Arts Minister Rachel Nolan announced this year's Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) as an outstanding success. Ms Nolan said the 2011 Brisbane International Film Festival had seen strong growth in its 20^th year, experiencing a 25 per cent lift in box office sales from 2010 figures, and a 13 per cent increase in overall attendance.

"Audiences have embraced BIFF and spread the word that it is a festival not to be missed with 22,600 people flocking to the festival in 2011 and healthy audience numbers across all film screenings," Ms Nolan said.

"BIFF has grown in to one of Australia's leading film festivals, with new relationships in 2011 with La Mirada, Fantastic Fest and Cannes Critics Week putting it squarely in the international festival scene.

"The 2011 BIFF program screened 135 feature films from across the globe, including 50 Australian and three world premieres.

"Sell-out sessions included the drive-in session of Red Dog, the Australian documentary The Tall Man and the Australian premieres of critically-acclaimed international films Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, A Dangerous Method, Melancholia and the first ever Samoan feature film The Orator.

"Queensland stories and filmmakers were well represented in the 2011 program with many sessions playing to sold-out cinemas.

"The gala presentation by the State Library of Queensland of Prelude and Curse of the Gothic Symphony sold out, as did My America, Fantome Island and the Queensland Shorts session which featured nine Queensland-made short films.

"I want to congratulate BIFF on what has been an outstanding festival that has provided a boost to the economy and jobs."

BIFF director Richard said the 2011 program was deliberately more accessible, diverse and entertaining.

"It was gratifying to learn that 80 percent of our patrons had never been to BIFF before. It feels like the festival has a new lease of life," Mr Moore said.

More than 50 guests travelled to Brisbane to present their films giving local audiences unprecedented access to global filmmakers and artists.

"Brisbane welcomed a host of international filmmakers and industry experts significantly enriching the BIFF audience experience.

"The opportunity to meet with filmmakers in this way is a special boon for those embarking on their own filmmaking careers."

Mr Moore said BIFF's special guests from the Greenland film Inuk, made a special visit to Aboriginal and Islander community school, The Murri School.

"The local students performed a corroboree for their Inuit guests who, in turn, braved the Brisbane spring sunshine in their seal-skin national costume, and performed a Shamanic dance," he said.