Overview

campfire.net.au is an online film festival exploring matters of faith, religion and spirituality. Unlike other short film festivals, it offers a uniquely Australian perspective on faith. Campfire launches a new selection of five short films every quarter.

Campfire is as much about discussion as it is about film. Each festival is launched with a range of short essays that reflect on the meaning of the films. These essays are written by people from diverse faith traditions within Australia. We encourage online discussions that are challenging and confronting, sometimes unifying, but always illuminating.

Campfire encourages participation from all world religions, including 'free-thinkers' associated with none at all.

Campfire is not-for-profit.

Submit your work and join our ‘campfire’

Your short film can be uploaded for hosting on this website. campfire.net.au will host your film free of charge. All genres are considered for selection. Criteria for the best five are based on the technical and aesthetic quality of your film, and its ability to generate thoughtful discussion. Films must be of 10 minutes duration or less. (See other terms and conditions)

Who started campfire?

Richard Leigh is a filmmaker who believes that faith matters. He believes that Australians too often shy away from discussing issues of faith, and that our diverse religious communities are in danger of retreating into their respective shells. A healthy conversation about our similarities and differences may help prevent a slide into fear and hatred. Read more about Richard below. Richard is ably supported by Gavin Baulch and William Kentler.

September 2008 Festival - now on

December festival deadline November 5.

Richard Leigh is a documentary filmmaking graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia.

In television, Richard has worked as a photographer and cinematographer on SBS and ABC documentaries, including Dear Bert, Auto Stories, The Edge of the Possible and Omelette–A Multicultural Love Story. As former Senior Producer at Video Education Australasia he has produced over 150 programs on topics as diverse as gene technology, bullying and evolution theory. He now works at Image Control in South Melbourne producing private, government & community videos and TV commercials.

Richard describes himself as a ‘thinking Christian’, who feels strongly about the importance of reasoning, arguing and questioning, as Christ himself did. He would love to believe that short films could change the world, but at the very least he knows they can start a good conversation.