Explore the Launceston Effect

Immerse yourself for 3 days in all that fabulous Launceston has to offer. As a proud place-based festival, this year we’ll be showing local and international feature, classic and animated films, screened in all the usual, and some of the more unusual spaces.

There will also be workshops, historic house tours and red-carpet parties, along with unique dining and cultural experiences designed to highlight the region’s UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy award-winning cuisine.

And what is place-based you ask? Well, it means that this festival is as much about the great regional city of Launceston as it is about the great Australian and international feature-length dramas, comedies and documentaries! 

Perched on the banks of kanamaluka/The Tamar River, the historic city of Launceston is a hub for great food, wine, arts and culture with a unique and diverse array of wineries and restaurants, topped off with breathtaking heritage architecture and beautiful nature to boot.

Not from the Launceston region? No worries, we’ve negotiated an amazing deal at Peppers Silos Hotel for – wait for it – only $199/night. Overlooking the Esk and Tamar Rivers the hotel has transformed silos into 4.5-star luxury, so how much more “place-based” could you get?  Just contact the hotel on (03) 6700 0631 and quote the promotional code: BOFA

Join us from the 1ST – 3RD of September when our city comes alive with three great days of fun and film. Tickets– and a Best of BOFA package deal - on sale soon.

A little story about Tales of Tasmania 

Thank you BOFA fans. You have obviously loved the Tales of Tasmania shorts which have been screening for BOFA on the SOFA, and we are happy to announce that we are going to continue running until the end of June. 

If you've been tight for time and haven't had the chance to enjoy any of these fantastic Tassie stories, there are 3-minute gems like The Grim Experience and The Best Kept Secret. Or for a truly Tasmanian story check out A Rare Breed. Two very different kinds of Tasmanian women are richly represented by The Woodchopper and The Jelly Wrestler. Dip in or binge, Tales of Tasmania is a perfect winter's day or night entertainment.

And from 1 August we will also be inviting you to view the short-listed 'Inspiring Change' Short Film competition films to choose your People's Choice. Stay tuned for more details shortly.

Tales of Tasmania password: BOFAontheSOFA.

Watch BOFA on the SOFA films here

WE'RE CALLING FOR 'ACTION' ON 
END OF FINANCIAL YEAR GIVING

Tasmania was the only state in Australia not to have an official state film festival until the Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival was started in 2010 by Launceston couple, Helen and Owen Tilbury. It has grown 7-fold since then.

Now, 13 years later, we’ve all been through some “interesting” times. When Covid hit BOFA went online for FREE (the first in Australia). Now the cost-of-living inflation is squeezing everyone, so we have our FREE BOFA on the SOFA screenings and other ways of helping ease the pain.

But, venue, travel and production costs have seen sharp increases. Audiences have changed. Government support is overstretched and BOFA has to share a diminishing pot of funds with many others.

If you could help us keep inspiring positive change with great films, even a small donation would help. Donate here.

And to those who have already shown their support, thank you.

SAY HELLO TO ONE OF OUR SPONSORS - S.GROUP

S. Group are a creative business, delivering unique projects both locally and overseas. What they do can be described in one word: BAM! Never heard of BAM as a service before? That's probably because they made it up. It stands for their combined service of brand, architecture and marketing. Told you they were creative!

Motivated by their purpose to 'use our talents to make our neighbourhood better, here and abroad', they actively support numerous community projects including the Launceston City Mission and BOFA Film Festival (since 2016), along with international not-for-profits such as Compassion International, The Good Shepherd Agricultural Mission and Kiva.

The S. Group team aim to not only create wonder but also hope, opportunity and a better world. What can we say but... local heroes!

READ MORE ABOUT S. GROUP HERE >

THANK YOU

With ticket sales covering less than 30% of running the festival, BOFA Film Festival is a not-for-profit relying on volunteers and donations from our loyal sponsors and generous supporters. If YOU would like to be a part of the BOFA family and ensure we grow and thrive year after year, you can donate here. And to those who have already shown their support, 'Thank you!'.