Byron Bay Film Festival opens apertures

Now established as a fixture in the Australian film festival calendar since the first Byron Bay Film Festival in 2005, the seventh festival attracted 900 entries that were cut to just over 200. The emphasis at Byron Bay is always on films with social, cultural and environmental content. Out of them come awards for Best Film, Documentary, Short Film, Drama, Cinematography, Surf Film, Animation, Experimental Film, Environmental Film and Music Video. Since the start, the festival has featured the Best Young Australian Filmmaker Award, which is open to Australian directors and producers under 25, and it has an award for the Best Local Film.