Melbourne writer-director Jake James Whitford has been named the 2026 Young Australian Filmmaker of the Year at the Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF), for his short film 'The Squatters and the Fairy Princess'.

At Thursday’s Byron Shire Council meeting there were multiple calls for a deferral of the 57 Station Street, Mullumbimby car park development application.

Northern Rivers residents are being invited to help shape a new NSW koala conservation strategy, with specific local actions and investment priorities to be detailed in a separate implementation plan.

When Sonja (Olivia Hargroder) loses her mother without warning, the only steady presence left in her life is her grandmother, Doris. But Doris’s idea of stability means dismantling everything Sonja has built. For Sonja, who lives with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and has spent her life fighting to be underestimated by no one, Doris’ plan feels less like protection and more like erasure. Directed by Genevieve Clay-Smith, Boss Cat is a vibrant, big-hearted Australian dramedy about independence, family and self-determination, anchored by a fearless lead performance.

From Australian superstar musos, to brand new documentaries, to comedians at the top of their game, there really is something for everyone at the Brunswick Picture House.