PFTC announce Korean partnership

The partnership places Queensland at the forefront of developing closer ties with a new force in the global film industry.

Minister for Trade John Mickel said the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was one element of a three-day Korean trade mission to Queensland.

“The MoU will provide a strong platform from which to launch new and innovative film projects in cooperation with our friends in South Korea and will give rise to business opportunities and exchanges for our film industries and students.

“The new film MoU is a tribute to the closeness of the Queensland-Gyeonggi Province Sister State relationship, which marked its 10 year anniversary last year,” Mr Mickel said.

“Governor Kim will also visit The University of Queensland today to observe an MoU signing between The University of Queensland’s National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (EnTox) and the Gyeonggi Institute of Health and Environment (GIHE) to develop joint projects and scientific exchange in the area of environmental toxicology.

“Both of today’s MoU signings complement the 2007-08 Gyeonggi Action Plan which specifies an objective to grow trade and investment between Queensland and Gyeonggi in four key sectors: creative industries; environmental management; infrastructure services; and education and training,” Mr Mickel said.

PFTC Deputy Chair Jim Soorley will sign the historic film MoU with the President of the Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency and Gyeonggi Film Commission at a ceremony in Parliament House, in the presence of Deputy Premier Paul Lucas, his Excellency Moon Soo Kim Governor of Gyeonggi Province and a representation from Queensland‘s leading film and production houses.

Arts Minister Rod Welford said the MoU would strengthen Queensland‘s sister-state agreement with the Provincial government of Gyeonggi in South Korea.

“This is the first formal partnership under the creative industries component of the sister-state action plan,” Mr Welford said.

“The film MoU will deliver cultural, education and potential economic benefits to Queensland through increased Korean-Australian co-productions, a free-flow of technical personnel, academic exchange and access to new Korean cinema for our film festival programmers.

“Maintaining the success of Queensland‘s screen industry requires ongoing commitment and marketing creativity to stave off international competition.

“Queensland can now tap into burgeoning Asian film markets and generate significant commercial benefits for local companies engaged on Korean productions.”

The MoU will facilitate closer ties between Queensland‘s Warner Roadshow Studios and Gyeonggi’s proposed film cluster ‘Cineopolis’. The Korean delegation will visit the Gold Coast’s Studios facility tomorrow to discuss creative infrastructure benchmarks.

Under the MoU, Queensland film students can also work on Korean film sets and embark on study tours at the Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency or the prestigious Korean Academy of Film Arts.