06 10 2023 - Media release

Australians in Film and Screen Australia bring Hollywood luminaries to SXSW Sydney

L-R: Per Saari, Nicole Kidman, Jason Clarke, Phillip Noyce, Charmaine Bingwa, Amy Wang.

Australians in Film (AiF), the Los Angeles based artist development organisation, and Screen Australia have announced two stand out conference sessions to the Festival line-up for SXSW Sydney.

A Spotlight on Blossom Films, on Thursday 19 October, takes us inside the award-winning production company Blossom Films (Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing, Love and Death, and the upcoming Expats) with Australian screen icon and longtime supporter of AiF Nicole Kidman and her producing partner Per Saari.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, on Monday 16 October, brings together two of Australia’s greatest exports, the critically acclaimed actor Jason Clarke (Oppenheimer, Mudbound, Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty and Zero Dark Thirty) and legendary director Phillip Noyce (Salt, The Quiet American, Revenge, The Resident) with Hollywood trailblazer, actor Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight), who sits on the AiF Advisory Board and Hollywood breakout screenwriter Amy Wang (Crazy Rich Asians 2), who will share their insights into working in Hollywood, their trajectory to get there, and how that success can be returned to Australia.

These unmissable sessions are profiling some of the leading voices of the global screen industry as SXSW Sydney shines as a leading city for nurturing creative talent. Previously announced featured speakers in the screen industry have included; Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker and Australian screen legend Leah Purcell and Hollywood Producer Bruna Papandrea, alongside innovators in other forward-looking industries including Chance The Rapper, AI expert Amy Webb and Slack Co-Founder Cal Henderson.

Graeme Mason, CEO of Screen Australia said, "As SXSW Sydney approaches, we're thrilled to unveil two exciting Headline Speaker Sessions in partnership with AiF. These new sessions bring an incredibly unique opportunity for attendees to hear from leading international screen talent – up close and personal, and support our industry professionals to achieve their goals. Afterall, this is what SXSW is all about, and we’re delighted that we can play a role in this internationally renowned event.”

Emma Cooper, Chair of Australians in Film said, “Over the past 20 years, AiF has created a unique and supportive community of Australian screen talent in Los Angeles, from emerging actors and filmmakers through to our most revered screen icons. We are excited to have this opportunity to bring the spirit and energy of AiF and our Hollywood community to SXSW Sydney, together with our partner Screen Australia.”

Colin Daniels, Managing Director of SXSW Sydney said, “From the team at SXSW Sydney, I’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Australians in Film and Screen Australia for their ongoing support. We appreciate the time everyone is taking to travel and join us in our first year – our story will be about these visionaries, and about the diverse and compelling voices emerging alongside them.” 

AIF + SCREEN AUSTRALIA SESSIONS

Spotlight on Blossom Films:

An industry showcase with award-winning producers and founders Nicole Kidman and Per Saari – Presented by Australians In Film and Screen Australia.

From their debut project, John Cameron Mitchell’s Rabbit Hole in 2010 to the Emmy award winning Big Little Lies, directed by the late Jean Marc Vallée, to the upcoming Lulu Wang series Expats, Blossom Films’ founders have always passionately championed cutting-edge filmmakers. In this exclusive conversation, Kidman and Saari discuss their approach to working with some of the world’s best visionary filmmakers, what they look for in creative partners, their future slate of Australian projects including the adaptation of Liane Moriarty's The Last Anniversary and the process of getting their most recent limited series Love and Death (HBO 2023) to the screen. 

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood:  

With Charmaine Bingwa, Jason Clarke, Phillip Noyce and Amy Wang

An inside look at Hollywood with Australians starring in front of and behind the camera. Our panelists will share their Hollywood insights and what they have learned, their trajectory to get there, and how that success and knowledge can be brought back to Australia.

With actor Jason Clarke (Oppenheimer, Mudbound, Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty and Zero Dark Thirty) and legendary director Phillip Noyce (Salt, The Quiet American, Revenge, The Resident) alongside Hollywood trailblazer, actor Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight) and Hollywood breakout screenwriter Amy Wang (Crazy Rich Asians 2).

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