Australia is set to release as many as 17 new films in US theatres this year, which would eclipse the record set in 1997 when 15 Aussie films were released on the US cinema circuit.
According to Screen Australia this is significantly more features than the five released in 2012 and seven in 2011.
Kathleen Drumm, head of marketing for Screen Australia says that the success of Australian films and the number of secured US deals confirms the strength of the Aussie film industry on an international level. She added that Australia’s knack for story-telling is growing in appeal with international audiences.
“Expanding platforms offer new ways into the marketplace but fundamentally buyers are still looking for quality films that stand out amongst the multitude on sale,” said Drumm about the success of Australian films in the USA.
Antony Ginnane, producer of the film Patrick (image, above), said he felt encouraged at the growth experienced in the Australian film industry over the past 12 months especially in term of the level of US, mainstream, exposure.
“Even the smaller VOD driven deals – while small in terms of immediate monetization- provide platforms for the creative teams attached to be exposed within the US packaging, sales and creative communities,” said Ginnane.
Besides upcoming big name releases like The Rover (see our report: ‘Robert Pattinson not just a pretty boy in The Rover‘) and Son of a Gun with Ewan McGregor, look out for other exciting releases: Matt Saville’s Felony, Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, John Curran’s Tracks, the Spierig brothers’ Predestination, Sophie Hyde’s 52 Tuesdays, Aaron Wilson’s Canopy and Sarah Spillane’s Around the Block.
These follow hot on the heels of films like Kim Mordaunt’s The Rocket, Stuart Beattie’s I, Frankenstein, Jonathan Teplitzy’s The Railway Man, Kelly Dolen’s John Doe: Vigilante, Mark Hartley’s Patrick and Greg Mclean’s Wolf Creek 2 which have already been released in US cinemas this year.
Australia’s cinema heavyweights are als0 in the spotlight this month. Nicole Kidman portrays Grace Kelly in the controversially, and almost universally, panned Grace of Monaco. Hugh Jackman returns to save the day though in his role as Wolverine in X Men: Days of Future Past which premieres in the US this Friday, 23 May 2014.
Multi award winning US sitcom Modern Family further deepened the international love affair with Australia after the show recently aired their Australian Holiday episode in the US, Australia and the UK. Since the show aired, Qantas has recorded a 25% spike in Americans visiting its website. This is considered a major success for the airline, which paid millions to get the world’s most-watched show to come to Australia for the special episode.