Red Carpet Gala Opening Night Films & Party

BBFF/08 is Seeing Red

Sponsored By Southern Cross University.
7pm for a 7.30 start
Tickets including catered party $35

Opening Night is a red carpet, red anything night.
Wear red, carry something red and you could win a prize.

Judges from Byron Bay Fashion Week will be watching and judging. Join the party for a complimentary glass of Fox Creek’s Sparking Red Vixen, or a bottle of Coopers Sparkling Ale and canapés.

Join the filmmakers & cast members on the red carpet for Two World Premieres of outstanding Australian films marking an evolutionary step in the careers of two talented Australian directors. Enjoy aerial displays presented by Circus Arts and roving performers. There will be brief opening ceremony before the films where we will be joined on stage by 2007 AFI winner Stephen Curry who will introduce his cast and crew mates from:

You Better Watch Out  - World Premiere
A wickedly dark comedy about a department store Santa Claus who is kidnapped by two disgruntled brothers with a score to settle.

You Better Watch Out is South Australian Director, Steve Callen’s first short film and stars Stephen Curry (The King, The Castle, Changi), Dan Wyllie (Chopper, Romper Stomper, Love My Way) and Chris Haywood (Shine, Jindabyne, Breaker Morant).
Best Short Film Nominee.

Feature Presentation - the World Premiere of

Monkey Puzzle

A journey of friendships pushed to the edge. Five friends (Ben Geurens, Ryan Johnson, Socratis Otto, Billie Rose Prichard and Ella Scott Lynch) descend into the valleys of the Blue Mountains, in search of the Wollemi Pine, the world’s rarest tree.

Monkey Puzzle is Mark Forstmann’s first feature film having directed several short films and two documentaries. These films have screened locally and internationally at film festivals and have been broadcast in Australia and overseas.
Best Film and Best Dramatic Feature Nominee.
After the films join us upstairs for a catered party to celebrate the opening of the 2008 Byron Bay Film Festival.

Closing Night Awards Ceremony & Party

Sponsored By SAE Institute
7pm for a 7.30 start
Tickets including screening, awards ceremony and catered party $35

The evening begins with the screening of 3 films nominated for awards

The Sound of Cry
The Sound of CRY exposes the viewer to the rich world of Maori culture that exists in Australia.
Best Short Film, Young Australian Filmmaker, Cinematography and Film Nominee. A World Premiere Producer Lav Bodnaruk will be in attendance.

Tyger
A giant tiger mysteriously appears in a big city, revealing the hidden reality in an otherwise ordinary night.
Best Experimental Film Nominee.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Feature Presentation: – the Australian Premiere of

Laya Project

Laya Project’s musicians are the people of coastal and surrounding communities in the 2004 tsunami-affected regions of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar and India.
Against a rich visual tapestry regional folk music traditions were recorded, mixed and enhanced, creating a musical journey crossing borders, while preserving the music of the people.

The stories of survival and loss create a personal and collective tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.  Dedicated to the survivors of the 26th December 2004 Asian tsunami. Filmmaker Yotam Agam will be in attendance. Best Film Nominee.

After a brief Intermission the films will be followed by BBFF’s Closing Award Ceremony where awards will be given in the categories of Best Film, Dramatic Feature, Short Film, Documentary, Animation, Environmental Film, Surf Film, Experimental Film, Cinematography, Young Australian Filmmaker and Byron Bay Filmmaker. Then join us for a catered party to celebrate the filmmakers and mark the closing of the 2008 Byron Bay Film Festival.