BBFF2023

20 - 29 October

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In 2023, the Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF) celebrated its 17th year showcasing at some of the finest cinema venues across the Northern Rivers region; presenting an array of screenings and fun special events in Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Brunswick Heads and Murwillumbah.

BBFF screened films from international and local filmmakers; the motto setting the tone for the programme, “Anything Is Possible.“

BBFF2023 JURY MEMBERS

  • A portrait of Jack Thompson an older man with a white beard and mustache, smiling slightly, wearing a black jacket, against a plain light background.

    Jack Thomson AM

    A giant of Australian cinema, Jack has supported BBFF since its earliest days. Championing the local industry, he has featured in many iconic homegrown films.

  • Close-up of a woman with short black hair, blue eyes, wearing red lipstick, smiling slightly, with a shadow on a white background.

    J'aimee Skippon-Volke

    J’aimee is the Director of the Byron Bay International Film Festival and long-term board member of Screenworks. Over the past nine years she has been building BBFF into Australia’s largest regional film festival.

  • A professional headshot of a smiling woman with short blonde hair, wearing a light jacket and a red necklace against a neutral background.

    MARGARET POMERANZ

    Margaret Pomeranz is an Australian film critic, writer, producer, and television personality. Pomeranz joined the Special Broadcasting Services (SBS) in 1980 as writer and producer, working on TV programs such Front Up, Subsonics and the AFI and IF Awards.

  • A smiling woman with short, curly gray hair wearing a white shirt, standing in front of a light blue background with abstract designs.

    Alex Mankiewicz

    Alex is an award-winning illustrator who has storyboarded features and vetted scripts for HBO and other production companies. Daughter of Joseph (All About Eve), niece of Herman (Citizen Kane), she grew up reading screenplays as part of the family business.

  • A black-and-white headshot of a smiling bald man wearing glasses and a striped shirt against a dark background.

    Elad Offer

    Elad Offer is a film producer and industry executive known for his work in international film distribution and festival programming, contributing expertise in global cinema and market strategy.

BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - DRAMATIC FEATURES

BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - DOCUMENTARIES

  • Poster for the film 'Brand Bollywood.' It features a woman in a yellow dress with multiple arms, holding various signs related to tourism, education, and policy. The title is in bright, marquee-style letters, and there is a scene with a couple at the

    BRAND BOLLYWOOD DOWNUNDER

    Directed by Anupam Sharma

    DISCOVER
  • An artist in a black long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and a beige hat, stands in an art studio. He is dancing or posing energetically, with a stool in front of him, surrounded by colorful paintings of people and bottles.

    BROMLEY: LIGHT AFTER DARK

    Directed by Sean Patrick McDonald

    DISCOVER
  • A woman hanging off the edge of a tall building with a cityscape below her, a camera lens is visible in the foreground, and the sky is partly cloudy. Text overlay reads: 'and the king said, what a FANTASTIC MACHINE'.

    FANTASTIC MACHINE

    Directed by Axel Danielson & Maximilien Van Aertryck

    DISCOVER
  • Silhouettes of two children standing under a waterfall, reaching out to each other with arms open. Text overlay reads 'Freedom is Beautiful' and 'The most powerful act of resistance is love'.

    FREEDOM IS BEAUTIFUL

    Directed by Angus McDonald

    DISCOVER
  • Postcard-style image promoting a film or documentary titled 'Havana Shakes: The Face of Young Cuba'. Features a young man holding an American flag in a cityscape with parked cars, and three young women walking along the coast, with one pulling anothe

    HABANA SHAKES

    Directed by Marcelle Lunam

    DISCOVER
  • Movie poster for 'Groundswell' showing a surfer riding inside a large, crashing wave with text listing cast and crew, and noting it is narrated by Josh Brolin.

    GROUND SWELL: THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR

    Directed by Paul Taublieb

    DISCOVER
  • Black and white cover photo showing a large crowd of people behind a barbed wire fence, shouting and raising their hands. There is a barbed wire graphic and several logos at the bottom, with the title "Kaugeré: A Place Where Nobody Enters" and a quot

    KAUGERE: A PLACE WHERE NOBODY ENTERS

    Directed by Stephen Dupont

    DISCOVER
  • A man with glasses and a beard sitting in a chair next to an elderly woman lying in bed. The room has wood-paneled walls and a framed floral painting behind the bed. The image features text promoting a documentary titled "The Last Two Weeks at Longle

    LAST TWO WEEKS AT LONGLEE

    Directed by Susie Forster

    DISCOVER
  • Black and white collage poster for The Birthday Party event titled 'Making in Heaven' featuring photographs of band members Mick Harvey, Nick Cave, Tracy Pew, Phill Calvert, with text overlay and some ink splatters and handwritten notes.

    MUTINY IN HEAVEN -THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

    Directed by Ian White

    DISCOVER
  • A movie poster for 'Point of Change' featuring a person with short hair looking at a large ocean wave, with a background of various images including a traditional African dance scene, a surfer with a surfboard, and a person holding surfboards, all in

    POINT OF CHANGE

    Directed by Rebecca Coley

    DISCOVER
  • An aerial view of a person standing in water with sunlight reflecting off the surface, with a black background featuring white text that reads 'The Edge of Nature' and 'Josh Fox film'.

    THE EDGE OF NATURE

    Directed by Josh Fox

    DISCOVER
  • Poster for the documentary titled 'The Trust Fall: Julian Assange' featuring a man with pale hair and beard, crossing his arms over his chest, against a starry night background, with various film award logos on the right.

    THE TRUST FALL: JULIAN ASSANGE

    Directed by Kym Staton

    DISCOVER

BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - SURF FILMS

  • A movie poster for 'Point of Change' featuring a person with short hair looking at a large ocean wave, with a background of various images including a traditional African dance scene, a surfer with a surfboard, and a person holding surfboards, all in

    POINT OF CHANGE

    Directed by Rebecca Coley

    DISCOVER
  • Movie poster for 'Groundswell' showing a surfer riding inside a large, crashing wave with text listing cast and crew, and noting it is narrated by Josh Brolin.

    GROUND SWELL: THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR

    Directed by Paul Taublieb

    DISCOVER
  • A lone surfer amidst vast green waves under a hazy sky. Bold yellow text reads, "What Climate Change?" suggesting introspection on the topic.

    What Climate Change?

    Directed by Axel Massin

    DISCOVER
  • Black and white poster of "A New Wave" features a serene man with closed eyes surrounded by abstract lights. Text: "The Surfing Life of Michael 'Freestyle' February."

    A New Wave

    Directed by Sandra Winther

    DISCOVER
  • Blue-toned image with stylized white text: "D'amour et d'eau frette," featuring a surfer riding a wave beside the text. Mood: adventurous and serene.

    COLD CRUSH

    Directed by Ariane Moisan

    DISCOVER
  • Two swimmers in clear blue water create a serene, artistic scene from above. The text "Dancing on Water" overlays the peaceful ocean setting.

    DANCING ON WATER

    Directed By‍ Joshua Hauser

    DISCOVER
  • A person wearing a yellow sleeve holds a clear triangular object near window blinds. Sunlight casts stripes across the scene, creating a warm atmosphere.

    DUST

    Directed By Ben Bloom

    DISCOVER
  • Promotional poster for a surf film showing a surfer riding inside a powerful turquoise wave, with spray crashing overhead. The title “RAW – The Sound of Teahupo’o” appears across the image, with “OXBOW presents” at the top and film festival selection

    RAW - The Sound of Teahupo'o

    Directed By Tim Mckennac

    DISCOVER
  • Promotional poster for a surf documentary titled “Rick Griffin Interviewed by Pacific Vibrations,” featuring a vivid, psychedelic sunset over the ocean with glowing colors and abstract shapes radiating from the sun. Silhouettes of a pier and coastlin

    Rick Griffin Interlude 01, Pacific Vibrations

    Directed By Dave Tourje, Steve Barilotti

    DISCOVER
  • Minimalist black-and-white film poster titled “WETSUIT,” featuring a grainy, high-contrast image of a surfer partially submerged in water with waves splashing around them. Small text near the top reads “un film de João Salgado,” and subtle production

    WETSUIT

    Directed By João Salgado

    DISCOVER
  • Close-up of a surfer's face partially submerged in water, with a distant blurry island. Text: "Beyond Frames," a surf documentary by Samuel Müller.

    BEYOND FRAMES

    Directed By Samuel Mueller

    DISCOVER
  • The poster for "Fifth Tide" shows two women's faces merged with turbulent waves, conveying a mysterious, intense tone. Text names Lena Kemna and Christina Gindl.

    Fifth Tide

    Directed By Lena Kemna, Christina Gindl

    DISCOVER
  • Alt text: Surfer rides a towering blue wave on a movie poster with the title "Bagus Lagi." The tone is adventurous and exhilarating.

    Bagus Lagi - The Dream Never Ends

    Directed By Alexandre Ribas

    DISCOVER
  • Stormy ocean scene with dark, moody clouds overhead. Text reads "Buarcos: The Unridden Ones" in bold, centered, expressing a dramatic and mysterious tone.

    BUARCOS - THE UNRIDDEN ONES

    Directed By Joao Traveira

    DISCOVER

BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - OTHER CATEGORIES

BBFF2023 Nominees and Winners