BBFF 2026 WINNERS
The 20th edition of the Byron Bay International Film Festival has come to a close. This year's festival was a major success and featured a program packed full of excellent films, Q&As, and special events!
Festival director J’aimee Skippon-Volke said “Our awards are created to celebrate the true spirit of independent filmmaking.” As part of that tradition of celebrating and uplifting independent filmmakers this year's pool of feature film winners was drawn from films yet to find an Australian distributor. These awards represent BBFF’s efforts to bring greater oportunies and audiences to independent films and filmmakers.
This year's festival winners are:
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
She In Storms
YOUNG AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR
Jake James Whitford - The Squaters and The Fairy Princess
BEST SCREENPLAY
Hell’s Gate
BBFF2023 Meet the Filmmaker: Hadley Perkins
Murphy is on an open road adventure with his love, Murphette, when he finds himself drawn into an infinite pursuit in order to fix his broken down bus. The road is paved, the future is in sight and it’s a race to the finish line.
BBFF2023 Meet the Filmmaker: Iván Bustinduy
Discover the mystery in ‘Animal Transport’ as a man returns to his job working for a company that transports animals. On his first trip, a cage doesn't seem to be carrying what it should. The mystery lurking in his truck pushes him to the limit of his own sanity.
BBFF2023 Meet the Filmmaker: Andrew Shaw
The darkness at the edge of a boy’s play threatens to turn him into a beast. ‘Boy/Beast’ delves into the challenging phase in boys' lives when they vigorously test limits to establish their identity. It's a narrative of a boy's anger driving him to discover his voice at any expense, uncovering the hidden grief it shields — a feminine perspective on masculinity at its core.
Local talent shines brightly in BBFF2021 shorts selection
As the Byron Bay International Film Festival returns in 2021, its range of feature-length films is again complemented by outstanding shorts from Australia and around the world.
Meet The Filmmakers: Poppy Walker & Sophie Hexter
In the lead up to the 10th annual Byron Bay Film Festival we spoke to two local filmmakers, Poppy Walker and Sophie Hexter whose short, Hitch, will be screened as part of this year’s event. We asked them about their pathway into film and what it is about the Northern Rivers that inspires them.