"We have to fight to help the next generation so they don’t come in and get screwed from the get-go."
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.
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.
Roadshow Films CEO Joel Pearlman has touted the opening weekend result for 'RAMS', arguing it proves Australian audiences are enthusiastic to return to cinemas.
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'.
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'.
In his 63 years as a film programmer, Bob Parr had never experienced anything like the current crisis as ticket sales flatlined across the country over the past few weeks.
While insurance companies and other financiers worldwide have excluded COVID-19 from their policies, Melbourne-based Elevate Production Finance is stepping into the breach.