CinefestOZ Film Festival

ScreenWest at Cinefest-OZ.

-OFFICIAL CINEFEST-OZ PRESS-

ScreenWest together with CinefestOZ brought national high-profile screen industry representatives to address the audience at the inaugural Film Distribution and Finance Session, Saturday 25 August 2012 during CinefestOz.

GREG COOTE (Chairman and CEO of Dune Entertainment), when the company co-financed the world's highest grossing film (AVATAR), JOEL PEARLMAN (the Managing Director of Roadshow Films- the distributor of BRAN NUE DAE and RED DOG) and NICK BATZIAS (Madman Entertainment, the distributor of SNOWTOWN, ANIMAL KINGDOM and THE HUNTER) will present on their general experiences in the distribution and financing of film and offer advice on the variations of film financing and the practicalities of the industry. Corporate lawyer RICHARD MCMULLAN will also provide information on contracting with film partners and associated legal requirements in the film industry. In addition, ALEX SANGSTON from Screen Australia will also present a seminar in Busselton on the Producer Offset program in a separate session.

ALEX SANGSTON Senior Manager Screen Australia producer offset and co-production unit, Alex has managed the Producer Offset program at Screen Australia since 1 July 2008 and was previously Producer Offset Manager for the Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) with primary responsibility for the administration of the Location and PDV Offsets, the previous Refundable Film Tax Offset (RFTO), the funding of Ausfilm and international film policy.

-OFFICIAL CINEFEST-OZ PRESS CONT'D:

ScreenWest and CinéfestOZ partner to tell WA stories:

ScreenWest is pleased to partner with CinéfestOZ again in 2012, having supported CinéfestOZ since 2009 and witnessed its significant growth in size and prominence.

There is clearly a keen appetite for Western Australian films throughout Australia and in the South West. Last year Australians spent almost $43million watching Australian films at the movies and over 50 per cent of those ticket sales were to WA films that include Red Dog, Wasted on the Young, Mad Bastards, Needle and Blame. Nearly all of these WA films have screened at CinéfestOZ and many have had their world or WA premieres at CinéfestOZ as have other WA films such as The Black Balloon, Stone Brothers, Sparrows, The Toll, The Tree, Last Train to Freo, Lucky Miles and Little Sparrows. All of these WA productions have experienced tremendous success through their exposure at CinéfestOZ.

This year's extraordinary line-up of films includes the world premieres of WA co-production Deep Sleep No More and outstanding WA documentary Chateau Chunder. Throughout the five-day festival, CinéfestOZ will showcase two world premieres, two Australian cinematic premieres and seven Western Australian premieres. The strong partnership between CinéfestOZ and ScreenWest has resulted in the selection of a number of WA short films and documentaries for the festival, including short films that screen prior to features and at special screenings around the South West.

ScreenWest is also pleased to have partnered with CinéfestOZ to bring to WA special guests who embrace the opportunity to participate in engaging and insightful panel discussions. ScreenWest together with CinéfestOZ have had a history of attracting national and international film experts to present in the South West. In 2012 headline guest speakers such as Greg Coote, Joel Pearlman and Nick Batzias will attend workshops as part of CinefestOZ Festival. Ian Booth, CEO, ScreenWest, congratulates the organisers of the 2012 CinéfestOZ Festival on a remarkable program.

-OFFICIAL CINEFEST-OZ PRESS-

visit the ScreenWest website page here: 

www.screenwest.wa.gov.au/