SPOTLIGHT

ON BYRON

OFFICIAL SELECTION | SHORT FILM SESSION

Brunswick Picture House logo with the text 'Brunswick Picture House' stacked vertically.

SATURDAY 21 OCTOBER - 2:00PM

Spotlight on Byron, the Saturday afternoon session at the Brunswick Picture House, is a showcase of the imaginative and hardworking talent that we have in our tiny shire. These ten short films cover teen horror, ghostly playfulness, human comedy, topical social commentary, First Nations struggle and the wonder of nature on our doorstep. Truly a compendium of the diversity of life on the North Coast.

Contains Adult Themes

  • Three individuals walk down dimly lit hallway with wooden walls, backlit creating a silhouette effect, with the caption at the top reading "Every ghost story has a beginning" and the word "KANE" in large red letters at the bottom.

    KANE

    SHORT | 6 MINS | DIRECTOR: MIRO SALOM | PRODUCERS: JOEL & MIRO SALOM | OCEAN SHORES

    A group of teenagers find themselves trapped in a possessed school, unable to escape. They must fend for their lives while the ghost of a mass murderer hunts them down.

  • Nighttime exterior of a brick house with lit windows and palm trees, moon in the sky, with the title 'Ghost Roommate' and the tagline 'Where housing affordability meets the afterlife...' along with the film director's name, Kaia Walton.

    GHOST ROOMMATE

    SHORT | 7 MINS | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: KAIA JOAQUIN WALTON | OCEAN SHORES

    In the midst of a housing crisis, Oliver Davies, a young social media addict, stumbles upon a miraculously affordable rental house. Seizing the opportunity, he moves in without hesitation, only to be confronted with an unexpected twist – his new roommate is none other than a lively ghost named Winston.

  • A tall, full-length mirror standing upright in the middle of a pine forest. The mirror reflects a landscape of trees, a mountain in the distance, and a person standing in a shallow stream or pond, wearing a red dress and facing away.

    DOORS INTO ART

    EXPERIMENTAL | DIRECTOR: DYLAN KAI HARRIS | PRODUCER: GILI KOREN | MULLUMBIMBY

    A dancer takes us on a journey through the creative mind of local artist Lindi Nielsen, through magical doorways, showing us where she gets inspiration for her art.

  • A bee flying above a reflective dark surface with awards and film festival recognitions at the top and the title 'The Secret Life of Bees' at the bottom.

    THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

    SHORT DOC | 5 MIN | DIRECTOR: MIRABAI NICHOLSON-McKELLAR | PRODUCERS: MIRABAI NICHOLSON-McKELLAR + NIALL FAHY | BROKEN HEAD

    The Secret Life of Bees is an intimate journey into the inner workings of a honeybee colony. By shooting entirely on iPhone, the filmmaker had unobtrusive access to the hive, offering us a unique perspective into this incredibly intricate super-organism. Follow the life of a worker bee from birth to cleaner, natural air conditioner, to an undertaker, acting as security and then finally leaving the hive to forage for nectar and pollen. You’ll never look at a jar of honey in the same way again.

  • A promotional poster for the film "Small Town Mentality" featuring a scenic landscape with mountains, trees, and a winding road with a car. Text indicates the film is by Heath Lines, with actors Oliver Nathan-Truesdale, Esra Unsalan, and states "Coming Soon."

    SMALL TOWN MENTALITY

    EXPERIMENTAL | 6 MIN | DIRECTOR: HEATH LINES | MULLUMBIMBY

    Small Town Mentality is a spoken word, character based Videopoem exploring the inevitable trauma of lost innocence and the claustrophobic isolation of growing up in a remote, small town.

  • Movie poster for 'Related' directed by Sophie Townsend, showing two women in a car having a conversation, with the word 'related' in purple text across the center.

    RELATED

    SHORT | 14 MIN | DIRECTOR: SOPHIE TOWNSEND | WRITER/PRODUCER: EMILY HUTCHINSON | SUFFOLK PARK

    On a car ride home from a women's community art show, the comedic dynamics of a relatable mother and daughter relationship are revealed.

  • Poster with the word 'HIRA' at the top, 'ETH' at the bottom, and the phrase 'slowly coming together' in the middle. The background features a pink wall and a section of a wooden door frame.

    HIRAETH

    SHORT | 17 MINS | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: ALEXANDER WARDROP | LISMORE

    A woman (Philippa Bennett) and her adolescent son (Robbie Went) aren’t just estranged from a home neither of them knows how to talk about – they’re estranged from each other, too.

  • Close-up of a man's face with intense expression, dim lighting, and dark background, with text overlay for a short film titled 'The M Word'.

    THE M WORD

    SHORT | 20 MINS | DIRECTOR: SHANE CROSLAND | PRODUCERS: KIMBERLEY VECSEI + AGUSTINA MARUCA | SUFFOLK PARK

    A nihilistic bartender (Michael Tam) clinically leads the viewer through his atypical lifestyle.

  • A person sitting topless on the beach, looking at the ocean during sunset, with film festival awards and title text overlaying the image. The film is titled 'Bangay Lore' by Jahvis Loveday, with additional credits and festival accolades.

    BANGAY LORE

    SHORT | 15 MIN | DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS: JAHVIS LOVEDAY + KIAHMA O’DONOVAN | CRABBES CREEK

    Bangay lore, meaning spear in the Dyirbal language of Far North QLD, is a short film that showcases how aboriginal culture is perceived when it is performed on stage, and when it is expressed in everyday society. It is about the limitations wrongly placed on the expression of aboriginal culture.

    It follows the journey of a young aboriginal dancer as he struggles with acceptance of his culture outside of the theatre.

  • Poster for a film titled 'MURPHED' starring Dean Perron, featuring a person in a suit jacket and shorts standing barefoot on grass. The poster displays awards for the film from the Far South Film Festival and the Northern Rivers Short Film Competition, as well as credits for producers, director, writer, sound, music, and other crew.

    MURPHED

    SHORT FILM | 2022 | DIRECTOR: HADLEY IAN PERKINS | PRODUCER: RHIAN BAKER | SKINNERS SHOOT

    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.