After a successful launch in 2014, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) proudly presented its second edition of Critics Campus, an intensive five-day lab that enables emerging Australian film critics to develop their skills in a live festival setting. Critics Campus took place during the festival’s 64th edition, 30 July–16 August 2015.

Underlying the Campus’s ethos is a belief that in a swiftly changing media environment, informed writing and criticism on cinema is vital to a strong film culture and industry. Digital media allows for a diversity of voices yet poses challenges for writers seeking employment in the field. The Campus will address these issues and better prepare participants for a successful career in film writing. It will also offer them a platform to be heard in the competitive festival environment.

“As an un-established writer it's easy to feel as though you exist in a vacuum, or that you're slightly delusional, or both. The encouragement I received from people whose work I admire was a jolt to keep going. It's one of the most energising professional experiences I've ever had,” said 2014 Campus alumni Harry Windsor.

Since participating in the lab, 2014 alumni have written for publications including The Age, Senses of Cinema, The Monthly, The Saturday Paper, Junkee and The Hollywood Reporter.

Find out more about our 2015 Critics Campus participants here, and read their coverage!