The Byron Bay Film Festival held its inaugral festival in February 2006. Byron Bay is said to have the highest concentration of filmmakers in Australia outside of a metropolitan area. The first Byron Bay Film Festival focused solely on Australian films and the back catalogue of local Byron Bay filmmakers.

As Byron Bay is a magnet for people from all around the globe it was fitting that BBFF metamorphosised into an International Film Festival in its second year. BBFF 2007 festival was a phenomenal success with over 100 films screened from 24 countries including 46 Australia Premieres and 15 World Premieres. Filmmakers travelled from China, Sri Lanka, the USA & the UK to attend the festival. The programme featured a diverse range of films many of which reflected the flavour of Byron Bay. In 2007 the festival introduced three free community events: a discussion panel about the future of the film industry entitled ‘Which Way Forward?’; a Technology & Resources Expo, which showcased screen services and products; and a Careers in Screen Expo which brought together students, teachers and filmmakers and highlighted educational and career options in the industry. Organisations participating in these events included Avid, Sony, Videopro, the School of Audio Engineering, TAFE NSW, Bond University, the Academy of Screen Performance and the Australian Film Television and Radio School.

BBFF is an initiative of the Byron Community and Cultural Centre (BCCC) which is owned and managed by the Byron Bay Community Association, a not-for-profit incorporated association established in 1980. For decades the BCCC has played a developmental role in the Northern NSW region responding to social, welfare and artistic needs in the community. It has made a significant contribution to the greater community, not the least, the redevelopment of the Centre in 2002 at a cost of $3.1 million.

The BCCC provides services with funds from its own entrepreneurial activities, donations and with limited government funding for some welfare projects. Equipped with a quality digital projector the BCCC also provides a permanent performance space for events and artists as diverse as John Butler; Henry Rollins’ spoken word show to concerts by internationally renowned artists Roger Woodward, David Helfgott and Slava Grigoryan. BCCC has been the venue for the opening of the Byron Bay Writers Festival and conferences, including the SPAA (Screen Producers Association of Australia) Fringe Festival. Films have been screen on the site of the BCCC since 1910.

BBFF 2008 will be held from Friday February 29th to Saturday March 8th 2008.
[www.bbff.com.au]