BBFF2026 Meet the Filmmaker: Harvey Zielinski
After being mistaken for his identical twin by his estranged, dying father, Jake finds himself unexpectedly welcomed into a version of masculinity he has never been offered before. Written, directed by and starring Harvey Zielinski in the dual roles of Jake and Sam, Sweet Milk Lake is a funny, romantic and deeply personal film about the compromises we make to be seen.
We spoke with Harvey about building the film from a transmasculine perspective and the joy of finally handing it over to an audience.
BBFF2026 Meet the Filmmaker: Vic Sarin
Following lighthouse keeper Seamus Óg MacGrianna in post-war Ireland, The Lightkeeper is a haunting story of grief, love and the search for a way forward.
For director and cinematographer Vic Sarin, the film grew from meeting a real lighthouse keeper and discovering that the man responsible for guiding ships through the darkness was, in many ways, the one who needed guidance himself.
BBFF2026 Meet the Filmmaker: Dominic Allen
Following Australian-Italian art historian Marco and his young daughter Lucia on a summer journey through Italy, TIBER is a quiet story of memory, grief and the connections that remain with us.
For director and producer Dominic Allen, the film grew from his years living and studying in Rome, where he became fascinated by the way the city holds its past in the present. What began as a feeling about memory, art and the enduring nature of place eventually found its shape in a father, a daughter, a small gold car and the Tiber River.
BBFF2026 Meet the Filmmaker: Alix Livingston
Following Sonya Takau and her family, Ganibarra explores the deep relationship between Dingo, Country and First Nations culture, offering audiences a story of kinship, cultural knowledge and connection.
Co-director and producer Alix Livingstone first met Sonya in 2022, and what began as a conversation about Dingo protection grew into a friendship, collaboration and ultimately a film.
BBFF at 2026 AACTA FESTIVAL
BBFF’s Festival Director J'aimee Skippon-Volke chaired the AACTA Festival’s 'Grit and the Art of Doing It!' panel - a deep dive into the discipline and resilience required to turn creative practice into long-term progress.
She was joined by an incredible lineup of industry heavyweights: Jason Baird (JMB FX Studio), Natasha Pizzica (EndemolShine Australia) and Mike Mosallam (Shadowbox Studios).
BBFF2025 Winners
The Byron Bay International Film Festival announced its 2025 award winners, officially closing the festival’s 19th edition after a strong program of screenings and events.
Winners were recognised for outstanding craft, originality and impact across the program.
A Treacherous Country wins BBFF Screenplay Competition
Submissions to the Byron Bay International Film Festival’s 2025 Screenplay Competition came from around the world - from Turkey to Canada - with a particularly strong showing from the United States. While some entries leaned on familiar tropes or prose-first thinking, the top scripts stood out for their cinematic craft and producibility.
Several of the strongest works, including among the top three and shortlist, are Australian-set stories written by authors based overseas.
BBFF2025 Meet the Filmmaker: Neo Sora
Set in a near-future Tokyo, the film follows a group of teenagers as they confront surveillance, social prejudice and the constant threat of natural disaster, while finding solace in friendship, rebellion and music.
Sora, son of the late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, has drawn on both personal experience and wider social anxieties to craft a story that is both intimate and political.
BBFF2025 Meet the Filmmaker: Benedikt Just
The Heart Revolution blends poetic imagery and groundbreaking science, challenging us to rethink what we know about the human heart. As it makes its Australian Premiere at the Drill Hall Theatre, we spoke with director Benedikt Just about the winding journey that led him to filmmaking, the seven-year process of bringing this documentary to life, and why he believes the heart holds the key to understanding what it means to be human.
BBFF2025 Meet the Filmmakers: Alison Cornyn and Heather Greer
Filmmakers Alison Cornyn and Heather Greer have long worked at the intersection of storytelling and justice. In Hilda O. vs. The State of New York, they follow 81-year-old Hilda Onley as she seeks justice for the abuse she endured while incarcerated at 15. Silenced for decades, Hilda finally finds a path forward after the 2019 passage of New York’s Child Victims Act.
We spoke with the co-directors about their creative process, how they first connected with Hilda, and what her story reveals about resilience, visibility, and the long arc of justice.
BBFF2025 Meet the Filmmaker: Ben Sturgulewski
Ben ‘Sturge’ Sturgulewski grew up on a remote island in Alaska’s Aleutian Chain, sparking a lifelong passion for wild places and the people who inhabit them. His award-winning short films have screened globally, earning acclaim for cinematography, editing, and storytelling. He’s worked with Patagonia, YETI, Arcteryx, Red Bull, and others, and his ski film VALHALLA was named "The Greatest Ski Film of All Time" by Outside Magazine. Champions of the Golden Valley is his first feature documentary.
BBFF2025 Meet the Filmmaker: Anna Trichet-Laurier
Anna is a producer and director whose work weaves together environmental urgency and human resilience. With award-winning projects spanning National Geographic (Save This Shark, Save This Rhino), Stan (Misunderstandings of Miscarriage), and Channel 7 (Here for the Horses), Anna has built a career bringing powerful real-world stories to the screen. Her independent debut feature, Nansie - a deeply personal, warm and moving portrait created with journalist Adelaide Miller - affirmed her voice as a storyteller to watch, earning recognition at Sydney Film Festival and the Asian Academy Creative Awards.
BBFF2025 Meet the Filmmaker: Caleb Graham
Caleb Graham is a Sydney-based filmmaker and cinematographer whose work is grounded in honesty, intimacy and human resilience. With two ACS Gold awards and international credits including Green is the New Black (BBFF2021) and Blue and Gold (BBFF2024), Caleb has established himself as a rising voice in documentary storytelling. His latest film, Beyond the Break, follows para-surfing world champion Joel Taylor, capturing a story of resilience, identity and community.
New BBFF Award Honours David Stratton’s Legacy
The Byron Bay Film Festival is proud to introduce the David Stratton Best Documentary Award, celebrating one of Australia’s most respected champions of cinema. This new accolade will honour the most outstanding feature-length documentary in competition, from Australia or abroad. David Stratton’s remarkable career as a critic, festival director and broadcaster helped shape Australia’s cinematic landscape, introducing audiences to powerful stories from around the world.
Byron Bay Film Festival Joins AACTA Festival for Exclusive Panel on Film Festival Success
Chaired by BBFF’s Festival Director in a rare collaboration, creatives from some of Australia’s leading film festivals are uniting for a special panel at the AACTA Festival.
BBFF2024 Winners
The award-winners across all categories in the 2024 Byron Bay International Film Festival were announced last night, bringing the festival’s “enormously successful” 18th year to a close.
Festival director J’aimee Skippon-Volke said the judges faced their usual challenges, selecting the Best Of from an exceptionally high-quality range of films from Australia and the world.
Story from the LA river wins BBFF Screenplay Competition
The three finalists in the Byron Bay International Film Festival’s 2024 Screenplay Competition all explore different aspects of contemporary society, with the winner, Riverwalk, telling the story of two young runaway brothers forced to survive on the mean streets of Los Angeles.
Meet The Filmmaker - Johnny Abegg
As we approach the Byron Bay Film Festival 2024, excitement builds for the premiere of Fragments of a Half Life, Johnny Abegg's deeply introspective film. In this abstract journey, Abegg explores the profound grief he feels after his father’s death. Rather than drowning in sorrow, he surrenders to the complexity of grief, discovering that through embracing loss, he can live a deeper, more meaningful life. Through his mother’s recounts and his own reflections, Johnny navigates the intricate relationship between father and son, finding solace in life’s impermanence.
Meet The Filmmaker - Sarah Ticho
As we approach the Byron Bay Film Festival 2024, excitement builds for the premiere of Soul Paint, a groundbreaking experience blending immersive technology, creative storytelling, and wellbeing. Through bodymapping, 3D drawing, and movement, participants explore and express emotions and sensations in the body, revealing their inner reality while observing others' creations. Narrated by actor and activist Rosario Dawson, Soul Paint has won awards including Unity for Humanity, StoryFutures XR Connect, and SXSW’s Special Jury Prize.
Meet The Filmmakers - Alan White and Jamie Brisick
As we approach the Byron Bay Film Festival 2024, the excitement mounts for the premiere of The Life & Death of Westerly Windina, a powerful documentary exploring the life of Peter Drouyn, a surfing legend, and his transformative journey into becoming Westerly Windina. Filmmakers Alan White and Jamie Brisick provide insight into the creation of this poignant film.