Byron Bay International Film Festival returns in October

THE Byron Bay International Film Festival returns next month, showcasing films in Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads, and Lennox Head.

Running from October 18–27, the festival will take place at Palace Cinemas Byron Bay, Lennox Head Cultural Centre, Brunswick Picture House, and, for the first time in nine years, Ballina Fair Cinemas.

The festival will also feature special events at Hotel Marvell, including rooftop sundowners overlooking Byron Bay.

Director J’aimee Skippon-Volke said this year’s event will be like no other.

“It’s a time in society where we’re all being encouraged to keep our minds, hearts, and screens small, but the festival is programming films and creating an experience that encourages people to expand them.”

“We’ve seen a lot of festivals in Byron disappear, but this is our 18th edition, so we’re still going strong,” Skippon-Volke said.

“It’s a good time for people to get behind the events that are still here. “We’re accessible, and we have a low ticket price.”

Skippon-Volke, who is also a member of the Byron Bay Chamber of Commerce, said she had seen firsthand the number of businesses affected by the challenging economic times and urged the government to recognise that cultural events are just as crucial to the economy as other sectors, while also enriching society.

“The creative economy is more valuable than agriculture in this country but isn’t treated the same,” she said.

She added that one of the highlights of the festival this year is the chance to meet the filmmakers, who are coming from all over the world and Australia to share their stories, which sets the festival apart.

“It’s about seeing films for the first time and having the filmmakers there to share their stories.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed by the calibre of local films being entered.”

“We have a number of films with local connections, but they would be programmed even if they weren’t local because they’re just that strong and resonate with our audience.”

With the rise of streaming services, Skippon-Volke said the festival offers an experience that can’t be replicated on the couch.

“The festival creates a portal that takes you outside yourself.

“Watching films with others, sharing laughs, shocks, or moments of reflection—it’s a completely different experience compared to sitting at home watching Netflix.

“And afterward, being able to have a conversation about the films with others really enhances the experience.”

BBFF’s Opening Gala Night will feature Aquarius, a documentary by local filmmaker Wendy Champagne, exploring the 1973 Aquarius Festival, a transformative event for Northern Rivers.

Subtitled Dreamers, Tree-huggers and Radical Ratbags, the film reflects on how 10,000 counter-culture activists descended on Nimbin, challenging traditional values with ideas of free love, drug use, and hedonism.

This cultural wave brought psychedelic sounds and colours to the sleepy town, forever transforming it into the vibrant and eclectic region it is today.