SURF & ACTION FILMS

  • Poster for Beyond the Break. A man in a wheelchair faces the ocean at sunrise, with large bold title text above and a note about Joel Taylor’s return to surfing 20 years after a paralyzing wave.

    BEYOND THE BREAK + Q&A

    East Coast Premiere

    Palace Byron Bay - Saturday 18 6pm

    Palace Byron Bay - Friday 24 7:20pm

    Brunswick Picture House - Sunday 26 6:30pm

    In 2001, Lennox Head’s Joel Taylor was a rising bodyboarding star when a wave at Pipeline left him paralysed. For 20 years, he stayed out of the water, struggling with the loss of identity and purpose. The birth of his son sparked a return to the ocean - and the beginning of a powerful comeback. Through adaptive surfing, Joel found strength, community, and a new path. In 2023, he became a World Champion. A story of resilience, reinvention, and the healing power of the sea.

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  • Poster for Champions of the Golden Valley. A boy in a patterned hat looks out over snowy mountains with ancient cliff carvings behind him. Bold yellow title text fills the center, with laurels for Tribeca and DocBox 2024 festivals.

    CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY

    Australian Premiere

    Palace Byron Bay - Saturday 25 5:15pm

    In Afghanistan’s remote, snow-covered valleys, a homegrown ski culture blossomed - bringing together young athletes from rival villages to race, connect, and dream. Just as this joyful movement gained momentum, sweeping change halted it. This inspiring story captures the light they sparked on the slopes - and the resilience, unity, and hope that continue to endure beyond the snow.

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  • Poster for Deeper. A lone diver is silhouetted in glowing blue light, swimming inside an underwater cave with sunbeams piercing through. Festival laurels for Sydney Film Festival and SXSW appear below.

    DEEPER

    Byron Premiere

    Palace Byron Bay - Saturday 18 12:30pm

    Palace Ballina Fair - Friday 24 7.20pm

    From saving lives to risking his own, Dr Richard “Harry” Harris embarks on a perilous cave dive into one of the world’s most extreme underwater systems. Set in New Zealand’s remote Pearse Resurgence, this gripping documentary explores the limits of human endurance and the cost of chasing the unknown. Directed by Jennifer Peedom (SHERPA) and Alex Barry, with stunning visuals and Harris’s own footage, it’s a breathtaking journey into darkness, danger, and the depths of human curiosity.

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  • Poster for We the Surfers, directed by Arthur Bourbon. Collage-style images of young Black surfers, both posing with boards and gathered in a circle, are set against a beige background with bold red title text.

    WE THE SURFERS

    Byron Premiere

    Palace Ballina Fair - Saturday 25 7:20pm

    In coastal Liberia, a grassroots movement has given rise to a thriving surf culture. We the Surfers captures the journey of the Robertsport community as they build their own surf club - fueled by international support, donated boards, and unstoppable local passion. This extended cut celebrates the power of unity, resilience, and shared love for the ocean. Screening alongside a curated selection of global surf shorts, it’s a moving tribute to surfing as a force for connection and community.

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  • Poster for 500 Days in the Wild, directed by Dianne Whelan. A lone hiker with a backpack stands silhouetted against a golden sunset. Large bold white title text fills the bottom half, with multiple festival laurels above.

    500 DAYS IN THE WILD

    Byron Premiere

    Brunswick Picture House - Saturday 25 4pm

    In her 50s and not an extreme athlete, Dianne Whelan spent six years hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing and skiing across Canada’s 24,000 km trail network - from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic. What began as a solo quest became a journey of resilience, connection and transformation. Along the way, she found wisdom in Indigenous teachings, kindness from strangers, and a deeper bond with the natural world - a quiet triumph that redefines what endurance and strength can look like.

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Short Surf Films