TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ENTRY TROPFEST 2026

1. How to enter

(a) To enter a short film (Film) into the Tropfest 2026 festival (Festival) which is organised and staged by Tropfest Foundation Ltd (ABN 83 688 694 279) (Tropfest), the producer of the Film (Producer) must complete the entry form located at www.tropfest.com/filmmakersubmissions(Entry Form), upload the Film to YouTube by 6:00pm (AEDT) on 8 January 2026 and include the YouTube link in the Entry Form.

(b) By completing the Entry Form and delivering the Film online, the Producer agrees to enter the Film in the Festival and related competitions and activities, and to comply with the terms and conditions which are contained in:

(i) the Entry Form;

(ii) the Entry Guidelines; and

(iii) these Terms and Conditions of Entry,

(collectively, the Tropfest Terms and Conditions).

(c) All dates set out in the Tropfest Terms and Conditions are approximate and may be subject to change at Tropfest’s absolute discretion.

2. Judging of the Films

(a) 16 films will be chosen as finalists to be screened and judged at the Festival (Finalist Films) on the evening of 22 February 2026 or such other date as Tropfest may determine in its discretion (Festival Event).

(b) Of these 16 Finalist Films, 15 will be selected by Tropfest in accordance with clause 2(c). One Finalist Film will be chosen by members of the public (Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition). This process will involve the public voting on 10 short-listed films (chosen by Tropfest) which will be hosted on Tropfest’s YouTube channel, in accordance with clause 2(d) (Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition).

(i) short-list the Film as a Short-Listed Film for selection as a Finalist Film (Short-Listed Film); and/or

(ii) select the Film from the Short-Listed Films as a Finalist Film for viewing and judging at the Festival Event.

(d) Tropfest may, in its absolute discretion and without giving reasons:

(i) select the Film from the Short-Listed Films to be part of the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition, which will be hosted on Tropfest’s YouTube channel for viewing and voting on by members of the public from approximately 30 January 2026 until approximately 11 February 2026; and

(ii) select the film from the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition to be included as a Finalist Film, to be screened and judged at the Festival Event (the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition). Selection will be based on the number of votes, audience engagement and such other matters as Tropfest may determine.

(e) Tropfest will contact the Producer:

(i) by mid-late January if the Film has been selected as a Short-Listed Film; and

(ii) by late January to early February if the Film has been selected as a Finalist Film.

(f) All prizes awarded to Films are not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash.

3. Warranties and representations of the Producer

3.1 Exclusivity and compliance

The Producer warrants and represents to Tropfest that:

(a) the Film was made by the Producer specifically for the Festival and includes the 2026 Tropfest Signature Item (TSI), being an Hourglass;

(b) the Film complies with the Tropfest Terms and Conditions;

(c) the Film has not been, and will not be, available to be viewed by the public by any means, including the internet, until the Temporary Exclusive Licence granted by the Producer to Tropfest under clause 5 (Temporary Exclusive Licence) terminates in accordance with the provisions of that clause.

(d) none of the rights in the Film (including the intellectual property rights) has been, and will not be, assigned, licensed or otherwise granted, in whole or in part, to any person other than Tropfest, until the Temporary Exclusive Licence terminates in accordance with the provisions of clause 5;

(e) the Producer will pay all fees and other charges related to the entry of the Film in the Festival;

(f) all details submitted in the Entry Form by the Producer are true and correct; and

(g) the Producer has read YouTube’s Terms of Use and the Film complies with YouTube’s Terms of Use.

3.2 Copyright, moral rights and clearances

The Producer also warrants and represents to Tropfest that the Producer is entitled to reproduce and exploit all of the underlying works in the Film by means of the Film, and:

(a) has the necessary rights to reproduce the music, lyrics and sound recordings which are incorporated in the soundtrack of the Film;

(b) each of the performers in the Film has consented in writing to the use of their performances in the Film;

(c) the Producer has obtained from each contributor to the Film, including each contributor to the underlying works in the Film, (Contributor) a written consent for the Producer and any person authorised by the Producer (including Tropfest and its contractors and licensees) to do or omit to do anything which may infringe any of the moral rights of the Contributor, including to edit the work of the Contributor (Moral Rights Consents);

(d) the Producer has obtained from each Contributor permission for Tropfest to use the Contributor’s name and likeness in connection with any publicity for the Festival and related competitions, and a commitment that the Contributor will undertake publicity appearances for the Festival and related competitions if reasonably requested by the Producer or Tropfest to do so;

(e) the Producer is entitled to grant to Tropfest the rights set out in clause 5, and the use or exploitation of the Film as contemplated by the Tropfest Terms and Conditions will not infringe the rights (including copyright) of any person;

(f) all residuals or other payments to Contributors in connection with the Film have been paid, together with the cost of all licences of all copyright in any film footage, musical works, lyrics, sound recordings or other material in which copyright subsists, owned by any third party and which are used or adapted in the Film, other than fees that may be payable to local performing rights associations for use of the Film after the Festival Night; and

(g) no part of the Film is, or will be, actionable for defamation, invasion of privacy, or breach of confidence of any person.

4. Indemnity

The Producer indemnifies Tropfest and holds Tropfest and its contractors and licensees harmless from and against any and all claims and demands made against Tropfest, its contractors or licensees, as a result of any of the warranties and representations given by the Producer in clause 3 not being true and correct.

5. Grants of rights

5.1 Temporary Exclusive Licence

In consideration of Tropfest reviewing the Film for the purpose of determining whether the Film is to be selected as a Short-Listed Film, the Producer grants to Tropfest an exclusive licence, commencing on the date the Film is entered into the Festival, to:

(a) reproduce the Film for the purpose of reviewing and judging it; and

(b) communicating the film to the public throughout the world by any means or technology now known or subsequently invented.

5.2 If the Film is not a Short-Listed Film

If the Film is not a Short-Listed Film, the exclusive licence granted by the Producer to Tropfest in clause 5.1 will automatically terminate on the sooner of:

(a) the date of notification from Tropfest that the Film is not a Short-Listed Film; or

(b) 31 March 2026.

All rights granted by the Producer to Tropfest in clause 5.1 will automatically revert to the Producer, and Tropfest will not have any rights, including any rights in the copyright, in the Film.

5.3 If the Film is a Short-Listed Film but is not a Finalist Film

If the Film is a Short-Listed Film but is not selected as a Finalist Film, the Exclusive Licence granted by the Producer to Tropfest in clause 5.1 will automatically terminate on 31 March 2026, and if the Producer has consented to do so in the Entry Form, the Producer grants to Tropfest a non-exclusive licence, commencing on 1 April 2026, to communicate the Film to the public throughout the world by any means or technology now known or subsequently invented for the duration of the copyright in the Film.

5.4 If the Film is a Finalist Film

If the Film is selected as a Finalist Film, the exclusive licence granted by the Producer to Tropfest in clause 5.1 will automatically terminate on 31 March 2026, and the Producer grants to Tropfest a non-exclusive, licence, commencing on 1 April 2026, to communicate the Film to the public throughout the world by any means or technology now known or subsequently invented for the duration of the copyright in the Film.

6. Moral Rights

The Producer:

(a) acknowledges that Tropfest, its contractors and licensees, may do or omit to do anything which may infringe the moral rights of the Contributors and/or the Producer, including to edit the Film for the following purposes:

(i) to meet the legal requirements of broadcasting authorities;

(ii) to ensure that the Film meets any legal or classification requirements or to avoid any breach of law;

(iii) to use excerpts of the Film for the purpose of promotion of the Film, including by way of teasers, trailers and advertisements,

and the Producer consents to these actions by Tropfest, and its contractors and licensees; and

(b) without limiting clause 6(a), authorises Tropfest and its contractors and licensees to do any and all acts comprised in the Moral Rights Consents.

7. Classification

The Producer must ensure that the Film does not contain any material which would prevent it being classified as ‘Mature (M)’ in the Australian Classification Scheme for films, including any explicit or graphic violence or sexual material.

8. General

(a) The Tropfest Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of New South Wales.

(b) The Producer must do all acts and sign, or cause to be signed, all documents which Tropfest may reasonably request in connection with the entry of a Film into the Festival.

(d) A reference to a person includes a body corporate, the singular includes the plural and vice versa, and ‘includes’ and ‘including’ are not words of limitation.

(e) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, words and expressions used in the Tropfest Terms and Conditions have the meaning (if any) given to them in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).

Download Tropfest 2026 Terms & Conditions here.