Gold Coast locks in AACTA Awards in three-year deal

The AACTA Awards will join Screen Forever, the Australian International Film Convention and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards held on the Gold Coast, with the Queensland Government securing the event in a three-year contract.

AACTA president Russell Crowe announced the move on Saturday with a contingent that included Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and State Government representatives. The move will also include the AACTA Industry Awards, AACTA ScreenFest and the AACTA International Awards.

The new location on the Gold Coast also coincides with a change in date, with AACTA confirming that the next awards will be held in February 2024, in line with the international awards season.

Crowe said the updated awards were part of an effort to “shake things up”.

“In recognition of Queensland’s growing importance of film and television production in this country, it has been decided by the board of directors of the Australian Film Institute and AACTA and with the generous cooperation of the Queensland Government for the next three years we will relocate from Sydney and hosting the AACTA Awards here on the Gold Coast,” he said.

“The Australian Film Institute and more recently the Australian Academy have provided the platform that has only grown this country’s contributions to the global film industry, making household names out of directors, designers, cinematographers, post-production houses, visual effects artists, writers, producers and of course actors.”

A continuation of the AFI Awards, the first AACTA Awards were held in Sydney in January 2012, where they have remained ever since.

Last year’s event took place at The Hordern, with Gold Coast shot Elvis dominating both the industry and main ceremonies, winning 11 awards overall.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her state continued to push its authority on the screen.

“Our screen industry continues to go from strength to strength as we build our international reputation as the place to film world-class cinema and television content,” she said.

“Queensland is a production paradise that offers the complete package, with film-friendly locations, highly skilled crew, world-class facilities and competitive incentives.

“It is home to the iconic Village Roadshow Studios and hosts flagship industry events such as Screen Forever, Australian International Movie Convention, which will return in 2023, and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.”

AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said he was looking forward to working with Tourism and Events Queensland, Major Events Gold Coast and Screen Queensland on next year’s event.

“Screen Queensland and the Queensland Government have always been valued screen agency partners of the AACTA Awards,” he said.

“Their commitment to showcasing our nation’s talent and productions on the world stage, igniting passion among young Aussies to pursue a career in screen, and creating a diverse and thriving culture aligns closely with our mission .”

The Logies also moved to the Gold Coast in 2018 under a four-year deal, although a host city for this year has not been confirmed.