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News - January 2008
► AUSTRALIAN FILMS – A STRONG GLOBAL PRESENCE IN 2008
Australian films earned $36.0 million in 2007, or 4.0 per cent of the total box office of $895.4 million, close to the 10 year average of $34.7 million or 4.3 per cent of the total yearly box office. The top-grossing Australian film, the internationally lauded animated musical Happy Feet added $20.7 million to its 2006 earnings to reach a cumulative total of $31.8 million.
Richard Roxburgh's multi-award winning drama about an embattled migrant family, Romulus, My Father, followed with $2.6 million in box office takings.
Greg McLean's crocodile thriller - Rogue – was placed third with $1.8 million, followed closely by Bra Boys, which took $1.7 million, which is now the highest-earning Australian feature documentary on record. The mockumentary - Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance - grossed $1.6 million to claim fifth position.
The Chief Executive of the Australian Film Commission, Mr Chris Fitchett, said that it was good to see Australian audiences responding to such a diverse range of stories and genres.
Several Australian films due for release in 2008 include:
• Australia - A drama with Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, and Jack Thompson
• Acolytes - a drama/thriller;
• The Beautiful and the Damned - a drama
• The Black Balloon a drama
• Black Water - A thriller
• The Boys are Back in Town - an Australian/UK co-production
• Bright Star - an Australian/UK co-production drama
• Cactus - A drama
• Daybreakers - a horror/thriller
• Death Defying Acts - an Australia/UK co-production drama
• Disgrace - a drama with John Malkovich and Jessica Haines.
• Global Haywire - a live action/animation feature documentary.
On the international scene this year, Australian films were also making their mark. Five Australian films have been selected to screen at the 37th Rotterdam International Film Festival They include Men's Group, Unfinished Sky, Shmetamorphosis, Spike Up and Wasting Away. A strong delegation of Australians will join in the co-production market Cinemart and the AFC-sponsored Rotterdam Lab this year.
The Berlin International Forum of New Cinema section has selected two Australian independent features Corroboree and Son of a Lion. It is the first time since 2002 that the Forum, renowned for an emphasis on young filmmakers and experimental genres of film-making, has selected Australian films in its line-up. The 58th Berlin International Film Festival runs 7-17 February 2008.
As well, seven Australian films selected to screen across the Generation and Panorama programs at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. AFC Chief Executive, Chris Fitchett, said that number of Australian films selected into Berlin over the last three years has been significant. And in the USA, a coup for Australia at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program will see five Australian short films - Advantage, Crossbow, Dugong, I Love Sarah Jane and Spider being presented.
The Sundance Film Festival will run from 17-27 January 2008 in Utah, USA. The works screened are extremely broad and range from outrageous animation to fascinating short documentaries, from original and wild comedies to outstanding dramas.