Opening Night at the 2024 Gold Coast Film Festival
Having been sworn in as Councillor for Division 9, and as Chair of the Lifestyle, Environment, Heritage and Resilience committee, my responsibilities have taken only very little break as we head into the new term. Last week, I was honoured to speak on Opening Night of the Gold Coast Film Festival, a wonderful celebration of film held each year in our city.
Here’s my speech;
I want to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, the Kombumerri people, the original storytellers of the area on which our city is built, who carry generations of oral history and the legacy of thousands of years of compelling narrative that people like me often know very little about. I want to pay respects to Kombumerri elders past, present and emerging, and other elders in this room, from various backgrounds, who have paved the way for younger leaders like me to carry on our passion for this city, and the beautiful natural areas in which we live.
I’m here on behalf of the City of Gold Coast, and in particular the Mayor and Deputy Mayor who could not join us tonight due to their busy schedules. But I do want to acknowledge my Council colleagues who could join us tonight; Councillor Wilkinson, Councillor Fowler, Cr Taylor, Cr Doran, and also a former CEO of the GC Film Festival, Cr Josh Martin.
Also in our session tonight are the Chair and CEO of this year’s Film Festival Lynne Benzie and Luke Wheatley respectively, as well as John Warn who is CEO of Experience Gold Coast and Jacqui Feeney CEO at Screen Qld. Welcome.
City of Gold Coast is proud to support Gold Coast Film Festival via the Gold Coast Film Commission and Experience Gold Coast.
Since its establishment in 2002, Gold Coast Film Festival has established itself as a marquee event on the Australian film festival circuit. It is a highlight event on our city’s calendar with more than 100 events and screenings over 12 days. Whether you’re a film buff or casual watcher, Gold Coast local or visitor from afar, the festival’s diverse program has something for you.
The Gold Coast Film Festival is also a critical part of our city’s screen industry, which is worth more than $500 million to the Gold Coast economy. The Gold Coast has fast become a destination of choice for the best filmmakers from right around the world and also offers so much opportunity for students and early career professionals. Gold Coast is hosting multiple productions at the moment; we have 5 films in production and a further 3 in pre-production. They are a mix of local, interstate and international productions. If you have heard about our Screen Access Program or our Screen Attraction Program, let me tell you they’re the most generous film industry incentives offered by a Council in the country. Grab one of our City of Gold Coast staff to find out more.
On a more personal note, as the husband of a documentary filmmaker who’s been here at this festival and other festivals around the world before, I know how hard many of you have worked to get to this point. Well done. Please take time to enjoy what you’ve made without unnecessarily analysing everything you wish you had done before production concluded. If you can, try to focus on the smiles and tears and gritted teeth and fascination of your new audiences here at the Festival, captivated by what you’ve made. Focussing on that can make your incredibly hard work, so wonderfully worthwhile.
I encourage everyone here tonight to check out this year’s program and book in a session with your friends and family. I look forward to seeing you back here at HOTA throughout the next two weeks for Gold Coast Film Festival 2024.