SURF, ACTION & ADVENTURE
Among the many stories on screen this year are some truly exceptional surf, action, and adventure films - many of them World and Australian Premieres - with the filmmakers attending to share their work with you.
Two ‘firsts’ for the festival include Shaping Waves, Shaping Worlds our first ever screening at the Stone & Wood Brewery and the presentation of a fantastic surf film session in Ballina - We The Surfers
FEATURES
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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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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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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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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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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.
SHORTS
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BEEHIVES & BOTTOM TURNS
NSW Premiere
Stone & Wood Brewery - Tuesday 21
"Beehives and Bottomturns," is a short film exploring the connection between beekeeping, ocean and our climate…
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CHARGED WATER - FLYING ON INFINITE SWELLS
Australian Premiere
Palace Ballina Fair - Saturday 25
Simon, a German living in Ballina, became a key developer for an eFoil startup and is now seen as a pioneer in the sport.
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DEVELOP
Australian Premiere
Stone & Wood Brewery - Tuesday 21
During a surfing accident, Ydwer became paralyzed from the chest down. But if water is such a vital part of your life and identity, how do you develop this relationship again?
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FLOWING WOOD
Stone & Wood Brewery - Tuesday 21
Dean, a surfer and artist from Northwest Australia, creates seascapes on reclaimed wood using beach-found materials. After a friend’s death, art became his therapy. This film captures his journey of healing, creativity, and connection to nature.
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HAUS TUMBUNA
World Premiere
Stone & Wood Brewery - Tuesday 21
Haus Tumbuna is a poetic documentary from Matty Hannon (The Road to Patagonia) that honours the deep cultural history and sustainable future of Papua New Guinea’s ocean culture. Set in Madang, the film follows the creation of a self-sustaining surfboard factory - also named Haus Tumbuna - as a vehicle for cultural renewal, environmental awareness, and community empowerment.
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HUDDY: BEYOND THE BOARD
Palace Ballina Fair - Saturday 25
Hudson Walker is a 10-year-old with extraordinary talent and drive, having achieved remarkable feats on a skateboard in just five years.
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LIGHT IN DARK PLACES
World Premiere
Drill Hall Mullumbimby - Saturday 18
Brunswick Picture House - Sunday 26
Surf teacher, Beau has a near fatal accident, triggering an out of body experience where he is forced to confront what he has been running from his entire life.
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SALT
Australian Premiere
Palace Byron Bay - Saturday 18
Salt is a short film by Alice Ward that explores the essential role of sodium chloride in life and in her own story.
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SPAGHETTI WEEK
Australian Premiere
Stone & Wood Brewery - Tuesday 21
An independent documentary film that captures the life of Job (Jabalí) Verpoorte, a chemical engineer who changed everything to become a surfboard shaper.
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TERANGA - ROAD TO DAKAR
Australian Premiere
Palace Ballina Fair - Saturday 25
In this adventure documentary, we invite you to travel from France to Dakar, an iconic journey that reveals so much more than stunning landscapes.
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THE INCREDIBLE PAULK
Australian Premiere
Brunswick Picture House - Sunday 26
Aaron Paulk has found a way to navigate uncertainty - but this time, the path forward is less clear than ever.