Victoria's Napthine Coalition Government has agreed to invest $3.8 million in the Melbourne International Film Festival’s (MIFF) Premiere Fund over the next four years.
The announcement in the lead-up to the state election this Saturday has been widely welcomed by filmmakers and distributors.
“I strongly believe our industry in Victoria and MIFF is elevated by the significant opportunities the MIFF Premiere Fund provides," said Seph McKenna, head of Australian Production at Roadshow Films, which released the fund-supported Bran Nue Dae, These Final Hours and the upcoming Paper Planes.
Lizzette Atkins, who produced Sue Brooks’ Looking for Grace starring Richard Roxburgh and Radha Mitchell with the fund’s assistance, said, “It is imperative for the state of filmmaking in Victoria that both the MIFF Premiere Fund and MIFF 37ºSouth Market continue to thrive.”
Since taking office in December 2010, the Coalition Government has committed more than $9.5 million to MIFF for the festival, assistance with the transition to digital screenings, continuation of the MIFF 37ºSouth Market and a new MIFF Accelerator emerging director workshop.
“I wholeheartedly applaud the continuation of the MIFF Premiere Fund and its work in keeping Victorian independent film on the national and international landscape,” said producer/director Richard Lowenstein who, with Lynn-Maree Milburn, made feature documentaries AutoLuminescent, In Bob We Trust and the upcoming Ecco Homo with the fund’s support.
Currently the fund is also backing Downriver, the feature debut of director Grant Scicluna, an alumnus of the MIFF Accelerator emerging director workshop, which stars Kerry Fox and Reef Ireland; Michael Rowe’s upcoming Rest Home, which stars Suzanne Clément; and feature documentaries Neon from Laurence Johnson and Putuparri from Nicole Ma.
Next week there will be a call for submissions to the MIFF Premiere Fund seeking applications for films that can premiere at MIFF 2016.