If you were making a film, how would the opening scene look like?

99 Stories + Yours is an open invitation to add your voice to a growing archive that reflects who we are as a community. It celebrates the truth that we are never just one story. We are many, layered, tender, contradictory, unfinished.

Cinema begins with a story and every story begins with a person.
Someone who lived, remembered, imagined, travelled oceans, or simply paid attention. This year, we’re turning toward those people.
We’re turning toward you.
You’ll give us the story.

FAQ

Write a 70-words story answering our main question:

If you were making a film, how would the opening scene look like?

Anything you like. Drama, comedy, documentary, surrealism. Follow the moment.

Not at all. This campaign is for everyone, from seasoned storytellers to people writing for the very first time.

The train window fogged as the morning chilled the platform. I wiped a circle with my sleeve and saw her again, the same stranger from yesterday, standing in the same spot, pretending not to look for me. The loudspeaker crackled, announcing delays, but for a moment everything went quiet, like the world was waiting to see what either of us would do next, under that grey unmoving winter sky above.

Either language is welcome. Choose the one that helps your story breathe. If you write in Persian our expert team will translate the story for everyone to read it.

Yes, as long as the moment is yours to tell and shared respectfully.

No. We’re collecting written scenes only.

Yes. If you have multiple stories that feel like a scene, we’d love to read them.

We’ll curate the final selection, but every submission becomes part of the project’s growing archive.

Because this year, the Persian Film Festival isn’t only screening films. it’s opening a space for lived cinema.
Your moments. Your memories. Your stories.
It’s a celebration of community through the tiny, powerful scenes that shape us.

Rights & User Disclaimer

By submitting your story you grant the Persian Film Festival Australia the non-exclusive right to use, edit, publish, display, and share your submission across campaign materials and festival channels.

This may include (but is not limited to):

  • digital platforms and social media
  • printed materials
  • festival exhibitions or installations
  • archival or promotional uses
  • future iterations of the project

Your name may be credited unless you request anonymity.

You retain full ownership of your work, and you’re free to use or publish it anywhere else.

By submitting, you confirm the scene is your original work and does not infringe on the rights of others.

Submission Form