The SmartFone Flick Fest was founded by filmmaker and educator Angela Blake and actress, producer, and radio presenter Ali Crew,[1] with the first edition held in 2015.

[1] In 2023, previous records were broken, with over 458 submissions received, including 28 feature films, by filmmakers from over 60 countries.

[3] Filmmakers of all ages from anywhere in the world are eligible to enter the competitions, so long as the entry has been filmed entirely on a smartphone or tablet.

SF3 teaches teach in partnership with the National Institute of Dramatic Art, the Powerhouse Museum, the Actors Centre Australia, WIFT NSW, as well as local councils and arts centres across Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Jamaica, America, Europe, and Asia.

[1] The 2024 ambassadors of SF3 are: filmmakers Phillip Noyce, Kerry Armstrong, Christopher Stollery, Kriv Stenders, actress Nicole da Silva, smartphone filmmaker Jason van Genderen, producer Anthony Kierann, Sydney Morning Herald journalist Garry Maddox, cinematographer Pieter de Vries, disability advocate Emily Prior, First Nations filmmaker Darlene Johnson,[2] and Venezuelan actor Luis Fernandez.