by FilmInk Staff
AACTA has its awards on the Gold Coast. Its theatrical film rules still require Sydney or Melbourne
AACTA’s Awards and Festival will be held on the Gold Coast from 3–7 February 2027, with the awards ceremony on 5 February. HOTA will again serve as the festival hub, with Screen Queensland presenting the Industry Gala and Official After Party.
But while the Gold Coast will again host the event, the award rules still give Sydney and Melbourne a special status.
There are three main ways a film can be specifically eligible for the AACTA Awards:
A commercial cinema release in at least two Australian capital cities, one of which must be Sydney or Melbourne.
Participation in an approved Australian film festival, combined with screenings at commercial cinemas across at least two Australian capital cities, one of which must be Sydney or Melbourne.
Release on an approved VOD/SVOD platform, or free-to-air broadcast.
AACTA also has the power to accept a film for the awards regardless of how it is released. But that is at the discretion of AACTA.
A feature could have commercial theatrical runs in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin, as well as Rockhampton, Townsville, Mount Isa, the Gold Coast and/or other regional centres, yet be ineligible for the AACTA Awards without a Sydney or Melbourne screening.
There is no evidence that the AACTA Awards favour films made in Sydney or Melbourne. Recent nominees and winners include films strongly associated with South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. Adelaide-made Talk to Me, for example, won Best Film at the 2024 AACTA Awards.
But why does the Sydney and Melbourne requirement exist for a national awards ceremony?
Does the eligibility rule reflect an assumption that a film is not a sufficiently legitimate theatrical release unless it has played in Sydney or Melbourne?
In particular, why does a national awards program hosted on the Gold Coast, and supported by Queensland Government bodies including Screen Queensland, continue to make Sydney or Melbourne necessary for both defined theatrical routes?
The issue has been raised with Queensland authorities. Screen Queensland said it was unable to comment on operational matters and referred questions to AACTA, which is a subsidiary body of the Australian Film Institute (AFI). Minister Langbroek, Queensland’s Minister for Education and the Arts, directed questions to the AFI/AACTA “as the Australian Film Institute (AFI) is an independent organisation”. AFI/AACTA did not respond to two separate requests for comment.
The AFI is a registered charity that receives approximately 40% of its revenue from government sources. It says its aim “is to recognise, encourage, promote and celebrate film and television excellence in Australia, connecting Australian and international audiences with great Australian screen content.” A version of the Sydney/Melbourne requirement has been in existence since at least 2006. It survived a review in 2017 that was prompted by criticism of the awards process. Strategic sponsors at the 2026 AACTA Awards included two Queensland government bodies, Tourism and Events Queensland and Screen Queensland, and the part-government funded Experience Gold Coast. In 2026, Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said, “Screen Queensland is proud to support the AACTA Awards Industry Gala for not only recognising our incredible local talent, but for helping to inspire the next generation of screen storytellers.”
This will be the fourth year the AACTA Awards have been hosted in Queensland. The Gold Coast will also be the location for the 2028 Awards.
Image courtesy of AACTA
I can tell you exactly why. SQ is in the business of screen tourism. They sell tax incentivised locations not practitioner support. A 6 week “attachment “ is not developing local technicians it’s checking boxes to meet criteria for said incentives. And because a person will unlikely get a repeat attachment , that’s the end of the development activity. SQ existed to provide a rotating conga line of executives with jobs and a car park at Newstead. How many have come from/ go to EP roles after tenure ? All of them. Commission of Inquirt well overdue on that one.