Byron Premiere

Friday 18 October - Party 6:30pm Film 8pm

The story of a radical 10-day Festival in 1973 where the participants face down police interference, internal chaos, drugs and personal drama to create a living blueprint for survival on earth.

Byron Premiere

Saturday 19 October 12:30pm

A young couple set a 400 year old estate back to the wild and entrust its recovery to a motley mix of animals both tame and wild. It is the beginning of a grand experiment that will become one of the most significant rewilding experiments in Europe

Saturday 19 October 2:40pm

The Young Australian Filmmaker of the Year Competition shines as a highlight of the Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF). Since 2007, it has served as a launchpad for emerging filmmakers, drawing an eclectic mix of narratives, genres, and styles. This year, we've curated a showcase of the top 10 finalists for 2024, representing the pinnacle of young Australian talent.

Byron Premiere

Saturday 19 October 5:15pm

Friday 25 October 7:30pm

An ex-convict finds redemption in the bond he forms with an unwanted mutt in Guan Hu's dynamically shot and darkly comic Un Certain Regard Prize winner.

World Premiere

Saturday 19 October 7:30pm

Australian surfer Peter Drouyn was a dominant force in international competitive surfing, revolutionizing how surf competitions are conducted. Yet, despite his success and acclaim, he felt alienated by the hypermasculine and often sexist culture of the surfing world.

Byron Premiere

Sunday 20 October 12:45pm

All life on Earth is connected by a great mystery we are only just beginning to unravel. Hidden between the world of plants and animals, another world exists…Fungi are the central players in nature’s story of birth, death, and rebirth to discover that life as we know it simply would not exist without them.

Byron Premiere

Sunday 20 October 3pm

Friday 25 October 5:30pm

Executive-produced by Taika Waititi, We Were Dangerous offers a fiercely feminist Māori-led twist on the 'coming-of-age delinquent' genre. Set in 1950s New Zealand, it follows three students from an all-girls school as they attempt a daring escape from their oppressive education, only to end up on a deserted island.

Byron Premiere

Sunday 20 October 5:00pm

Bondi Icebergs, the world’s most photographed pool at Bondi Beach, has been a beloved spot for nearly a century. It serves as a place for learning, socializing, and enduring winter swims. This iconic pool reflects the universal desire for community, emphasizing equality among all its visitors.

NSW Premiere

Sunday 20 October 7:30pm

Two decades after their original adventure together, Arnaud surprises Robbie at the National Aboriginal Surfing Championships at Bells Beach and together, they embark on a new road trip, in search of waves, community and connection to Country.

Screens with Fragments of a Half-Life

Byron Premiere

Monday 21 October 7pm

The CIA's involvement in assassinating Congo’s first elected prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, is explored alongside the U.S.'s tactic of sending jazz legends as 'ambassadors' to divert attention during Africa's decolonization. Archival footage and jazz blend into a compelling narrative against colonialism.

Byron Premiere + Q&A

Tuesday 22 October 7pm

Damon Gameau (THAT SUGAR FILM) takes eight kids on the ultimate school excursion: a road trip across Europe to challenge powerful leaders and find solutions to our greatest ecological challenges. This is a coming-of-age journey that dares to imagine a brighter future.

Byron Premiere

Wednesday 23 October 7pm

In the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them.

Starring Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg

Byron Premiere + Q&A

Thursday 24 October 7pm

Hundreds of hours of restored 16mm surf film footage, combined with a salt-infused soundscape and insights from Australia's gurus and outsider artists, capture the story of a vibrant community that journeyed up the coast to discover a new way of living.

World Premiere

Friday 25 October 8pm

A thirteen year old girl kills her addict mother's boyfriend in self defense, and is subsequently terrorized by her own mother.

Saturday 26 October 12:30pm

During a performance in a small town in the Middle Atlas, Aida, a member of a Tunisian contemporary dance troupe touring Morocco, provokes her life and stage partner, Hedi. His reaction injures her on stage, setting off a series of events that unfold over a long night. As they journey through a forest to reach a doctor in the next village, the tension escalates.

Byron Premiere

Saturday 26 October 5.15 pm

During the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, artists Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov remain to defend their homeland with art and arms. Andrey documents their resilience, Slava trains civilians turned soldiers, and Anya finds solace in her art, encapsulating their tumultuous present and hopes for the future amidst the chaos.

Byron Premiere + Q&A

Saturday 26 October 7:30pm

The Secret Origin of the Hard-Ons.Three ethnic school kids from Western Sydney discover punk music and form a band. Together they fight racism and the music industry to become Australia’s biggest indie band larrikins. Before diversity was a buzzword, there was the Hard-Ons!

Byron Premiere

Sunday 27 October 12:30ppm

Faith, a lonely empty-nester on an uncharacteristic mission of mercy; Natalia, a duped mail-order bride and Briar, a numbed anesthetist on an unromantic weekend each navigate their way through the alpine landscape and the contours of the human heart.

Sunday 27 October 2:45pm

This special short film session at BBFF2024 showcases an array of award-winning films from Australia, Norway, Gambia, and beyond, each deeply rooted in its unique cultural context yet universally resonant.

Sunday 27 October 5pm

In 2003, Weldon Angelos’ promising music career was halted by a minor cannabis case, sparking a national movement to reform the U.S. criminal justice system. This cause united a diverse group, including conservatives like Charles Koch and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), with liberals such as Senator Corey Booker, Van Jones, and musicians Alicia Keys and Snoop Dogg.

Byron Premiere

Sunday 27 October 7:15pm

Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s daring family drama, set in Tehran, won the Prix Spécial and the FIPRESCI Award at Cannes. The film explores the life of Iman, an investigating judge caught in a moral crisis when his wife and daughters are implicated in a political scandal following a woman’s death in police custody.