FAQ

  • Any filmmaker, student, creative, or technologist currently based in Australia. 

  • Films made using GenAI tools — any style, any story. But human creativity must lead the way.

  • Yes: Humans and Their Tools. We want stories that reflect or interrogate our evolving relationship with technology. 

  • Best Short Film (under 3 mins) 

    • Best Long Film (3–15 mins) 

    • Best Student Film (under 3 mins) 

    • One Grand Prix winner from across all categories 

  • $15,000 AUD shared across the four awards. 

  • Any! From text-to-video, voice, image gen, FX, music or prompt engineering. Just disclose what you used.

  • Yes. As part of the entry, we ask you to list tools, key prompts, and describe how you used them creatively.

  • Creativity with AI, human input, emotional impact, craft, and alignment with the theme. Full breakdown on the site.

  • July 2025. Exact date coming soon. 

  • Submissions will close in early September 2025. (Exact date TBC.) 

  • You can submit one entry per category 

  • No. Submission is free. 

  • The awards showcase is invite-only, but selected films and discussions will be shared online. 

  • DISRUPT is an initiative of TBWA\Australia — a creative agency committed to bold, future-facing ideas. 

  • Head to www.daiff.com.au and join our mailing list or follow us on LinkedIn (and socials)

TERMS &
CONDITIONS

The inaugural edition will culminate in a national screening and awards showcase, featuring the best entries, on 29th
October 2025.

Game of skill

1. Information on how to enter the DISRUPT GenAI Film Festival 2025 (Competition) and prizes form part of these terms and conditions. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. Entries must comply with these terms and conditions to be valid.

2. The promotor is TBWA Melbourne Pty Ltd (ABN 96 060 197 382) (Promotor). To contact the Promoter, please email daiff-au@tbwa.com.

Competition period

3. The Competition commences at 9:00 AM (AEST) on 28 July 2025 and ends at 11:59 PM (AEST) on 12 September 2025 (Competition Period).

Eligibility to enter

4. Entry is open to Australian residents over the age of 16 years old (Eligible Entrants). Entrants under the age of 18 years must obtain consent from their parent or guardian to enter. If a winner is under the age of 18 years, then the Promoter reserves the right in its absolute discretion to award the prize to the winner’s parent or guardian and to require that the parent or guardian execute such acknowledgment, indemnity and release as reasonably required in the circumstances.

5. Directors, employees and their immediate families of the Promoter, and retailers, suppliers, associated entities and agencies associated with this Competition are ineligible to enter.

Submissions and how to enter

6. To enter, Eligible Entrants must, during the Competition Period, visit https://filmfreeway.com/DAIFF and fully complete the online entry form, upload a MP4 copy of the film, and provide a short statement describing the AI techniques used and the nature of human input in the film as directed in the online entry form.

7. Eligible Entrants may submit one entry per category of the following categories:

a. Best Short Film (which must be no more than 3 minutes);

b. Best Long Film (which must be between 3 to 15 minutes); and

c. Best Student Film (which must be no more than 3 minutes and the Eligible Entrant must be currently enrolled in and attending a school or university.

8. Multiple submissions in the same category, by the same entrant, will not be accepted.

9. There is an additional category – the Grand Prix. The three winners from the Best Short Film, the Best Long Film, and the Best Student Film will be automatically entered into the Grand Prix category.

10. There are no entry fees.

Prizes

11. A total prize pool of AU$15,000 will be awarded across three categories, as follows

a. Best Short Film – AU$5,000

b. Best Long Film – AU$5,000 and

c. Best Student Film – AU$5,000

12. One winner will be selected for each category based on the judging criteria for each category published on the Promoter’s website https://www.daiff.com.au/about

13. The winner for each category will be contacted directly by the Promoter within 2 weeks of judging taking place, in writing by email to organize payment of the relevant prize by way of electronic funds transfer to the winner’s nominated bank account or any other method which is communicated by the Promoter at the time of contact.

14. In the event that a winning film is submitted by a group, the prize for that category will be split evenly among the members of the group or as otherwise indicated in the entry form. The entry form must clearly specify the primary representative for all communications.

15. All taxes (excluding goods and services tax (GST)) which may be payable as a consequence of receiving the relevant prize are the sole responsibility of the winner(s).

16. The Promoter is not liable for any loss, damage or injury suffered (even if caused by negligence) as a result of any winner accepting and/or using the relevant prize, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law.

Judging date and time

17. Judging will take place in Australia after submissions have closed, with a final counting and decision happening in Melbourne at 288 Coventry St, South Melbourne, VIC, 3205. (Judging Date and Time).

18. All entries will be judged by a panel of qualified judges individually on their merits based on originality, creativity, technical execution, and alignment with the theme – “Humans and Their Tools”. Judges will be announced during the festival from a selection of industry experts. All judges’ decisions are final.

19. This is a game of skill and chance plays no part in determining the winner.

Winner participation in Festival Showcase & Awards night

20. By entering this Competition, and where reasonably practical, Eligible Entrants agree that if they win a category that they will participate in the Festival Showcase & Awards night, to be held in Melbourne, on 29 October 2025. Details of the event and expected participation will be communicated to each winner by the Promoter.

21. While the Promoter will endeavour to facilitate the winners’ attendance, including by offering reasonable support where possible, it does not guarantee coverage of travel, accommodation, or other related costs to attend.

Use of Eligible Entrant’s personal information

22. Personal information including the Eligible Entrant’s name, address, telephone number and email will be collected and used for the purpose of conducting this Competition. This may require disclosure to third parties, including local regulatory authorities and the Promoter’s agents or third party service providers, for the purpose of conducting the Competition, or for promotional and marketing purposes (including for direct marketing) (Purpose).

23. By entering this Competition, Eligible Entrant’s consent to the use of their personal information for the Purpose, and that the Promoter may contact them for future marketing and material purposes without payment. Eligible Entrants agree that the Promoter may use this information for that purpose.

Entry content

24. Entry films must be an original work of the Eligible Entrant that has been created in collaboration with generative AI tools (AI Tool). If the Promoter or the judges are

unable to verify that the entry is original work to its or their satisfaction, the entry will be deemed invalid.

25. There is no preferred AI Tool; any generative AI platform is acceptable to use for the purposes of the entry.

26. Eligible Entrants warrant that:

a. their entry is not in breach of any third party intellectually property rights (including but not limited to copyright and moral rights);

b. in creating and submitting the film for entry they have complied in all respects with the relevant AI Tool’s terms and conditions of use; and

c. they are permitted to grant the licence under clause 34 under the relevant AI Tool’s terms and conditions of use.

27. Eligible Entrants indemnify the Promoter and its associated agencies against all losses, damages, claims and costs arising out of, connected to, or resulting from, a breach of the warranties set out in clauses 26 and 35.b.

28. An Eligible Entrant’s entry must not include:

a. any image, video or voice of any other person without that person’s express consent;

b. any unauthorised images of real people;

c. any content that contravenes any law; or

d. any content that is obscene, offensive, potentially defamatory, discriminatory, indecent, prejudicial or inconsistent with prevailing community standards.

29. All music used in an entry must be either royalty-free (public domain or Creative Commons), original work composed by the Eligible Entrant, or AI-generated with all necessary rights secured. Eligible Entrants are responsible for securing all required rights and permissions for any music, images, or AI-generated content used in their entry.

30. Eligible Entrants must disclose the use of AI in the creative process when submitting their entry as directed in the entry form, including the tools and techniques used and the nature of the human input.

31. Eligible Entrants must be transparent about any ethical concerns related to AI use, including issues of bias and representation.

32. The Promoter may request additional documentation to verify compliance with these terms and conditions

Intellectual Property and use of Eligible Entrant’s name, likeness, image and voice

33. The Promoter acknowledges that the Eligible Entrant retains full intellectual property rights to their submitted work.

34. By entering this Competition, Eligible Entrants grant the Promoter a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free licence solely for the purpose of publicly exhibiting the film across any channel or venue for promotional and festival-related purposes, including but not limited to at digital and live events.

35. By entering this Competition, Eligible Entrants:

a. consent to the Promoter dealing with their entry content in any way that may otherwise infringe the Eligible Entrant’s moral rights, and agree not to assert their moral rights (wherever such rights are recognised) in respect of their entry against the Promoter or its assigns, licensees or successors; and

b. warrant that, where relevant, it has obtained a consent from all third-party contributors to the film on the same terms as set out in clause 35.a.

36. Eligible Entrants consent to the Promoter using their name, likeness, image and/or voice in the event that they are a winner in any media for an unlimited period of time without remuneration or compensation for the purpose of promoting this Competition (including any outcome) and/or promoting any products manufactured, distributed and/or supplied by the Promoter

General conditions

37. The Promoter reserves the right to disqualify any individual who submits an entry that is not in accordance with these terms and conditions, or who is involved in any way in interfering or tampering with the conduct of this Competition, has breached any of these terms and conditions, or engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the Competition.

38. If an Eligible Entrant’s contact details change during the Competition Period, it is the Eligible Entrant’s responsibility to notify the Promoter. A request to access or modify any information provided as part of the redemption of a Prize should be directed to the Promoter.

39. The Promoter reserves the right to request verification of the age, identity and residential address of winners and any other information relevant to entry into or participation in this Competition. Verification is at the discretion of the Promoter, whose decision is final. Failure by the Promoter to enforce any of its rights does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

40. Winners may have rights under the Australian Consumer Law and other similar legislation which cannot be excluded, restricted or modified by the Promoter. These terms and conditions do not exclude, restrict or limit those statutory rights in any way. However, to the extent that it is permitted to do so by law, the Promoter (including its officers, employees and agents) excludes all liability whether arising in tort (including without limitation negligence), contract or otherwise for any personal injury or any other loss or damage (including without limitation loss of opportunity or loss of profits) whether direct, indirect, special or consequential, arising in any way out of the Competition, including, without limitation:

a. any technical difficulties or equipment malfunction (whether or not under the Promoter’s control);

b. any theft, unauthorised access or third party interference;

c. any entry that is late, lost, altered, damaged or misdirected (whether or not after their receipt by the Promoter) due to any reason beyond the reasonable control of the Promoter;

d. any variation in market value to that stated in these terms and conditions;

e. any tax implications; or

f. the prize or use of the prize.

41. If for any reason beyond the reasonable control of the Promoter this Competition is not capable of running as planned, the Promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to take any action that may be available to it, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Competition, or amend these terms and conditions, unless to do so would be prohibited by law.