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STAYING POWER
The enduring footprint of australian film

There isn't a more pervasive prism for reflecting and shaping Australia's national identity than screen content. Its ability to tell our stories through image and sound, infused with cultural nuances, has a powerful impact on how Australians see themselves, how they see others and how others see Australians.

Feature films lead this charge. They start with a buzz amplified by the big screen before traversing every small screen possible and remaining accessible in different ways, in many corners of the world, for many years after release. When our very vernacular changes we know they make a difference.

Yet, quantifying film's enduring footprint can be challenging.

This report explores five indicators of success and longer-term impact, based on analysis of a selection of films from 15–20 years ago. These indicators are:

  • Primary release: the breadth of domestic and international release
  • Revenues: earnings across all platforms for all territories
  • Ongoing access: continued availability across platforms over time
  • Acclaim: festival screenings and awards won
  • Wider impact: new iterations and cultural awareness of the original form.

The case studies included in the report were selected from almost 100 Australian films released domestically between 1993 and 1997. Of these, around two-thirds of the films went on to have an international release across more than 70 countries with a box office well in excess of $500 million.

Download the full report