Australia and South Africa to sign film co-production agreement
Last edited: June 23, 2010
Posted by Business and Arts South Africa
Australian and South African film-makers will have more opportunities to work together following the
finalisation of a bilateral film co-production agreement between the two countries.
The treaty-level agreement will be signed at 11am on Friday 18 June 2010 by the Australian Minister for
Sport, Youth, Early Childhood Education and Childcare, the Hon Kate Ellis MP, and the South African
Minister for Arts and Culture, the Hon Lulama Xingwana.
The treaty aims to encourage film co-productions between Australian and South African film-makers by
streamlining some of the administrative and funding issues around cooperation in film-making.
Practical benefits for film-makers are that projects approved as official co-productions under the treaty will
be granted ‘national treatment’ by both countries meaning co-producers can access a range of funding and
tax benefits; simplified immigration requirements for the entry of skilled personnel; and duty free
importation of equipment for use in co-productions. Official co-productions will also be treated as ‘local
content’ under domestic television broadcast quotas.
The agreement, once approved through each country’s respective parliamentary processes, will provide
opportunities for Australian and South African film-makers to pool their creative and financial resources,
facilitate cultural and creative exchange between the countries and increase the output of high-quality
productions.
Minister Kate Ellis said “This film co-production agreement is a further example of the growing bilateral
relationship between Australia and South Africa. Our two countries have long competed and cooperated in
the sporting arena and I am delighted to see our connections are expanding in the cultural sphere as well.”
Australian and South African film-makers already are working together to great effect. An example of this
is the Australian – South African joint production, The Team that Never Played – a film about apartheid
era football players that never participated in the FIFA World Cup owing to sporting sanctions.
The Team that Never Played will premiere in South Africa at the official opening of the Africa on Screen
and Soccer Film festivals on Thursday 24 June.
Signing of Film Co-Production Treaty
Venue: Office of the Minister of Arts and
Culture, Level 10, Kingsley Centre
Corner Church and Beatrix Streets, Pretoria
Time: 11am on Friday 18 June
Premiere of The Team that Never
Played
Venue: Sci Bono Discovery Centre
Newtown, Johannesburg
Time: 6.30pm on Thursday 24 June
Please RSVP to Lara Preston, click .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to send an email.
For more information about the potential of the agreement for film-makers, click here to see the Screen Australia website.
For further information, please contact Public Affairs Officer, Mr William Blomfield, click .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to send him an email.
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Comments
By: Ivy17, On: Tue Jun 29, 2010
The news is great. I always thought it must happen one nice day. Let's wait for the first yield of collaboration!By: Ivy17, On: Tue Jun 29, 2010
Yeah, and maybe someday in the future we'll have a lot of research papers about this development!By: McdanielBetty, On: Sun Sep 5, 2010
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