BBFF2022 | 16th Edition

The 16th Edition of the Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF) in 2022 was a 10-day celebration of cinema that brought together local and international filmmakers and film enthusiasts. With the tagline ‘Shining Light in Darkness’, the festival offered a diverse program that connected with contemporary issues while celebrating a shared loved of storytelling.

The festival kicked off with an Opening Night screening of ‘Triangle of Sadness’, a satire about the super-rich on a mega-yacht adventure, led by a deranged Woody Harrelson in a riotous reminder that money can’t buy everything.

Surfing, a favourite activity in Byron Bay, was a major theme, featuring several wave-based selections. Highlights included the Australian Premiere of ‘Birth of the Endless Summer’ and ‘Savage Waters’, a thrilling search for a mythical wave in the Atlantic Ocean.

BBFF2022 also showcased several documentaries that delved into the human condition. These included ‘My Old School’, a tale of Scotland’s most notorious imposter, ‘Gloriavale’ which exposed abuse within an infamous Christian cult and ‘Unseen Skies’, which explored mass surveillance and artificial intelligence. The festival also spotlighted health-focused films, such as ‘Dosed 2: The Trip of a Lifetime’, which studied the use of psychedelics in treating illness.

The ‘International’ in the festival's title was realised through its selection of Feature Dramas. Among them were ‘Faithbreaker’, a story about moral truth and forgiveness set in Poland and ‘The Noise of Engines’, about a young firearms instructor diagnosed with sex addiction.

A host of short films, dramas, mini-docos and music videos supported the feature films throughout the festival, adding to its richness and diversity.

On the immersive technologies side, a standout was the festival’s latest activation, a 10-metre projection dome erected in the Railway Corridor, Byron Bay’s latest public space. The BBFF XR Dome showcased immersive 360° films by artists and experts from around the world and combined various immersive technologies to create an Extended Reality (XR) experience. It also highlighted digital technologies such as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Blockchain, AI, the Metaverse and Web 3.0 with a number of free panels and masterclasses exploring these applications held.

2022 also saw the return of Co_Lab_Create, a weekend dedicated to events, workshops and masterclasses focused on fostering the growth of the Extended Reality (XR) sectors. This initiative brought together professionals from Venture Capital, Gaming, Film and VFX industries, which have played a crucial role in shaping this medium. Co_Lab_Create provided a unique networking and collaborative environment for experts to unleash their creativity, expand their technical knowledge and explore the possibilities within the XR industry in Australasia.

Another professional development initiative, the Make Diversity Reality accelerator, concluded its funding in 2022. This initiative was created to provide an exceptional mentorship opportunity for women and individuals from diverse backgrounds who are involved in film, art, XR or games, with esteemed industry leaders generously sharing their knowledge and insights to assist participants in developing their ideas and advancing their careers.

Other notable events at BBFF2022 included the return of the Filmmakers Lounge at popular local venue Casa Luna, which provided a space for mingling between filmmakers and other festival aficionados. Lastly, one of the most popular events was a very special lunch at Ember steakhouse with Madman Entertainment CEO Paul Wiegard as he uncovered the inspirations and experiences that have shaped the legendary actor Jack Thompson throughout his illustrious career.