[1] The Birrarangga Film Festival was founded by Aboriginal Australian actor, playwright, screenwriter, and producer Tony Briggs in 2019.
[2] The name is derived from the Woiwurrung language, meaning "river location"; there is both symbolic value ("rivers connect Indigenous people across the world and have fluidity, movement and life, just as films do"), and relates to the venue of the inaugural festival at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), which is located on the banks of the Yarra River.
[3] In 2021, the opening night film was the award-winning Firestarter – The Story of Bangarra, screened on 11 March.
Panel discussions included Leah Purcell, Bain Stewart, Tony Birch, and Tracey Rigney.
[5][6] The third edition of the biennial festival, which showcases films by indigenous filmmakers from around the world, runs for six days from 23 to 28 March 2023,[7] with screenings at multiple venues, including The Capitol (where the opening film was screened[4]), ACMI, Lido, and Classic cinemas, the Victorian Pride Centre, and Federation Square.