Realising the long-term ambitions of its organisers, Adelaide Film Festival will become an annual event from this year onwards following a $2 million investment from the new state government.
The move is expected to see the program grow significantly over the next three to four years, and is with done with broad aims to cement Adelaide as a fixture on the global festival calendar.
The festival has also received increased funding from Screen Australia and the Adelaide Economic Development Agency to support its ambitions.
Arts Minister Andrea Michaels said new government investment meant the festival could also capitalise on additional private investment to maintain and grow its profile.
First established in 2003 as a biannual event, AFF has always been smaller than its Sydney and Melbourne cousins, but has developed a reputation for innovation and good taste, particularly off the back of its strong slate of local investment fund films, among them Warwick Thornton’s Sweet Country and Samson and Delilah; Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale; Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s Country and Ten Canoes, and Sophie Hyde’s 52 Tuesdays.
As such, there has long been hope that Adelaide would become an annual event. This was particularly so after back-to-back festivals were held in 2017 and 2018.
Going into the 2018 state election, the then Labor government under former Premier Jay Weatherill made it an election promise to make the festival annual if re-elected, but ultimately lost to the Liberals, who maintained biennial funding.
Labor was returned to power in South Australia in March under Premier Peter Malinauskas.
AFF chair Anton Andreacchio said the team was energised by the additional support, which also includes new philanthropic partnerships.
“Annualisation has been an important part of the long-term strategy of the organisation and we thank all of our supporters for their confidence in the film festival’s bright future.”
Together with the funding announcement, it was unveiled today that this year’s AFF will kick off with the world premiere of Madeleine Parry’s documentary The Angels: Kickin’ Down The Door, an intimate look behind the scenes of one of Australia’s most iconic rock bands.
Opening Night will also feature the world debut of the short film Marungka Tjalantananyi/Dipped in Black, written by Derik Lynch, who also stars in the film.
There will be 15 world premieres from Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund films, including the feature film Talk to Me, directed by Danny and Michael Philippou (aka RackaRacka) and starring Sophie Wilde and Miranda Otto. Others will include Lily Sullivan-starrer Monolith, the inaugural project made under the AFF, South Australian Film Corporation and Mercury CX initiative Film Lab: New Voices, and Soda Jerk’s artwork Hello Dankness.
The 2022 iteration has reportedly received a record number of submissions from filmmakers, with the full program to be announced in coming months.
The festival will continue to be held in October going forward, an advantageous calendar position as it follows the Venice and Toronto film festivals.
Adelaide Film Festival 2022 runs October 19-30.