Sydney Film Festival Wrap.
July 20th 2009 05:57
The Sydney Film Festival today announced daily attendance at the 2009 festival was up 39.1% on last year and daily sales figures are up 40.9%.
A total of 116,023 attendances were recorded to the various ticketed and non-ticketed events at the festival over the 12 days. The positive audience response to the festival was also reflected in a 16% increase in engagement in audience voting and a significant increase in audience participation in festival partner promotions.
“I am pleased that many key indicators show the 2009 Sydney Film Festival as being one of the most successful in recent memory,” said festival CEO Mark Sarfaty in Sydney today.
“Although the first year of implementing a new ticketing system had challenges, we tripled online and phone sales, taking the pressure off the frontline box offices. I am delighted that in a difficult financial environment we exceeded our sales projections by 4.4%,” said Sarfaty today.
In addition, the Sydney Film Festival announced there would be an independent review of the Sydney Film Festival activities – which commenced on July 17 2009.
President of the Sydney Film Festival Virginia Gordon said “the SFF is one of the longest running film festivals in the world. We now need to look to the future of this great cultural institution and an independent review is a welcome part of that process. The independent review will assist the company to create a blueprint for a sustainable and long-term future.”
“As supporters of the Sydney Film Festival, we are pleased to be working with them on this review to assess all aspects of the festival to ensure its viability and relevance for the people of NSW,” said Carol Mills, Director General, Department of Arts, Sport and Recreation.
The review will consult with relevant stakeholders, including SFF membership, representatives from the screen industry, major funding agencies, sponsors, audiences and partners. It is expected to take up to 8 weeks to conclude and will be conducted by Booz & Co.
The 2009 Sydney Film Festival welcomed 30 international and 132 Australian guests who participated in post-screening Q&As, free public talks, red carpet arrivals, podcasts and the festival's industry program.
"The jury and Official Competition filmmakers again proved to be the backbone of an exciting and diverse guest program," said Festival Director Clare Stewart.
Clare Stewart and Miranda Otto SFF 09
"The dedicated participation of jury president Rolf de Heer and Miranda Otto was augmented by international jurors whose films proved highlights amongst this festival's many memorable screenings: Ted Kotcheff's moving introduction of restored classic Wake in Fright, Oliver Hirschbiegel's SFF Audience Award-winning Five Days of Heaven and Lone Scherfig's charming Closing Night film An Education.
In its second year, the Official Competition which awards courageous, audacious and cutting-edge filmmaking welcomed talent as diverse as Taiwanese auteur Tsai Ming-Liang (Face), award-winning Chilean director Sebastian Silva (The Maid), American actresses Teri Hatcher (Coraline) and Sasha Grey (The Girlfriend Experience), Belgian filmmaker Peter Brosens (co-director Altiplano) and Brock Norman Brock, screenwriter of the Sydney Film Prize winner Bronson. They were joined by filmmaking teams from the Australian films in competition Rachel Ward's Beautiful Kate, Steve Jacobs’ Disgrace and Khao Do’s Missing Water.
Amongst other international guests were John Woo who represented his latest action film Red Cliff, John Hurt introduced 44 Inch Chest and James Nesbitt joined the premiere of Five Minutes of Heaven.
Documentary makers also featured highly with Louis Psihoyos, director of Audience Award winner The Cove leading the charge. Subjects of Big River Man (Martin and Borut Strehl) and We Live in Public (Josh Harris) enthralled the crowds, and the filmmaking teams behind the 10 nominees for the inaugural FOXTEL Australian Documentary Prize participated in insightful Q&As at every screening.
Source: SFF PR
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