The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert has had the greatest cultural impact of any local film released between 1993-1997, according to a new analysis by Screen Australia.
The report, Staying Power: The enduring footprint of Australian film, ranked almost 100 films' longevity by assessing their: primary release, revenues, ongoing access by audiences, acclaim and wider impact.
The report highlighted 20 films that had a domestic box office greater than $2.5 million and/or achieved an international release in 10 countries or more. Aside from Priscilla, the other films assessed were: Angel Baby, Babe, Bad Boy Bubby, The Castle, Children of the Revolution, Cosi, Country Life, Dating the Enemy, Kiss or Kill, Lightning Jack, Muriel's Wedding, Napolean, Paradise Road, The Piano, Reckless Kelly, Shine, Sirens, The Sum of Us, and The Wiggles Movie.
Screen Australia chief executive Ruth Harley, speaking at the Canberra International Film Festival, said feature films have the powerful ability to impact how Australians see themselves and others, and how they are viewed by the world.
“Every now and then, a film comes along that ticks all of the boxes," she said in a statement. "For example, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert has reverberated throughout the national psyche. Not only has it earned more than $35 million at the box office from over 35 countries, it has also won an Academy Award and been reissued on video and screened on television every one to two years.”
Priscilla has also spawned a long-running drag show and been adapted into a successful musical. This year, Priscilla served as the inspiration for Network Ten’s I Will Survive series and plans are underway to return the film's silver bus to Broken Hill where it will form a tourist attraction.
Correction: This article originally labelled the the top five ranked films by influence, which should have been ranked alphabetically.