THROUGH THE LOCAL LENS

OFFICIAL SELECTION | SHORT FILM SESSION

A graphic illustration depicting the stages of slab construction in three color sections: teal labeled 'Design,' gray labeled 'Preparation,' and red labeled 'Construction,' with arrows indicating the sequence from Design to Construction.

SESSION TIMING TBC

The Northern Rivers, recognized as Australia's largest regional film hub, is celebrated at our festival with a selection of locally made films. These films highlight the unique stories and artistic visions that flourish in this vibrant creative community. From stirring narratives to groundbreaking documentaries, local filmmakers use their deep connections to the region to craft films that resonate with authenticity and passion, reflecting the dynamic cultural landscape of our region.

Some films are intimate and personal, others daring and playful, but all share a sense of place and the spark of imagination that thrives here.

With the filmmakers present this session is your chance to explore and celebrate the depth of filmmaking in our own backyard.

‍ ‍

COMING SOON
  • Poster for the film "Cowing"

    COWING

    SHORT | 12 MIN | DIRECTOR: GEOFF O'NEILL, ROSIE JONES | PRODUCER: CHRIS O’NEILL | MULLUMBIMBY

    A shattered fisherman’s haunting confession reveals his complicity in the new recreational sport of ‘cowing’.

  • Poster for the film "Deep Hope"

    DEEP HOPE

    SHORT | 4 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: JAKE MOSER | BYRON BAY

    A man retreats into a dreamlike world where his love for a woman consumes him, only to confront the painful reality that his feelings are not returned.

  • Poster for the film "Extra Time"

    EXTRA TIME

    SHORT | 7 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: NICK GEORGE | BANGALOW

    A weathered widower, haunted by memories of his rugby glory days, confronts the quiet cost of masculine stoicism through an ordinary evening with his estranged son.

  • Poster for the film "Flight of the Sirens"

    FLIGHT OF THE SIRENS

    SHORT | 4 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: NATALIE GRONO | BYRON BAY

    On the eve of the full moon, the sirens leave the sea and rise onto land, shedding their tails for legs and surrendering to the freedom of movement.

  • Poster for the film "From Patient to Practitioner - The Scott Painter Story"

    FROM PATIENT TO PRACTITIONER - THE SCOTT PAINTER STORY

    SHORT DOC | 10 MIN | DIRECTOR: DANNY MCSHANE | PRODUCERS: DANNY MCSHANE, CLOE JAGER, JESSICA NELSON | WYRALLAH

    A brain tumour survivor, with the help of his family, fights though unimaginable adversity to become a clinician.

  • Poster for the film "From Thought to Export"

    FROM THOUGHT TO EXPORT

    SHORT DOC | 8 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: OZ BINO | MULLUMBIMBY

    A documentary about the various stages and challenges of filmmaking, showing what goes on behind the scenes and how passion for your project is integral to success and emotional impact.

  • Poster for the film "My Friend Artemis"

    MY FRIEND ARTEMIS

    SHORT | 9 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: STANLEY COOK | MULLUMBIMBY

    A poignant story of friendship reunited and a tribute to the persistence of nature to endure in an ever-changing world.

  • Poster for the film "Precipice"

    PRECIPICE

    SHORT DOC | 10 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: JULIAN REUBEN CHENEY | BYRON BAY

    A documentary about Raymond Cheney, an artist whose detailed oil paintings expose a world teetering on the edge, challenging us to look closely at what we stand to lose.

  • Poster for the film "Reflections of Femininity"

    REFLECTIONS OF FEMININITY

    SHORT DOC | 3 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: ANYA ISARA |

    A conversation between the perspectives of women across generations, how their experiences of femininity mirror one another, and the shared vulnerability beneath society's ideal of femininity.

  • Poster for the film "Spirit of the Threshold River"

    SPIRIT OF THE THRESHOLD RIVER

    SHORT | 12 MIN | DIRECTORS: JADE DEWI TYAS TUNGGAL, POPPY WALKER | PRODUCER: POPPY WALKER | YAEGL COUNTRY

    At the meeting of salt and fresh water, Yarrawali Birrinba, the mighty Clarence River, is conjured by dancers as witness, storyteller and living archive.

  • Poster for the film "Trace"

    TRACE

    SHORT | 6 MIN | DIRECTOR: DANIELE CONSTANCE | PRODUCER: KATIE COOPER-WARES | LENNOX HEAD

    A dance film that explores how bodies, particularly those with disability, move with, against and through our natural landscapes.

  • Poster for the film "Weightless"

    WEIGHTLESS

    SHORT | 5 MIN | DIRECTOR/PRODUCCER: TREVOR WORDEN |

    The film explores the lasting impact of unwanted experiences, memory, and the struggle to find silence within one’s own mind.