PRESS RELEASE
Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira today announced the state’s screen agency would provide funding to economic development board Brisbane Marketing to stage a re-imagined Brisbane film festival from this year.
“Screen Queensland has renewed its commitment to the screen industry and Queensland community by listening to their input on the Brisbane International Film Festival,” said Ms Vieira.
“The feedback has been united in asking Screen Queensland to continue a film festival for Brisbane but not have the agency managing the festival. We have therefore sought to find a model that will make a unique film festival for Brisbane with a clear point-of-difference that differentiates it from other capital cities on the Australian film festival calendar.”
Ms Vieira said Screen Queensland was the only screen agency in Australia to run a city’s major film festival.
Screen Queensland will partner with Brisbane Marketing and its Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) Advisory Board to create a new film festival aligned to the city’s and state’s aspiration to engage culturally and economically with the Asia Pacific region.
“Screen Queensland recognises Brisbane Marketing’s expertise in successfully staging the market-driven APSA Awards last year and the role it has taken in bringing a critical mass of filmmaking talent and focus to our city.
“This is driving long-term social and economic benefits to Brisbane and the greater Brisbane region and benefit the entire state’s screen industry,” said Ms Vieira.
“We’re thrilled to be supporting this exciting new direction and thank the industry and Queensland community for their input, dialogue and passion for screen culture and the screen industry as a whole in our state.”
Screen Queensland will provide $700 000 a year over three years to Brisbane Marketing as part of its Screen Culture funding program to stage the festival in November 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Kiki Fung, head programmer for the Brisbane International Film Festival will be moving across to Brisbane Marketing to continue programming for the new-look film festival.
“Our decision to out-source the film festival is part of Screen Queensland’s three-year strategic plan and our efforts in revitalising the Queensland screen industry,” said Screen Queensland Chair, Professor Peter Little.
“Screen Queensland is focusing on its core business which is to develop and support a creative, innovative and commercially-sustainable screen industry. Over 21 productions have occurred in Queensland over the last financial year, double the number of productions on previous year figures, and we aim to continue this trend.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Brisbane was on the cusp of a leap in international reputation as the host city of G20 in November and hosting a high calibre international film event fit perfectly with the city’s goals and aspirations.
“This festival will complement our city’s many other high profile international activities including staging the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, managing the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and driving a thriving international student export industry,” Cr Quirk said.
“It will strengthen Brisbane’s proposition as the new world city of the Asia Pacific, enrich our community’s screen culture and open doors to diplomatic and business links.
“It’s an important collaboration between state and local government bringing together cultural and economic growth for Brisbane and Queensland and I look forward to sharing more details soon.”
Brisbane Marketing CEO John Aitken said Brisbane is positioning itself as a serious player in the Asia Pacific region economically and culturally.
“Our vision is to build a strong film-focused, major event in Brisbane’s annual calendar attracting the interstate and international screen industry,” Mr Aitken said.
“We aim to put Brisbane and by extension Queensland, on the world stage as an attractive film location and a cultural tourism hotspot.”
Further details will be announced in coming weeks by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.