The Byron Bay International Film Festival – Visions in Motion
Byron Bay was known as the meeting place for the traditional land owners – the Arakwal people and each year Australian and International film talent join thousands of film lovers at BBFF, in our beautiful beachside town, for a dynamic and truly distinctive film festival experience known for its trademark friendly, laid-back vibe and characteristically open, expressive and appreciative audiences.
We ran two special physical editions of the Festival during 2020 and 2021 as BBFF is an extremely social festival and streaming content just did not feel right for us. We were fortunate here in Australia that covid was under control at the time.
Our 2022 edition was held across 3 different cinema venues and also included a Full Dome and we returned in 2023 screening in 4 different towns in our region.
Independent filmmakers are the heart and soul of this festival, whose quality programming of hundreds of entertaining, inspiring and eye-opening films from over 40 countries sets the stage for filmmakers at all stages of their careers to showcase outstanding work across all genres.
Mix business with pleasure at the gala red carpet opening night party, or simply over a quiet drink at the filmmakers bar, mingling with leading Australian and international industry figures, and where you can make new friends, spark ideas and collaborate.
As a BBFF VIP Accepted Filmmakers are given the opportunity to expand their horizons with free masterclasses, workshops, seminars, networking drinks and parties.
The festival is also passionate about Virtual Reality and the opportunities it creates for filmmakers. 2016 saw the introduction of 2 new awards for Virtual Reality Creators and a number of events that were aimed at established VR Developers as well as those looking to dive into this new realm. The Realities Mediums are no token gesture at this festival – for 5 years BBFF ran Co_Lab_Create – a Realities Thinktank for Professionals already working in the field attracting World Leaders from Australia and across the Globe. This event was been designed – and was proven – to create business outcomes for attendees.
It’s all just a short stroll from world class beaches, great cafes, bars and restaurants, live music, shopping and the colourful, cruisy and creative streetscape, for which Byron Bay is renowned.
“We have travelled the world with our film, from Berlinale to San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Byron Bay Film Festival is absolutely world class – filmmaker friendly, professionally run, and featuring top notch, bleeding-edge independent films. Add the inspirational setting and the people, and the gestalt is pure magic!”
– David Lee Miller, Filmmaker, USA
If your creativity is cutting edge and you have a message to tell, be a part of this humanistic festival that’s fusing artistry, education and innovation to enhance our worldview and collective social dialogue through the power and storytelling of film.
For more information, visit Byron Bay International Film Festival
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