The titles that will contend for Best Feature Film Production, Best Drama Series Production, and Telemovie or Mini-Series Production of the Year at next year's Screen Producers Australia Awards have been revealed, with voting now open for the penultimate round of finalists.
Queer Christmas rom-com 'Happiest Season' helped to breathe some needed new life into the Aussie box office over the weekend, though most exhibitors continue to eagerly hang out for end-of-year releases 'Wonder Woman 1984' and 'The Dry'.
Amid a dearth of new major releases, exhibitors are pleased with the staying power of Roadshow Films' 'RAMS', which held onto the top spot at the box office over its second weekend, as well as Rialto’s 'Honest Thief' and R & R Films’ 'Never Too Late'.
Roadshow Films CEO Joel Pearlman has touted the opening weekend result for 'RAMS', arguing it proves Australian audiences are enthusiastic to return to cinemas.
The launches of the Liam Neeson action drama 'Honest Thief' and Australian 'geezer' comedy 'Never Too Late' helped reverse a three-week slide at cinemas last weekend.
The launches last weekend of Gregor Jordan's 'Dirt Music' and Alister Grierson's 'Bloody Hell' underlined the challenges facing independent films in a theatrical market that is severely weakened by the Victorian shutdown, limits on seating capacity and the absence of Hollywood tentpoles.
"We have to fight to help the next generation so they don’t come in and get screwed from the get-go."
Natalie Erika James' 'Relic' has continued its reign as the top title in its second weekend in the fractured US theatrical market while Mark Lamprell's Never Too Late launched on a combination of virtual cinemas and hard tops.