With continued paucity of product from the US and other international territories, Australian films remain the main event at the box office.
Glendyn Ivin’s true-life drama 'Penguin Bloom' has been hailed as a feel-good crowdpleaser infused with an unexpected pathos after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
It's a rare feat for an Australian film to break through to the top of the box office, let alone for two local titles to lead the weekend's rankings - but 'Penguin Bloom' and 'The Dry' have done just that.
Settling into the role of CEO at Village Roadshow Ltd, Clark Kirby is energised about the potential for growth in multiple sectors including theme parks, exhibition and TV production.
Australian feature films are currently dominating the box office, with exhibitors reporting a "revitalised" audience appetite for local stories. However, both producers and distributors have concerns about being able to actually get Aussie features off the ground in the future, with the Producer Offset slated to fall from 40 to 30 per cent from July.
Naomi Watts has partnered with Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea to option Aussie bestseller 'Penguin Bloom'.
"We need to ensure that the writers and producers who we work with are genuinely committed to telling our stories, are open to collaboration and working on new experiences that engage with the best interest of our culture at heart." - Rachel House
Producer Emma Cooper is the new chair of Australians in Film (AiF), taking over from Simonne Overend.