Embassy Roadshows take Aussie films to 20+ countries
Mini-Australian Film Festivals have recently taken place in countries as diverse as Nepal, Malaysia and Ghana, as part of the Screen Australia/Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Embassy Roadshow program.
“The program is very popular with both diplomatic posts and audiences around the world,” a Screen Australia spokesperson told Encore.The Embassy Roadshow initiative is in its ninth year and facilitates these mini-festivals through Australian Embassies overseas, to increase awareness and appreciation of Australia’s film culture.
Each year Screen Australia submits to DFAT a list of theatrically-released productions for the preceding year. The one year delay in submission allows sales agents to maximise film sales and releases in international territories prior to becoming involved in the Embassy Roadshow.
A DFAT panel selects five titles to be negotiated for acquisition into the collection. The selection is based on the film’s appeal to the broadest number of territories and audiences, and takes into account potential international cultural and religious sensitivities.
Directors? Actors? What about the writers, the only real originators in any film? Why are they so studiously ignored in this country?
Veronica, while I agree with you about the importance of writers in any project, the audience that goes to a film festival is more likely to want to see the talent and/or the director.