Film body ‘stoked’ for GC AACTAs

Welcome to Goldywood

A leading executive for Australia’s peak screen industry body has echoed director Baz Luhrmann’s sentiments about the Gold Coast becoming the “Hollywood of Australia”.

Australian Film Institute (AFI) director of programming and international engagement Sam Buckland endorsed the Coast as a film mecca and said the organisation was “absolutely stoked” to bring its premier awards ceremony here.

The inaugural Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) festival is under way with the awards ceremony to be held on Saturday.

Mr Buckland on Wednesday said the community’s support had been “unbelievable”.

“We’ve been preparing for this all year, and from the very moment we announced the move (from Sydney) back in January last year in Burleigh, the support we’ve received from the local community – all up and down the Queensland coast – has been unbelievable,” he said.

“The welcome we receive, and continue to receive, has been brilliant. We love it up here and want to stay forever.”

Mr Buckland said the AFI was pleased to see the Gold Coast as a screen industry hub grow “on so many levels”.

“The big studios continue to shoot productions in the region, but increasingly there are productions on a range of levels shooting around the Gold Coast. So we see a broadening in the production capability.”

The city has seen its production capability go from strength to strength.

Local studios are booked out on the back of Luhrmann’s glowing recommendations for filming here after the successful shoot of his blockbuster Elvis biopic. The director even went as far as nicknaming the Gold Coast “Goldywood”.

Gold Coast City Council are in the process of securing investment for new northern film studios, further expanding the city’s production capability.

Mr Buckland said the AFI agreed with Luhrmann’s assessment of the city being the Hollywood of Australia.

“The fact that we have so many skilled screen practitioners all living and working in this country, producing content week-in-week-out that is loved and watched my millions, both locally and overseas, shows just how strong our Australian industry is,” he said.

The AACTA awards have honoured excellence in all aspects of the screen industry for more than 60 years. The festival has more than 100 events.

“There are film showcases, TV, digital, music, art, storytelling, design, special effects, stunts, animation, First Nations, as well as a huge range of screen-related events for kids.

“We are incredibly pleased to bring it to the Gold Coast for the first time this year, and it will be a permanent feature alongside our Awards herein.”