Looking for Eric]]'' from the festival because the Israeli Embassy was a sponsor and the festival declined to withdraw their sponsorship. Moore compared Loach's tactics to blackmail, stating that "we will not participate in a boycott against the State of Israel, just as we would not contemplate boycotting films from China or other nations involved in difficult long-standing historical disputes."<ref>{{cite web|title=Email exchanges between Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, Rebecca O’Brien and the Melbourne Film Festival organizers|url=http://pulsemedia.org/2009/07/20/email-exchanges-between-ken-loach-paul-laverty-rebecca-obrien-and-melbourne-film-festival/|publisher=Pulse Media|access-date=11 August 2013|date=20 July 2009}}</ref>

==Melbourne Underground Film Festival (MUFF)==
In 2000, MIFF's rejection of a feature film written and directed by [[Richard Wolstencroft]] led him to form the [[Melbourne Underground Film Festival]] (MUFF). In subsequent years, MUFF has attracted controversy by criticising the content of MIFF, as well as its management, specifically the leadership of former directors. MUFF prioritises and declares that he has a mandate, as a space for exciting and edgy Australian cinema that may not be played at MIFF.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Opening Night of the 14th MUFF. Jugular by JJ DeCeglie. Discovering exciting and edgy new Australian Cinema. That's how we roll. That's what we prioritise. That is our mandate. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDhJclDF3hU&feature=player_embedded|url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/254554504486/permalink/10151730240359487/|work=MUFF on Facebook|publisher=Facebook|access-date=11 August 2013|author=Richard Wolstencroft|date=2 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Melbourne Underground Film Festival Announces Dates|url=http://www.beat.com.au/festivals/melbourne-underground-film-festival-announces-dates|work=Beat|publisher=Furst Media Pty Ltd|access-date=11 August 2013|author=Avrille Bylok Collard|date=9 August 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Film festival]]
*[[List of film festivals]]
*[[List of short film festivals]]
*[[St Kilda Short Film Festival]]
*[[Cinema of Australia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.miff.com.au Official website]

{{Melbourne events}}

[[Category:Film festivals in Melbourne]]
[[Category:Film festivals established in 1951]]
[[Category:1951 establishments in Australia]]

Melbourne International Film Festival - Revision history

Flying Bee: Created page with "{{Short description|Annual Australian film festival}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2011}} {{Infobox Film Festival | name =..."