Communications Minister, Mitch Fifield, and Shadow arts minister, Mark Dreyfus, have been confirmed to speak at this year's Screen Forever Conference.
The two politicians will speak at the annual conference event for the Australian screen industry on Wednesday November 18 at Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne.
Screen Producers Australia chief executive, Matthew Deaner said it was a rare opportunity, ahead of next year’s federal election, to be able to hear from two of the most important policymakers for the industry.
"Screen Forever is a vital platform for the industry to debate and discuss the issues with hundreds of businesses able to hear directly from minister Fifield and Shadow Minister Dreyfus about their priorities and policies affecting screen production,” he said.
“In particular, this marks the first address to the screen industry by Minister Fifield since his appointment to the communications and arts portfolio.
"This level of engagement reflects the strong relationship that Screen Producers Australia has with both sides of parliament.
"A relationship that is critical to our sector’s growth in what continues to be a period of transition."
Fifield was sworn in as Senator for Victoria in the Australian Parliament in 2004 and re-elected at the 2007 and 2013 elections.
Fifield was previously the assistant minister for social services, with responsibility for disabilities and ageing.
He was appointed communications minister, arts minster and minister assisting the prime minister for digital government on September 21 2015.
Fifield also serves as a member of the prime minister's leadership Group and the Senate leadership team, as manager of government business in the Senate.
Before entering Parliament, Fifield worked as a senior political adviser to the former Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, and held senior advisory positions in the Victorian Kennett and New South Wales Greiner governments.
Screen Forever will also feature the In Conversation series with Paul Anderson, chief executive officer, Network Ten; Richard Freudenstein, chief executive officer and managing director, Foxtel; Graeme Mason, chief executive, Screen Australia; Carl Fennessy and Mark Fennessy, Joint chief executives, Endemol Shine Australia and Ian Hogg, regional CEO Australia & Asia Pacific, FremantleMedia Australia.
Distinguished international keynote speakers include Dana Brunetti, president of Trigger Street Productions (House of Cards, The Social Network, Fifty Shades of Grey and Captain Phillips); Paula Wagner, president/producer of Chestnut Ridge Productions (Mission: Impossible I, II and III, The Last Samurai, War of the Worlds, Vanilla Sky, The Others; alongside Simon Maxwell, Head of International Drama at Channel 4; Babacar Diene, vice president, acquisitions and development; Maartje Horchner, head of acquisitions at ALL3MEDIA International; Emily Gotto, Protagonist Pictures acquisitions executive; and an official delegation from the UK led by PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television) featuring key British production companies.