BBFF2023
20 - 29 October
We had a number of great venue partners who helped us bring a world of film and special events to you across the region
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.“
Photos below by Lillipilly Films - Beverlow Callow
SPECIAL EVENTS
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![A futuristic digital illustration of a woman's face with cybernetic enhancements and a headset with glowing blue lights.]()
TECHNOLOGY TALKS
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![Poster for Byron Bay International Film Festival music video showcase. Event details: Wednesday, October 25th from 8:30 PM to 10 PM at the Beach Hotel, Byron Bay. Free event with after-party at Lovers Lane. Features a neon-lit DJ turntable with swirling, colorful patterns.]()
MUSIC VIDEO SHOWCASE
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![People watching outdoor movie screening under a night sky with clouds and the bright moon.]()
BEACHSIDE FULL MOON CINEMA
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![Text that reads 'Lovers Lane' in a playful, stylized font.]()
OFFICAL AFTER PARTY VENUE
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![Abstract black and white swirling smoke or ink patterns creating a symmetrical design.]()
JACK BAILEY "UNTITLED"
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OPENING NIGHT
BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - DRAMATIC FEATURES
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!["Film poster for 'Club Zero' showing a group of people in yellow uniforms with one person in the center wearing a purple shirt, set against a neutral background. The Cannes Film Festival logo is displayed on the purple shirt. The mood is serious and]()
CLUB ZERO
Directed by Jessica Hausner
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![Poster for "Ailleurs Si J'y Suis" features several people partially obscured by foliage, with varied expressions against a cream background. A small bird flies nearby.]()
LET'S GET LOST
Directed by François Pirot
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![A movie poster for 'Perfect Days' shows a scene of a person lying on a futon in a dimly lit room, reading a book with a small table lamp beside them. The room has a window with closed curtains, and the ceiling and upper part of the poster feature lus]()
PERFECT DAYS
Directed by Wim Wenders
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![A teacher or adult speaking to a group of children seated on the floor in a classroom with the word 'RADICAL' written above them.]()
RADICAL
Directed by Christopher Zalla
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![A movie poster titled 'Under Streetlights' depicts a night scene with two people sitting on the ground under a streetlight, smiling at each other. A guitar is placed beside one person, and a pair of headphones is on the ground. The background has a s]()
UNDER STREETLIGHTS
Directed by Danielle Loy
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![Movie poster for 'Anatomy of a Fall' featuring a woman lying on snow with blood around her, and two children hugging nearby.]()
ANATOMY OF A FALL
Directed by Justine Triet
BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - DOCUMENTARIES
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - SURF FILMS
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
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![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
BBFF2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION - OTHER CATEGORIES
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![A young girl with braided hair gazes upwards against a dusky backdrop. Text on a blue panel reads "SHORT FILMS," promoting Byron Bay Film Festival 2023.]()
SHORT FILMS
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![Person in casual attire stands on a rural road with fields, wearing a beanie and shorts, holding a bag. Blue poster reads "Spotlight on Byron Bay 2023."]()
Spotlight On Byron Bay 2023
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![A person with curly hair and sunglasses smiles warmly against a dark background. Text reads "Young Australian Filmmakers" alongside Byron Bay Film Festival details.]()
Young Australian Filmmakers
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![Young person with curly hair, wearing a red cap and white t-shirt, stands outdoors. The text promotes the Byron Bay International Film Festival 2023.]()
Music Videos
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![Silhouette of an adult and child at sunset on the left, with text "SCHOOLS" and event details for BBFF2023 on the right, in a purple background.]()
SCHOOLS
BBFF2023 Nominees and Winners
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Best Short Film
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Best Film
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Best Documentary
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Best Dramatic Feature
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Best Environmental Film Award
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Best Surf Film
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Best Cinematography
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Best Animation
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Best Experimental Film
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The Best 3DoF VR Experience Award
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Best 6DoF VR Experience
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Best Music Video
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The Byron Bay International Screenplay Competition Award (1000$)
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Young Australian Filmmaker of the Year