The Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air (BOFA) Film Festival’s 10th anniversary festival is the latest casualty of the corona virus pandemic.

“We are gutted that this iconic year in the life of BOFA should be cancelled but we all felt that the health of our audiences and the need for them to focus on their well-being came first,” says Festival Director, Owen Tilbury. “In collaboration with our hosts Village Cinemas, the BOFA Board was unanimous in agreeing the festival should close, even though the program was going to the printers and the box office was due to start selling tickets.”

“We’ve spent nine months planning and curating films across themes such as Climate Action, Eat and Drink and World Stories and have chosen some brilliant films from 17 different countries, some of which have already arrived ready to screen. We are so, so disappointed.”

The associated Stories of Tasmania short film competition, has also been cancelled. It was due to screen new stories of people and places in Tasmania from film makers nationwide, based on the theme of “Being Tasmanian is the quiet pursuit of the extraordinary”.

“It isn’t easy here in Tasmania. It never has been. People can say things are impossible and many might have believed it. But this is why, for Tasmanians, good enough has never been good enough. We work harder, we follow our obsessions, we support one another, and we protect what makes this place different.”

In that spirit, BOFA is currently investigating the feasibility of an online festival using a streaming platform. In this way people who feel isolated and those who would have come to the festival can still view a limited program of the best films.

“Keep your ear to the ground,” said Tilbury. “You haven’t heard the last of BOFA 2020!”

Feel free to make contact at: Owen Tilbury, Festival Director, 0407 501 287, director@breath-of-fresh-air.com.au

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