This weekend, the 8th Byron Bay International Film Festival in Byron Bay, Australia, came to a close, and announced the awarding winning films and filmmakers. Opening Night’s film, WHEN MY SORROW DIED: THE LEGEND OF ARMEN RA & THE THEREMIN, took two of the most coveted awards, Best Film and Best Documentary. It’s subject, master theremin player Armen Ra, attending from Los Angeles said, “I was honestly really surprised and grateful and humbled to win these awards. This town has shown us so much love that it’s going to be very hard to leave; however, I will return!”
“I think we won these awards because the people of Byron Bay resonated with the message we’re trying to get across in their own ways: embracing and celebrating individuality”.
The 8th Byron Bay international Film Festival awards were announced as follows:
BBFF Best Film: When My Sorrow Died: The Legend Of Armen Ra & The Theremin (USA), Director, Robert Nazar Arjoyan
BBFF Best Dramatic Feature: The Deflowering Of Eva Van End (Netherlands), Director, Michiel ten Horn
BBFF Best Documentary: When My Sorrow Died: The Legend Of Armen Ra & The Theremin (USA), Director, Robert Nazar Arjoyan
Screenzone International Documentary Prize: Gore Vidal: The United States Of Amnesia (USA), Director Nicholas D. Wrathall
BBFF Best Surf Film: OUT In The Line-up (Australia), Director Ian W. Thompson
BBFF Young Australian Filmmaker Of The Year: Director former Tropfest Winner, Genevieve Clay-Smith for The Interviewer (Australia)
The Echo Best Byron Film: Tied between 2 Degrees (Australia) Director Jeff Canin and Burra Jurra (Australia) Director Juliet Carrington.
The Byron At Byron Best Environmental Film: Gasland Part II (USA),Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning Director, Josh Fox.
Fox Creek Wines Best Short Film: The Audition (USA), Director Michael Haussman
BBFF Best Music Video: Tales Of Us by Goldfrapp (UK) Director Lisa Gunning
BBFF Best Cinematography: God’s Got His Head In The Clouds (Italy),Director: Gianluca Sodaro
BBFF Best Experimental Film: Leviathan Ages (UK), Director Jon Yeo
Greenhouse FX Best Animation: Shave It (Argentina), Director Fernando Maldonado & Jorge Tereso
BBFF Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Northern Rivers: IMAX pioneer, John Wylie
On Saturday evening the festival officially wrapped with the Closing Red Carpet Gala Event for the world premiere of award-winning director, Cathy Henkel’s film, RISE OF THE ECO WARRIORS. The film is about an international group of young people chosen to take a 100-day challenge to save rain forests and orangutans in a region of Borneo devastated by palm oil production. It received a standing ovation.
The festival also screened the world premiere of BURRA JURRA, attended by surfers Layne Beachley, Kirk Pengilly, Dave Rastovich, surf legend Brad Farmer. BURRA JURRA is a documentary about a local surf charity changing the lives of local indigenous kids attended by of which Beachley is a patron and supporter.
image 1: Byron Bay Film Festival Director, J’aimee Skippon-Volke (centre), Producer, Matt Huffman (left) and Master Thereminist Armen Ra of WHEN MY SORROW DIED: THE LEGEND OF ARMEN RA & THE THEREMIN. (right) arrive on the red carpet.
Image 2: INXS’s Kirk Pengilly and World Champion Surfer Layne Beachley with Head Coach of the Burra Jurra surf charity Steve Foreman and friends at BBFF 2014, Saturday 8th March for the world premiere of BURRA JURRA. Credit: Montana Wambach