Film makers
cto:safilm.com.au

ADELAIDE, Australia — The South Australian Film Corporation is calling on local filmmakers to apply for subsidized passes to the Australian International Movie Convention, the country's largest annual gathering of cinema exhibitors, distributors and technology suppliers, set to take place on the Gold Coast next month.

The state screen agency announced this week that it is offering four full convention passes, each valued at $1,440, to South Australian filmmakers who want to attend the event and connect with industry leaders from across the cinema sector. Applications opened this week and close at 9 a.m. on Sept. 28, with successful applicants to be notified in the days that follow.

The convention, known as AIMC, will run from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29 at The Star Gold Coast in Queensland. Now in its 79th edition, the event bills itself as the premier cinema industry gathering in the Southern Hemisphere and draws delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the United States and Europe. Organizers describe it as the only event on the Australian film calendar that brings exhibitors, distributors, filmmakers and cinema equipment suppliers together under one roof.

This year's convention is powered by Vista Group, a New Zealand-based cinema technology company, and is being run by the Cinema Association Australasia. Attendees are expected to include representatives from major Hollywood studios as well as independent distributors, continuing a format that in recent years has featured presentations from companies including The Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal Pictures and Australian distributors such as Roadshow Films and Rialto Distribution.

The South Australian Film Corporation said the passes are intended to give homegrown filmmakers access to exclusive distributor presentations, advance screenings of upcoming releases and sessions on market trends and technology shaping the future of cinema exhibition. The agency framed the opportunity as a chance for South Australian screen practitioners to build relationships with international counterparts and stay abreast of shifts in an industry still adjusting to changes in theatrical distribution and audience habits since the pandemic.

A central part of this year's program is the Screen Australia Masterclass, scheduled for Oct. 26, the convention's opening day. The session is aimed at mid-career and senior Australian filmmakers and is designed to bring together industry members focused on producing commercially successful Australian films. Previous editions of the masterclass have featured presentations from exhibitors, distributors, filmmakers, marketers, publicists and screen agency executives, according to organizers.

To qualify for one of the four subsidized passes, applicants must be South Australian residents who meet credit eligibility requirements set out in the film corporation's terms of trade. They must also demonstrate a genuine track record in feature filmmaking, commit to traveling to the Gold Coast for the full four days of the convention, and be available to attend the Screen Australia Masterclass on the opening day. The film corporation said it will not be able to cover costs associated with travel or accommodation, meaning recipients will need to fund those expenses independently even if their convention registration is covered.

Applicants are required to submit an expression of interest through the film corporation's online grant portal. Submissions will be evaluated based on the strength of the application, the applicant's suitability for the opportunity and the outcomes they intend to achieve by attending. With the passes limited to four recipients, the process is expected to be competitive among the state's pool of established feature filmmakers.

The Australian International Movie Convention has grown over nearly eight decades into a fixture of the country's exhibition and distribution calendar. Last year's 78th edition, also held at The Star Gold Coast, featured 13 distributor presentations, 11 keynote sessions with nine international speakers, three panel discussions involving a dozen industry experts, five award presentations and five film screenings, along with several networking events including a studio-hosted welcome party and an industry breakfast focused on social media marketing trends. Organizers said the event also included a session hosted by Screen Queensland to connect delegates with the state's local screen sector.

International participation has become an increasingly prominent feature of the event. Representatives from the International Union of Cinemas, a Brussels-based organization representing cinema operators across Europe, attended the convention and delivered a keynote focused on European cinema trends, alongside a panel discussion on global and local opportunities within the exhibition sector. The presence of overseas trade bodies at the convention reflects organizers' efforts to position AIMC as a venue not just for the domestic industry but for international dialogue on cinema-going trends, an area of particular focus as exhibitors worldwide continue working to rebuild audience numbers.

Other Australian states have offered similar funding support for filmmakers to attend the convention. Screen Queensland, the state's screen agency, has in past years offered practitioners the chance to apply for market and travel grants to attend AIMC, citing the event's value in allowing delegates to preview upcoming theatrical releases and engage directly with technology and cinema fit-out suppliers.

The South Australian Film Corporation's latest funding call comes as the state continues to position itself as a hub for local production, alongside its broader support programs, first-nations screen strategy and diversity initiatives. Adelaide Studios, which the corporation operates, has become a base for productions in the state, and agency officials have regularly pointed to opportunities such as the AIMC passes as part of efforts to help local filmmakers build networks beyond South Australia.

Filmmakers interested in applying for one of the four passes have just under two weeks to submit their expressions of interest before the Sept. 28 deadline. More information about the convention program, including registration details for delegates not applying through the subsidized pass scheme, is available through the Cinema Association Australasia's convention website.