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New Film Festival Coming in 2024

Yeh! Nah! 
Say it in an Aussie accent and it will all make sense!

Hello! A heads up! We're still working on the graphics, content and some finer details of this film festival.

Entries are now open.

But a few things may change here and there!

Though, we'd be more than happy to hear you thoughts and feedback, so feel free to share with us!

The Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival is an Australian based festival of International and Local Horror, Thriller and Genre films, made by exclusively, up and coming, emerging and independent filmmakers. The festival screenings will take place in Canberra, Australia in the lead up to Halloween 2024 and will include feature films, short films, filmmaking Q&A discusion panels, and social events including an awards event.

The Festival Director is award winning filmmaker Dan Sanguineti, producer of Australian zombie features, 'Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse' and 'Theatre of the Dead' and was a Production Coordinator and EPK Producer on AACTA nominated Best Film 'Sissy'.

Dan is currently a filmmaking trainer for the AIE Film School.

 

His focus for the festival is about nurturing and supporting filmmakers inclusively who are passionate about filmmaking and love the horror genre!

Dan Sanguineti in 2012 on set Theatre of the Dead

Dan Sanguineti in 2012, on set of Theatre of the Dead (2013)

Dan Sanguineti - Sissyposter-2022.jpeg

SISSY (2022)

NEWS

AWARDS
& PRIZES

Official Selections will recieve laurel and digital certificate.

Nominations for the awards will be announced on release of the festival program. Laurels will be awarded for all nominations.

Local Canberra Awards will be announced on Day 2 of the Festival, with winners to join National and International entrants for Silver and Gold Awards. These will be announced on the 5th and final day of the festival.

GOLD AWARDS
- Best Short Film - Yeh! Nah! Overall Winner
- Best Feature Film

SILVER AWARDS
- Best Short Film - Made for Us
- Best Short Film - Canberra
- Best Student Production
- Best Feature Screenplay
- Best Short Screenplay
- Best Horror Kill
- Best Scare
- Best Practical Effects
- Best Animation film or use of VFX
- Best Performance by a Leading Performer
- Best Performance by a Supporting Performer

CANBERRA AWARDS

- Best Short Screenplay
- Best Horror Kill
- Best Scare
- Best Practical Effects
- Best Animation film or use of VFX
- Best Performance by a Leading Performer
- Best Performance by a Supporting Performer

ENTRY
CATEGORIES

Yeh! Nah! AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE! - Feature Film Category

Australian Premiere Preferred! We are looking to include in our program feature length genre films that preferably havw not been screened previously in Australia, as we want our festival to show your film, FIRST in Australia. This is for all Australian and International productions. Must be have been completed after after June 30th, 2023. Duration must be 50mins or longer. We won't be able to allow late entry for feature films so that we have enough time to select and program from the submissions and produce an effective marketing plan for the event. We will consider works in progress but the project would need to be ready for screening by no later September 13th 2024 to be eligible.

Yeh! Nah! We made it just for you! - Short Film Category

This is your chance to make a brand new original horror or genre film! Open to Canberra, Australian & International Filmmakers. The film must fit in a festival that will run close to Halloween!

Your film must have started production after 30th March 2024 and completed specifically for our festival by the entry deadline.

  • One character must say "Yeh! Nah!" out loud, on screen at least once to be eligible.

  • Your film must also include either a visual or audio reference, without breaching copyright or ownership, of the Festival Director's favourite horror film, of which the answer to this will be revealed on this website.

  • End Credits must state somewhere: "This short film was produced for Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival 2024."

Yeh! Nah! Horror! - Short Film Category

Slashers, Monsters, Zombies, Spooky Ghosts and Ghouls, Paranormal, Psychological - everything Horror. Must be have been completed after January 1st 2023.

Yeh! Nah! Horror Comedy! - Short Film Category

Our Horror Comedy category is looking for films in the Horror genre that either make you smirk or straight out laugh out loud. Dark comedy, blood and guts and classic zombie gore is welcome if you think it will get a great audience reaction. Must be have been completed after January 1st 2023.

Yeh! Nah! Genre! - Short Film Category

Thrillers, Sci Fi, Aliens, and Fantasy - the GENRE category - if you have a short film that will get a great audience reaction and has less horror and more of the other stuff, submit it to this category. As long as it feels like it would fit into a festival run close to Halloween! Must be have been completed after January 1st 2023.

Yeh! Nah! I'm from Canberra! - Short Film Category

Being a festival based in Canberra, we welcome and support Canberra filmmakers to submit their existing horror and genre projects in their own category! (If you are making one for us specifically, please submit to We made it just for you category!) All Canberra produced projects must have been produced after January 1st, 2023. Projects are permitted to have screened already at other festivals, but please do note we will preference first local films that are newer, with premiere status and looking to have premiere screenings for our program.

KEY DATES

January 1, 2024
ENTRIES OPEN

June 30, 2024
EARLY BIRD ENTRY
Feature Films & Short Films

 

July 31, 2024
STANDARD ENTRY DEADLINE
Feature Film Final Deadline

August 31, 2024
OH! NAUR! I'M LATE DEADLINE

Short Film Final Deadline

September 16, 2024
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS NOTIFICATION DATE

 


September 30, 2024
FESTIVAL PROGRAM RELEASE

October 25 - 31, 2024

FESTIVAL DATES

October 25, 2024 - FRIDAY NIGHT

FESTIVAL DAY 1 - OPENING NIGHT
Feature Film & Shorts Screening

 

October 26, 2024 - SATURDAY NIGHT

FESTIVAL DAY 2 - CANBERRA LOCAL FOCUS
Shorts Screening + Local Category Awards

October 27, 2024 - SUNDAY MATINEE

FESTIVAL DAY 3
Feature Film & Shorts Screening

October 29, 2024 - TUESDAY NIGHT

FESTIVAL DAY 4
Shorts Screening

October 31, 2024 - THURSDAY HALOWEEN NIGHT

FESTIVAL DAY 5 - CLOSING NIGHT
Feature Film & Shorts Screening + Grand Finale Awards

FESTIVAL
TERMS & CONDITIONS

Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival - 2024

Film Submission Terms and Conditions

1. Submission Process:
1.1 Filmmakers must submit their film projects, including short films and feature films, via Filmfreeway.
1.2 The submission period opens on January 1, 2024.

2. Entry Deadlines:
2.1 Early Bird Entry Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Feature Films & Short Films).
2.2 Standard Entry Deadline: July 31, 2024 (Feature Film Final Deadline).
2.3 "Oh! Naur! I'm Late" Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Short Film Final Deadline).

3. Selection Process:
3.1 Official Selections Notification Date: September 16, 2024.
3.2 The Festival Program will be released on September 30, 2024.

4. Festival Dates:
4.1 The Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival will take place from October 25 to October 31, 2024.

5. Festival Schedule:
5.1 
October 25, 2024 - Friday Night:
Festival Day 1 - Opening Night
Feature Film & Shorts Screening

5.2 October 26, 2024 - Saturday Night:
Festival Day 2 - Canberra Local Focus
Shorts Screening + Local Category Awards

5.3 October 27, 2024 - Sunday Matinee:
Festival Day 3
Feature Film & Shorts Screening

5.4 October 29, 2024 - Tuesday Night:
Festival Day 4
Shorts Screening

5.5 October 31, 2024 - Thursday Halloween Night:
Festival Day 5 - Closing Night
Feature Film & Shorts Screening + Grand Finale Awards

6. General Terms and Conditions and Content Guidelines:
6.1 By submitting a film to the Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival, filmmakers agree to comply with all rules and regulations set forth by the festival organizers.
6.2 All submitted films must be the original work of the filmmaker, and the filmmaker must have the necessary rights and permissions for the content.
6.3 Filmmakers are solely responsible for any legal issues arising from the content of their submitted films.
6.4 For festival content reasons, all films (features and short films) submitted for inclusion in the Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival must be equivalent to Australian classification MA15+ or below.
6.5 Filmmakers are responsible for ensuring that their films comply with the Australian classification standards. More details can be found at Australian Classification Ratings.
6.6 The Festival organizers reserve the right to disqualify any film that does not meet the specified content guidelines.


7. Filmmaker Notifications:
7.1 Filmmakers will be notified of the selection status of their films on the Official Selections Notification Date.

8. Awards and Prizes:
8.1 Awards will be presented during the Closing Night on October 31, 2024.
8.2 The Festival organizers reserve the right to modify or add awards.

9. Publicity and Promotion:
9.1 Filmmakers grant the Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival the right to use excerpts from their films for promotional purposes.

10. Contact:
10.1 For any inquiries or additional information, please contact The Festival Director

By submitting a film to the Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival, filmmakers acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agree to abide by these terms and conditions.
 

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