The joy of cinema, and introducing audiences to filmmakers’ works, is and always will be a lifelong passion for us. After nearly a decade connecting people with film on the Coffs Coast, it is time for us to explore new endeavours. 

We feel enormously privileged to have been able to bring our vision for SWIFF to its fruition, and are grateful and humbled for the opportunity to create a long list of memorable experiences for our team and our community. 

Through SWIFF, festivalgoers have collectively watched nearly nine million minutes of world cinema – and we hope within those minutes have been films and stories and connections and moments that changed all of our lives for the better. The festival has presented more than 750 screenings and events over the years, and, understanding that this news may be disappointing to many of you, we hope that you will revisit those festival memories through SWIFF’s past festivals and its most recent SWIFF’23 festival. 

Since 2014, Screenwave has generated nearly $10 million in economic impact for local businesses on the Coffs Coast, and created hundreds of local arts worker jobs in the process. The arts are an incredible vehicle for economic growth. Behind the metrics though is something more obscure and intangible – the vibrancy, culture, lifestyle, and community created. 

Our deepest gratitude goes out to our wonderful festival audiences, particularly the regular faces who we will dearly miss. SWIFF was possible due to the incredible support of our festival partners, all filmmakers whose work we exhibited, film distributors, venue operators, our incredible army of volunteers, SWIFF’s Festival Patron Jack Thompson, and most of all our festival team for their collaboration and dedication in bringing Screenwave’s festivals to life. 

Thank you everyone for sharing our passion for cinema. 

Dave & Kate