9th Annual INTERNATIONAL SMART FONE FILM FEST Finals to Be Held in Sydney This Month

The Gala Finals of the 9th annual international Smart Fone Flick Fest (SF3) take place the weekend of 18-19 November, with the best of the world's ‘hand-made' films to be screened live in Sydney and Melbourne AND online!

Australia's unique contribution to the world of filmmaking is an international success story with this year's 9th edition attracting 458 entries, including 28 feature films.
It's an almost 50% jump in entries from 2022 and reflects the rise and rise of this exciting, super-accessible genre both here and overseas.

This year's entries came from 60 countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Senegal, Uganda, China, Venezuela, right across Europe, America, New Zealand and - as always - a slew from Australia.

This year's finalists are competing for over $50,000 in prizes across multiple categories. It all happens at Actors Centre Australia in Leichhardt.

Saturday 18th November are the major SF3 Gala Finals at 6.30pm, preceded by the glittering red-carpet event with drinks, photo wall and foyer activations from 5pm.
Sunday 19th November features the SF3 Kids Finals at 11am then a filmmaking masterclass at 2pm, culminating with the SF3 Mini & Feature Film Screenings at 4pm including a Q&A Panel Discussion.

Tickets are on sale to all live events now at the link below.

18 Gala Finalists – 12 of them Australian - have been selected to compete for the top awards. There are films from Scotland, the UK, South Africa, the USA, Ghana, regional NSW, Queensland and all corners of Sydney.

The films cover every genre including a beautiful dance piece from Scotland, a documentary about one man's mental health struggles from Ghana, a kooky little comedy horror from the US, a beautiful reflective piece which showcases neuro-diverse, disabled and First Nations actors from regional NSW, a horror pic from two young First Nations filmmakers (12 & 14 years), a Queer love story, a 60s spy spoof starring Sydney drag queens (The Spy Who Dragged Me by Barry Backhouse, pictured above) - and everything in between… and beyond!

SF3 2023 also includes a very special film called 'Bevan' by filmmaker, Bevan Garozzo. Bevan is a Western Sydney-based filmmaker living with Down Syndrome.

There are 30 SF3 Kids Finalists this year, telling the full gamut of stories from the youngest filmmaker – just 7 years old - all the way through to ‘seasoned' 16-year-olds! SF3 Kids is a perennial favourite with schools and this year, received 41 entries from Hills Drama School alone.

There were also 20 entries from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts,
and from young filmmakers across regional and metropolitan Australia, from Queensland to the Adelaide Hills.

The SF3 Mini Finals will showcase 16 ‘mini' films: the shortest film being just 1 minute long about how to procrastinate when writing a last minute essay; the longest featuring 3-minute horrors and comedies.

This year's SF3 Feature Film screening is of US film, Paralysis, which has been taking the world by storm. Paralysis is an indie horror which really packs a punch and showcases the true beauty and strength of smartphone filmmaking. As with all the films, full details, trailer and stills are available!

SF3 2023 also features a foyer activation throughout the weekend.

The festival is working with its legion of sponsors - the best in innovative and smartphone filmmaking right now - to showcase the latest gadgets, tech and apps.

Attendees will be able to get hands on with the latest accessories and apps and try them out for free with discount codes available for purchase.

This year SF3 Online runs from November 18th to December 3rd with additional screenings including the full 10 Best Feature Film finalists and a special Highly-Commended screening of some incredible films that couldn't fit into the live event.

And, on Friday November 24th, the festival arrives in Melbourne for a co-screening with another of the world's largest smartphone film festivals - MINA.

This takes place at ACMI in Federation Square and will feature some of our festival's best local Melbourne films along with a selection of international favourites.

Co-founder of major sponsor Luma Touch, Terri Morgan, said storytelling is at the heart of filmmaking.

“It motivates us, it inspires us, it drives us forward. Stories are what make us uniquely human; they bring us together across boundaries, and from across the globe.
SF3 is one of those rare gems with a vision that so closely aligns with ours - an international film festival open to filmmakers of all ages and from every corner of the world that provides a platform for aspiring filmmakers to bring their stories to life for the world to see.”

SF3 co-founder and director Angela Blake said 2023 was the most exciting year of films yet.

“Receiving almost 500 entries has blown us away and proves that the world is inspired and excited by the possibilities of that little phone in your pocket. As well as professional filmmakers, we have seen so many first-time filmmakers inspired to pick up their phone and shoot their first film. This is exactly why we do this and we cannot wait to share this amazing bunch of stories with audiences live and online."

For more information, film trailers, ticket bookings, details of masterclasses and more, visit the link below.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!