BOFA BREATHES LIFE INTO LAUNCESTON ONCE AGAIN

2015 Festival hailed a success!

Tasmania’s Breath of Fresh Air (BOFA) Film Festival once again ignited Launceston over the weekend with glamorous red carpet events, impassioned discussions for social change and of course, incredible films.

This year marked the sixth annual BOFA Festival, which kicked off on Wednesday November 4 and finished up for another year last night.

The continually increasing popularity of the Festival was clear, with this year’s BOFA showing a 20% box office growth compared to 2014. There were a total of 12 sold out screenings and strong attendance from interstate groups from NSW and VIC who travelled into Launceston to enjoy the festival and then to tour further to MONA and around the state.

Festival Director Owen Tilbury said: “BOFA 2015 was the year of What’s Your BOFA? as a way of describing the many different aspects to BOFA. The success of the red carpet and major features, the more offbeat films like Tehran Taxi and the drawing power of the short films all indicate a broadly appealing programme that saw the audiences laughing and crying and packing the festival lounge to chat.”

BOFA 2015 opened with the inspiring Aussie doco, Frackman. The film follows ordinary Australians caught up in a multinational ‘gas rush.’ Its central character, Dayne Pratzky, who has become a media superstar, was a guest of the Festival and led a discussion on the role of film as a vehicle for change.

Other red carpet moments during the Festival included the hotly anticipated world festival premiere of Tassie film, Death or Liberty. But it wasn’t just the cinema screenings that sold well, BOFA’s inaugural drive-in screenings saw a whole lot of families and friends roll up in everything from hot-rods, vans and sedans.

BOFA is certainly a festival that is about so much more than just enjoying the great films, and inspires tangible social change in our world. Following the captivating action sessions on Creating Community Change, Creating Innovative Regions and Maximising Impact and Money for Indie Film, lead to huge statewide attendance and agreement on actions for 2016 onwards with key film industry contacts agreeing on film projects progressing to the next stage.

The BOFA Devil Awards held on the Saturday of the Festival attracted filmmakers from all around the world. The Awards honoured short films, scripts, the display of entrepreneurial spirit, and an award for a BOFA champion. Launceston script writer Vince Bailey whose script Iceman was read in front on appreciative audience of film lovers, film makers and judges. Sydney based Erin Good won the best short film award and the team at Roar Film of Hobart took out the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, whilst Sue and Tony Walker were honoured with the BOFA Champion Award for their unstinting support since 2010.

The inaugural Innovative Tasmania Awards held during BOFA saw the general public, innovators and interested Tasmanians rate the most innovative idea in the five categories including: Food and Beverage Production; Science, Technology and Transport; Sport, Leisure and The Arts; Politics, Governance and Security and Community and Environment. A total of 32 nominations were received across the five categories with almost 2,000 votes cast online by the general public. Full winner details can be found at www.bofa.com.au

In a first for Australian Film Festivals, BOFA launched a series of specialised tours that meant interstate travelers to the Festival could book themselves into a tour of the region so when not watching world class films, hungry culture lovers could get outside and experience everything that Tassie has to offer.

Festival Director, Owen Tilbury said the tours were a popular addition to the Festival “Our inaugural Behind the Bubble and Taste of the Tamar tours were a great success and build on the reputation of Tasmania and the Tamar Valley as a region of great produce and fine wines, beers and ciders. Roll on BOFA 2016!”

BOFA 2015 sped by with four jam-packed days of great films, lively discussion, delicious food and wine, and of course, wonderful company. Judging by this year’s successes, BOFA 2016 is sure to be even bigger and better. See you there!

Keep updated with news and updates on BOFA via social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BOFAFilmFest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BOFAFilmFest

The Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania and Screen Tasmania. Federal Government assistance is provided by Screen Australia.
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