Press Release from BBFF 2011
Following the huge success of the last five years and the continuing growth of their highly anticipated event, the Byron Bay International Film Festival is expanding their 2011 festival in order to accommodate their growth – in more ways than one.
Festival Director J’aimee Skippon-Volke has announced she has decided to add an extra day and increase the duration of next years’ March festival from 9 days to 10. ‘At a time when many events are pulling back on their duration it’s exciting that we’re still growing’.
The festivals expansion means there will be extra time to cater for the needs of audiences and filmmakers alike. More family friendly sessions will be incorporated into the event and sessions will be shortened slightly to allow for longer Q&A sessions providing more time for the audience and filmmakers to connect.
BBFF has a growing presence on the International Film Festival circuit with its beachside location and the region’s reputation for a laidback lifestyle strong drawcards in attracting Filmmakers to the festival.
The number of official filmmaker delegates grew by 35% at BBFF 2010 and a growing percentage of filmmakers without films being screened at BBFF were in the audience and took part in the free workshops and discussion panels offered at BBFF. J’aimee explained “We’re a festival that was founded by filmmakers and so it has always been apparent to us that our success lies in making sure filmmakers, at all stages of their careers, want to be a part of the festival, with or without their films”.
The festival will also expand in a physical sense, outwards from Byron Bay into Lismore, half an hour inland from the coastal town and home to many film education institutions such as North Coast TAFE, the Northern Rivers Conservatorium and Southern Cross University, not to mention a thriving artistic community. Events will be held there during the festival, predominately in the form of school sessions during the weekdays.
“As a regional area the cost and logistics of hiring coaches to get school kids to Byron Bay limits the amount of kids who can take part in our event. Filmmaking is a key creative industry for the Northern Rivers and it’s important for us that we help kids develop an appreciation of screen culture. By bringing the Schools Sessions to Lismore we hope to ensure our event is accessible to kids across the region”.
The festival also recognises emerging Australian filmmakers through its ‘Young Australian Filmmaker’ award for aussie filmmakers under 25.
Film entries to BBFF2011 close on October 29th with the categories of Music Video, Young Australian Filmmaker & Surf Films staying open until December. For more information visit www.bbff.com.au.