Press release from Motion Pictures Distributors Association of Austrailia (MPDAA)
On Sunday January 30th, $515,164.80 was raised by cinema operators and distributors around Australia to contribute to the flood relief appeal.
All of the major cinema circuits and most independent cinemas participated in this initiative, contributing $2 from every ticket sold for every movie session that day.
This was an opportunity to help fellow Australians simply by going to the movies and cinemagoers got behind this initiative by heading to their local cinemas to support the thousands of Australians whose lives have been devastated by the floods.
80% of the funds raised –$411,741.44 – have been donated to the Queensland Premiere's Disaster Relief Appeal and 20% – $103,423.36 – to the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
Anna Bligh MP, Premier of Queensland said, “Please accept my personal thanks for the generous donation. All the money raised by the appeal will be used to assist the people who have been affected by the wide spread flooding in Queensland. It is clear that it will take much hard work and time to restore the affected communities. However, the recovery process will happen all the faster because of the generosity of community minded organisations such as yours. The Queensland Government appreciates your willingness to assist Queenslanders in this time of need and thanks you for giving back to the community.”
Robert Tickner, CEO of the Australian Red Cross said, “On behalf of Australian Red Cross we would like to say a big thank you to Australian film distributors and exhibitors nation wide, for their generous contribution to those affected by disasters all around Australia. When lives are torn apart by floods, earthquakes, cyclones and fires, Red Cross is at the forefront of the recovery efforts providing relief and support to the many survivors who lose their homes, their livelihoods and their loved ones. Such a generous response from the film industry will help us provide care in times of crisis and immediate support to those in need.”
Australia’s Film Distributors and Cinema Exhibitors, including both Major and Independent Companies have previously joined together to host national charity events, most noticeably in 2005 for CARE Australia’s Tsunami Appeal when they raised over $440,000 in a single morning and again in 2008 when many cinemas contributed box office takings to victims of the Victorian bushfires.
Representatives from NACO, the MPDAA, ICAA and AIDA have said how proud they are to have taken part in this initiative and have thanked the participating cinemas and cinemagoers for their support. The funds raised from this initiative will be fundamental in providing tangible support and assistance to some of the people who have lost not only their homes, businesses and possessions, but, in too many cases, friends and family as well.