The Australian Feature Film Forum (AFFF) will host a suite of sessions across November 1-2 as part of a partnership with the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC).
Available both in-person and online, the AFFF program includes a panel discussion titled Ask Me Anything, in which filmmakers, major and independent exhibitors, and distributors will have the opportunity to ask each other questions regarding the different motivations, decision-making processes, operational limitations, and business model drivers for each sector.
Up to three AIMC keynote sessions will also be streamed to participants of the AFFF virtual forum.
AFFF is an initiative of the Australian Feature Film Working Group (AFFWG), an informal group of industry representatives from the production, exhibition, and distribution sectors, together with representatives of screen agencies, industry associations, and guilds.
The group staged the inaugural Australian Feature Film Summit, which comprised a virtual event in October 2021, followed by an in-person conference event on the final day of last year’s AIMC in February 2022.
Sue Maslin serves as director, working alongside members including Lori Flekser, Gino Munari, Claire Gandy, Antony Ginnane, Andy Barclay, Marc Wooldridge, Sasha Close, Brett Rosengarten and Kylie Munnich.
She said the program aimed to close the gap between filmmakers and the theatrical marketplace and facilitate information exchange between the often-siloed filmmaker, distributor, and exhibitor sectors.
“The AFFF at AIMC will be a ‘must see’ event for any Australian filmmakers developing feature films, providing insights into genre and visitation trends in Australian cinemas, the global cinema landscape and generational audience changes,” she said.
National Association of Cinema Operators executive director Cameron Mitchell said partnering with the AFFF enabled “the whole industry to come together to agree strategies to ensure that Australian filmmakers can leverage industry knowledge so that more Australian stories can be celebrated on the big screen”.
AIMC will run October 31 – November 2. Find out more information about the AFFF, including how to register your interest, here.