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The cinema of Australia had its beginnings with the 1906 production of '' The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first
feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received international recognition. Many actors and filmmakers with international reputations started their careers in Australian films, and many of these have established lucrative careers in larger film-producing centres such as the United States. Commercially successful Australian films include: '' Crocodile Dundee'', George Miller's '' Mad Max: Fury Road'', Baz Luhrmann's ''
Moulin Rouge! ''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and co ...
'', and Chris Noonan's ''Babe''. Award-winning productions include ''Picnic at Hanging Rock'', ''Gallipoli'', ''The Tracker'', ''Shine'' and ''
Ten Canoes ''Ten Canoes'' is a 2006 Australian drama film directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr and starring Crusoe Kurddal. The title of the film arose from discussions between de Heer and David Gulpilil about a photograph of ten canoeists poling a ...
''. Australian actors of renown include
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...
, Peter Finch, Rod Taylor, Paul Hogan,
Jack Thompson Jack Thompson may refer to: Sports *Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892) (1892–1969), English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Bristol City *Jack Thompson (1920s footballer), English footballer who played for Aston Villa and Bright ...
, Bryan Brown, Judy Davis, Jacki Weaver,
Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emm ...
,
Hugo Weaving Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an English actor. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ...
, Eric Bana, Guy Pearce, Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett, Ben Mendelsohn,
Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004. LaPaglia won a Prim ...
, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette, Rose Byrne, Sam Worthington, Heath Ledger, Abbie Cornish, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Hemsworth, Sarah Snook, Mia Wasikowska, Margot Robbie, Rebel Wilson, and others. Cinema in Australia is subject to
censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
, called classification. Films may be refused classification, which means they are effectively banned.


History

The Australian film critic David Stratton characterized the history of the country's film as one of "boom and bust": there have been deep troughs, during which few films were made for decades, and high peaks, during which a glut of films reached the market.


Pioneer days – 1890s to 1910

The first public screenings of films in Australia took place in October 1896, within a year of the world's first screening in Paris by
Lumière brothers Lumière is French for ' light'. Lumiere, Lumière or Lumieres may refer to: *Lumières, the philosophical movement in the Age of Enlightenment People *Auguste and Louis Lumière, French pioneers in film-making Film and TV * Institut Lumière, a ...
. On 22 August 1896, the first films projected to a paying audience in Australia were at Harry Rickards’ Melbourne Opera House (later known as the Tivoli Theatre). The film by magician Carl Hertz was screened as part of a variety show act. Australian tours with similar projection machines followed. Australia's first cinema, the ''Salon Lumière'' at 237 Pitt Street, Sydney, was operating in October 1896, and showed the first Australian-produced short film on 27 October 1896. The Athenaeum Hall in Collins Street,
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
, operated as a dance hall from the 1880s, and from time to time would provide alternative entertainment to patrons. In October 1896 it exhibited the first movie film shown in Australia, within a year of the first public screening of a film in Paris on 28 December 1895 by the French
Lumière brothers Lumière is French for ' light'. Lumiere, Lumière or Lumieres may refer to: *Lumières, the philosophical movement in the Age of Enlightenment People *Auguste and Louis Lumière, French pioneers in film-making Film and TV * Institut Lumière, a ...
. The Athenaeum would continue screenings, such as ''Life in Our Navy'', a 60,000 foot film of life on HMS ''Jupiter'', shown on 26 January 1901 by G. H. Snazelle, who provided additional entertainment. A landmark of newsreel photography was in 1897, when films of both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup were screened at the Melbourne Opera House on the evenings of the race. The events had been captured on film for W. C. Baxter and developed the same day by photographer Robert William Harvie (died 5 October 1922) and inventor Ernest J. Thwaites (c. 1873 – 12 July 1933). Some of the earliest movie film shot in Australia consisted of films of Aboriginal dancers in Central Australia, shot by anthropologists Baldwin Spencer and F. J. Gillen between 1900 and 1903. They pioneered
sound recording Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording ...
on wax cylinders and shot their films under very difficult conditions. The earliest feature-length narrative film in the world was the Australian-produced '' The Story of the Kelly Gang'' (1906), shown at the Athenaeum. The film, written and directed by Charles Tait, included several of his family members. The film was also exhibited in the United Kingdom in January 1908. Melbourne also hosted one of the world's first
film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the productio ...
s, the
Limelight Department The Limelight Department was one of the world's first film studios, beginning in 1898, operated by The Salvation Army in Melbourne, Australia. The Limelight Department produced evangelistic material for use by the Salvation Army, including ...
, operated by
the Salvation Army in Australia The Salvation Army, Australia Territory (nicknamed "Salvos" in Australian English) is an evangelical Protestant Christian church known for its charity work. It began operating in Australia in the late 19th century. There are currently 335 thrift ...
between 1897 and 1910. The Limelight Department produced evangelical material for use by the Salvation Army, as well as carrying out private and government contracts. In its 19 years of operation the Limelight Department produced about 300 films of various lengths, making it the largest film-producer of its time. The major innovation of the Limelight Department came in 1899 when
Herbert Booth Herbert Henry Howard Booth (26 August 1862 – 25 September 1926) was a Salvation Army officer, the third son of five children to William and Catherine Booth (Mumford), who later went on to serve as an independent evangelist. He oversaw th ...
and Joseph Perry began work on ''Soldiers of the Cross'', described by some as the first feature-length film ever produced. ''Soldiers of the Cross'' fortified the Limelight Department as a major player in the early film-industry. The Limelight Department also produced a film recording of the
Federation of Australia The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (which also governed what is now the Northern Territory), and Western ...
.


Boom and bust – 1910s to 1920s

The 1910s were a "boom" period in Australian cinema. Activity had begun slowly in the 1900s, and 1910 saw four narrative films released, then 51 in 1911, 30 in 1912, and 17 in 1913, and back to four in 1914, when the beginning of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
brought a temporary pause in film-making. While these numbers may seem small in the 21st century, Australia was one of the most prolific film-producing countries at the time. In all, between 1906 and 1928 Australia made 150 narrative feature films, almost 90 of them between 1910 and 1912. A general consolidation took place in the early 1910s in the production, distribution and exhibition of films in Australia. By 1912 numerous independent producers had merged into Australasian Films and Union Theaters (now known as Event Cinemas), which established control over film distributors and cinemas and required smaller producers to deal with the cartel. Some view the arrangement as opening the way for American distributors in the 1920s to sign exclusive deals with Australian cinemas to exhibit only their own products, thereby shutting out the local product and crippling the local film-industry. Various other explanations attempt to account for the decline of the industry in the 1920s. Some historians point to falling audience numbers, a lack of interest in Australian product and narratives, and Australia's participation in the war. Also, an official ban on bushranger films occurred in 1912. With the suspension of local film-production, Australian cinema-chains sought alternative products in the United States and realised that Australian-produced films were much more expensive than the imported product, which were priced cheaply as production expenses had already been recouped in the home market. To redress this imbalance, the
federal government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
imposed a tax on imported film in 1914, but this was removed by 1918. Whatever the explanation, by 1923 American films dominated the Australian market, with 94% of all exhibited films coming from the United States.


1930s–1960s

In 1930, F. W. Thring (1883–1936) established the Efftee Studios based in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
to make
talking film A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...
s using optical sound equipment imported from the United States. The first Australian sound films appeared in 1931: the company produced ''Diggers'' (1931), '' A Co-respondent's Course'' (1931), '' The Haunted Barn'' (1931) and ''The Sentimental Bloke'' (1932). During the five years of its existence, Efftee produced nine features, over 80 shorts and several stage-productions. Notable collaborators included C. J. Dennis, George Wallace and Frank Harvey. Film production continued only until 1934, when it ceased as a protest over the refusal of the Australian government to set Australian film-quotas, followed soon by Thring's death in 1936. It was estimated that Thring lost over £75,000 of his own money on his filmmaking and theatrical ventures.
Ken G. Hall Kenneth George Hall, AO, OBE (22 February 1901 – 8 February 1994), better known as Ken G. Hall, was an Australian film producer and director, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Australian film industry. He ...
became a driving force in establishing Cinesound Productions in 1931.UNESCO HONOURS CINESOUND MOVIETONE PRODUCTIONS
– Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (Australia Section)
Ken G Hall Award goes to the late Tom Nurse
– Australian Film Commission ''News & Events''. 27 November 2003.
The company became one of Australia's first feature-film production companies and operated into the early 1940s, becoming Australia's leading domestic studio based on the Hollywood model. The company also used the Hollywood model for the promotion of its films and attempted to promote a
star system A star system or stellar system is a small number of stars that orbit each other, bound by gravitational attraction. A large group of stars bound by gravitation is generally called a '' star cluster'' or ''galaxy'', although, broadly speaking ...
. It was particularly successful with the ''On Our Selection'' (1932) series of comedies, based on the popular writings of author Steele Rudd, which featured the adventures of a fictional Australian farming family, the Rudds, and the perennial father-and-son duo, "
Dad and Dave ''On Our Selection'' (1899) is a series of stories written by Australian author Steele Rudd, the pen name of Arthur Hoey Davis, in the late 1890s, featuring the characters Dad and Dave Rudd. The original edition of the book was illustrated by ...
". Despite its ambitions, Cinesound produced only 17 feature-films, all but one of them directed by Ken Hall. Though financially successful, the company ceased making feature films following the 1939 outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. In 1933, ''
In the Wake of the Bounty ''In the Wake of the Bounty'' (1933) is an Australian film directed by Charles Chauvel about the 1789 Mutiny on the Bounty. It is notable as the screen debut of Errol Flynn, playing Fletcher Christian. The film preceded MGM's more famous ''Mutin ...
'', directed by Charles Chauvel, cast Tasmanian-born
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...
in a leading role, before he went on to a celebrated Hollywood career. Chauvel directed a number of successful Australian films, including 1944's World War II classic ''The Rats of Tobruk'' (which starred Peter Finch and Chips Rafferty) and 1955's '' Jedda'', which was notable as the first Australian film shot in colour, and as the first to feature Aboriginal actors in lead roles and to enter the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...
. In Britain, the Cinematograph Films Act 1927 established a quota of films that had to be shown in British cinemas. One could shoot compliant films in the British Empire as well as in Great Britain; this stimulated Australian film-production. However the Cinematograph Films Act 1938 mollified the British film industry by including only films made by and shot in Great Britain in the quota - this removed Australian films from the film quota in the UK, and saw the loss of a guaranteed market for Australian films. '' Kokoda Front Line!'' (1942), directed by Ken G. Hall, won Australia's first Oscar. Chips Rafferty and Peter Finch became prominent international stars of the period. Rafferty's onscreen image as a lanky, laconic bushman struck a chord with Australian filmgoers, and he appeared in iconic early Australian films such as ''
Forty Thousand Horsemen ''Forty Thousand Horsemen'' (aka ''40,000 Horsemen'') is a 1940 Australian war film directed by Charles Chauvel. The film tells the story of the Australian Light Horse (mounted rifleman as distinct from cavalry) which operated in the desert at t ...
'' (1940), ''The Rats of Tobruk'' (1944), ''The Overlanders'' (1946) and ''Eureka Stockade'' (1949) (''Overlanders'' and ''Eureka'' were part of a series of Australian-themed films produced by Britain's iconic
Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever ...
). In Hollywood, Rafferty also appeared in Australian-themed films, including ''The Desert Rats'' (1953), ''The Sundowners'' (1960) and ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1962). Similarly, Peter Finch starred in quintessentially Australian roles (such as " digger" and stockman) through a series of popular films and had a successful and diverse screen career in Britain and the United States. Both
Ron Randell Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
and Rod Taylor began their acting careers in Australia - initially in radio and on stage before appearing in such Australian films as ''Smithy'' (1946) for the former and ''Long John Silver'' (1954) for the latter. They each transferred to the United States to become Hollywood leading men in a number of films of the late 1940s (Randell) and both from the 1950s onwards. Taylor had starring roles in ''The Time Machine'' (1960) and ''The Birds'' (1963) as well as in several American television-series such as ''Hong Kong'' (1960-1961). In the 1950s British and American production-companies made several notable films in Australia based on stories from Australian literature (generally with strong rural themes). These included '' A Town Like Alice'' (1956, which starred
Virginia McKenna Dame Virginia Anne McKenna, (born 7 June 1931) is a British stage and screen actress, author and wildlife campaigner. She is best known for the films ''A Town Like Alice'' (1956), ''Carve Her Name with Pride'' (1958), ''Born Free'' (1966), and ...
and Peter Finch); ''The Shiralee'' (1957, also starring Peter Finch with Australian actors Charles Tingwell, Bill Kerr and Ed Devereaux in supporting roles); ''Robbery Under Arms'' (1957, again starring Finch); and '' Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' (1959, starring Ernest Borgnine,
John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...
and
Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...
). In 1960, ''The Sundowners'' was shot partly in the
Snowy Mountains The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia, and is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia, being part of the continent's Great Dividing Range cordillera syst ...
of
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
with foreign leads Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, and Peter Ustinov but a supporting cast including Australians - Chips Rafferty, John Meillon and Leonard Teale. In 1958,
Australian Film Institute The Australian Film Institute (AFI) was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry. It is responsi ...
was formed and in the same year began awarding the Australian Film Institute Awards. Australian film-production reached a low ebb with few notable productions during the 1960s. The 1966 comedy ''They're a Weird Mob'', starring Walter Chiari, Chips Rafferty and Claire Dunne, was a rare hit of the period which also documented something of the changing face of Australian society: telling the story of a newly-arrived Italian immigrant who, working as a labourer in Sydney, becomes mates with his co-workers, despite some difficulties with
Australian slang Australian English is a major variety of the English language spoken throughout Australia. Most of the vocabulary of Australian English is shared with British English, though there are notable differences. The vocabulary of Australia is drawn ...
and culture. The film foreshadowed the successful approaching "New Wave" of Australian cinema of the 1970s that would often showcase colloquial Australian culture. Overseas cinema continued to attract Australian actors as "action-men" with the casting of Australian George Lazenby to replace
Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
in portraying the superspy
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...
in the 1969 U.K. film ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service''.


Renaissance – 1970s and 1980s

John Gorton,
Prime Minister of Australia The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is also accountable to federal parliament under the princip ...
from 1968 to 1971, initiated several forms of government support for film and the arts, including the Australian Film Development Corporation. The
Gough Whitlam Edward Gough Whitlam (11 July 191621 October 2014) was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from 1972 to 1975. The longest-serving federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1967 to 1977, he was notable for being the h ...
government (1972–75) continued the support via its successor the
Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a producti ...
, and state governments also established assistance programs. These measures led to a resurgence of Australian film-making in both the low budget 16mm format and 35mm cinema - the
Australian New Wave The Australian New Wave (also known as the Australian Film Revival, Australian Film Renaissance, or New Australian Cinema) was an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema, particularly in the United States. It began in the ea ...
- which lasted until the mid-to-late 1980s. The era also marked the emergence of the " Ozploitation" style – characterised by the exploitation of colloquial Australian culture. Also notable during this era was the effect of the growing
feminist movement The feminist movement (also known as the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by the inequality between men and women. Such ...
. The role of women's films was discussed at the Women’s Liberation Conference in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
in 1970, and groups such as the Feminist Film Workers collective (1970s and 1980s), Sydney Women"s Film Group (SWFG, 1972–), Melbourne Women's Film Group (1973–), Reel Women (1979 to 1983 in Melbourne), and Women's Film Unit (Sydney and Melbourne, 1984/5) were established. A number of filmmakers, including Jeni Thornley, Sarah Gibson, Susan Lambert, Martha Ansara, Margot Nash and Megan McMurchy, were involved in these groups. The 1975 International Women's Film Festival, the first of its kind, was initiated by the SWFG, but groups around the country organised screening events in other state capitals. In Melbourne and
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
the festivals ran for nine days (with an audience of around 56,000), and in the other states they spanned two to three days. Films such as ''Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (directed by Peter Weir, 1975) and ''
Sunday Too Far Away ''Sunday Too Far Away'' is a 1975 Australian drama film directed by Ken Hannam. It belongs to the Australian Film Renaissance or the "Australian New Wave", which occurred during that decade. The film is set on a sheep station in the Australian o ...
'' (
Ken Hannam Ken Hannam (12 July 1929 – 16 November 2004) was an Australian film and television director who also worked in British television drama. Career Born in St Kilda, Melbourne, the eldest of three boys, Hannam lived in his youth in Sydney and w ...
, 1975) made an impact on the international scene. The 1970s and 1980s are regarded by many as a "golden age" of Australian cinema, with many successful films, from the dark dystopian fiction of '' Mad Max'' ( George Miller, 1979) to the romantic comedy of '' Crocodile Dundee'' ( Peter Faiman, 1986) and the emergence of such film-directing auteurs as
Gillian Armstrong Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas. E ...
, Phillip Noyce and Bruce Beresford. A major theme of Australian cinema which matured in the 1970s was one of survival in the harsh Australian landscape. A number of thrillers and horror-films - dubbed " outback gothic" - have appeared, including '' Wake in Fright'', ''Walkabout'', '' The Cars That Ate Paris'' and ''Picnic at Hanging Rock'' in the 1970s, ''Razorback'', ''Long Weekend'' and ''Shame'' in the 1980s and '' Japanese Story'', ''The Proposition'' and ''Wolf Creek'' in the 2000s. These films depict the
Australian bush "The bush" is a term mostly used in the English vernacular of Australia and New Zealand where it is largely synonymous with '' backwoods'' or ''hinterland'', referring to a natural undeveloped area. The fauna and flora contained within this ...
and its creatures as deadly, and its people as outcasts and psychopaths. These elements combine with futuristic post-apocalyptic themes in the ''Mad Max'' series. 1971's ''Walkabout'' was a British film, set in Australia, which became a forerunner to many Australian films related to indigenous themes; it introduced David Gulpilil to cinematic audiences. 1976's '' The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith'' directed by Fred Schepisi re-told an award-winning historical drama from the book by
Thomas Keneally Thomas Michael Keneally, AO (born 7 October 1935) is an Australian novelist, playwright, essayist, and actor. He is best known for his non-fiction novel '' Schindler's Ark'', the story of Oskar Schindler's rescue of Jews during the Holocaust, ...
about the tragic story of an Aboriginal bushranger. Classic stories from Australian literature and Australian history continued to provide popular cinematic adaptations during the 1970s and 1980s.
Gillian Armstrong Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas. E ...
's ''
My Brilliant Career ''My Brilliant Career'' is a 1901 novel written by Miles Franklin. It is the first of many novels by Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (1879–1954), one of the major Australian writers of her time. It was written while she was still a teenager, ...
'' (1979) featured Judy Davis and
Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...
in early lead-roles. 1982's ''
We of the Never Never ''We of the Never Never'' is an autobiographical novel by Jeannie Gunn first published in 1908. Although published as a novel, it is an account of the author's experiences in 1902 at Elsey Station near Mataranka, Northern Territory in which ...
'' followed up on the theme of the female experience of life in the
Australian bush "The bush" is a term mostly used in the English vernacular of Australia and New Zealand where it is largely synonymous with '' backwoods'' or ''hinterland'', referring to a natural undeveloped area. The fauna and flora contained within this ...
. 1982's ''The Man from Snowy River'', starring Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton, dramatised the classic Banjo Paterson poem of that name and became one of the all-time box-office successes of Australian cinema. In addition to the serious historical dramas popular in the 1970s, a number of films celebrating and satirizing Australian colloquial culture appeared over the decade, including: '' The Adventures of Barry McKenzie'' (1972), '' Alvin Purple'' (1973), and '' Barry McKenzie Holds His Own'' (1974). The
Barry McKenzie Barry McKenzie (full name: Barrington Bradman Bing McKenzie)Rebecca Coyle and Michael Hannan, La Trobe University, 2005 is a fictional character created in 1964 by the Australian comedian Barry Humphries (but suggested by Peter Cook) for a comic ...
films saw performing-artist and writer Barry Humphries collaborating with director Bruce Beresford. In 1976, Peter Finch won a posthumous
Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...
for his role in the American satire ''Network'', thus becoming the first Australian to win an Oscar for best actor. 1980's ''Breaker Morant'' (starring
Jack Thompson Jack Thompson may refer to: Sports *Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892) (1892–1969), English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Bristol City *Jack Thompson (1920s footballer), English footballer who played for Aston Villa and Bright ...
and
Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage. Throughout his career, he appeared in productions ...
) dramatised the controversial trial of an Australian soldier during the
Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...
of 1899-1902; there followed 1981's
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...
drama ''Gallipoli'' (directed by Peter Weir and starring
Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apoca ...
). These films, now considered classics of Australian cinema, explored contemporary Australian identity through dramatic episodes in Australian history. Gibson went on to further success in 1982's ''The Year of Living Dangerously'' before transferring to pursue his Hollywood career as an actor and director. Many other Australian stars would follow his path to international stardom in the coming decades. The director of ''The Year of Living Dangerously'', Peter Weir, also made a successful transition to Hollywood. Weir contributed to the screenplay along with its original author, Christopher Koch, and playwright David Williamson. Williamson rose to prominence in the early 1970s, and has gone on to write several other original scripts and screenplays made into successful Australian films, including: '' Don's Party'' (1976); ''Gallipoli'' (1981), ''Emerald City'' (1988), and ''Balibo'' (2009). Actor/comedian Paul Hogan wrote the screenplay and starred in the title role in his first film, '' Crocodile Dundee'' (1986), about a down-to-earth hunter who travels from the Australian outback to New York City. The movie became the most successful Australian film ever, and launched Hogan's international film career. Following the success of ''Crocodile Dundee'', Hogan starred in the sequel, ''
Crocodile Dundee II ''Crocodile Dundee II'' is a 1988 action comedy film and the second of the ''Crocodile Dundee'' film series. It is a sequel to ''Crocodile Dundee'' (1986) and was followed by ''Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles'' (2001). Actors Paul Hogan and Lin ...
'' in 1988. 1988 also saw the release of the drama ''Evil Angels'' (released outside of Australia and New Zealand as ''A Cry in the Dark'') about the
Lindy Chamberlain Alice Lynne "Lindy" Chamberlain-Creighton (née Murchison; born 4 March 1948) is a New Zealand–born Australian woman who was wrongfully convicted in one of Australia's most publicised murder trials. Accused of killing her nine-week-old daught ...
saga, in which a dingo took a baby at Ayers Rock and her mother was accused of having murdered the child. Nicole Kidman began appearing in Australian children's TV and film in the early 1980s – including starring roles in ''BMX Bandits'' and '' Bush Christmas''. During the 1980s she appeared in several Australian productions, including ''Emerald City'' (1988), and ''
Bangkok Hilton ''Bangkok Hilton'' is a three-part Australian mini-series made in 1989 by Kennedy Miller Productions and directed by Ken Cameron. The title of the mini-series is the nickname of a fictional Bangkok prison in which the main protagonist (Nicol ...
'' (1989). In 1989 Kidman starred in ''Dead Calm'' alongside
Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...
and Billy Zane. The thriller garnered strong reviews, and Hollywood roles followed.


1990–2000

The 1990s proved a successful decade for Australian film and introduced several new stars to a global audience. Low budget films such as the comedy/drama '' Muriel's Wedding'', starring Toni Collette, the gently satirical suburban comedy '' The Castle'' directed by Rob Sitch (which cast Eric Bana in his first prominent film role), and Baz Luhrmann's flamboyant '' Strictly Ballroom'' each attained commercial and critical success, and explored quirky characters inhabiting contemporary Australian suburbia – marking something of a departure from the Outback and historical sagas which obtained success in the 1970s and 1980s. Stephan Elliott's 1994 film '' The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' mixed traditional outback cinematography and landscape with contemporary urban sub-culture: following three drag queens on a road trip to Central Australia. While a number of major international stars gained early prominence in Australia over the period, an important stable of established and emerging local stars with prodigious film credits remained prominent, including screen veterans Charles Tingwell, Bill Hunter,
Jack Thompson Jack Thompson may refer to: Sports *Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892) (1892–1969), English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Bristol City *Jack Thompson (1920s footballer), English footballer who played for Aston Villa and Bright ...
, Bryan Brown and Chris Haywood. The World War II drama '' Blood Oath'' (1990) debuted both Russell Crowe and Jason Donovan, in minor cinematic roles. Crowe demonstrated his versatility as an actor in this early period of his career by starring soon after as a street gang Melbourne skinhead in 1992's ''
Romper Stomper ''Romper Stomper'' is a 1992 Australian drama film written and directed by Geoffrey Wright in his feature film directorial debut. The film stars Russell Crowe, Daniel Pollock, Jacqueline McKenzie, Tony Le-Nguyen and Colin Chin. The film tells ...
'' and then as an inner-Sydney working-class gay man in 1994's '' The Sum of Us'' before transferring to the US to commence his Hollywood career. George Miller's '' Babe'' (1995) employed new digital effects to make a barnyard come alive and went on to become one of Australia's highest-grossing films. The 1996 drama '' Shine'' achieved an
Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...
award for
Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emm ...
and Gregor Jordan's 1999 film '' Two Hands'' gave Heath Ledger his first leading role.


2001–2019

After Ledger's successful transition to Hollywood, Jordan and Ledger collaborated again in 2003, with Ledger playing the iconic bushranger title role in the film '' Ned Kelly'', co-starring British actress Naomi Watts. The canon of films related to
Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
also increased over the period of the 1990s and early 21st Century, with
Nick Parsons Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Plac ...
' 1996 film ''
Dead Heart ''Dead Heart'' is a 1996 Australian film. It was written and directed by Nick Parsons, and starred Bryan Brown, Angie Milliken, Ernie Dingo, Aaron Pedersen and John Jarratt. As a play, the piece was staged by Belvoir St Theatre, directed by ...
'' featuring Ernie Dingo and Bryan Brown;
Rolf de Heer Rolf de Heer (born 4 May 1951) is a Dutch Australian film director. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in the Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old.
's '' The Tracker'', starring Gary Sweet and David Gulpilil; and Phillip Noyce's '' Rabbit-Proof Fence'' in 2002. In 2006, Rolf de Heer's ''
Ten Canoes ''Ten Canoes'' is a 2006 Australian drama film directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr and starring Crusoe Kurddal. The title of the film arose from discussions between de Heer and David Gulpilil about a photograph of ten canoeists poling a ...
'' became the first major feature film to be shot in an Indigenous language and the film was recognised at
Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...
and elsewhere. The shifting demographics of Australia following post-war multicultural immigration was reflected in Australian cinema through the period and in successful films like 1993's '' The Heartbreak Kid''; 1999's '' Looking for Alibrandi''; 2003's ''
Fat Pizza ''Fat Pizza'' is a 2003 Australian comedy film based on the ''Pizza'' television series, both of which were created, produced, written and starred in by Paul Fenech. It was produced by Village Roadshow Pictures and SBS Independent (uncredited). ...
''; the '' Wog Boy'' comedies and 2007's ''
Romulus, My Father ''Romulus, My Father'' is a biographical memoir, first published in 1998, written by the Australian philosopher Raimond Gaita. The memoir outlines the life of his father, Romulus Gaita (1922 – May 1996). Plot Romulus Gaita fled his hometown o ...
'' which all dealt with aspects of the migrant experience or Australian subcultures. Fox Studios Australia and
Warner Roadshow Studios Village Roadshow Studios are a set of film studios located in Oxenford, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The studios are owned by Village Roadshow and consist of nine sound stages as well as a range of other production facilities. The stu ...
had hosted large international productions like '' The Matrix'', '' Star Wars II'', and ''
III III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * ...
''. Rob Sitch and Working Dog Productions followed the success of ''The Castle'' with period comedy ''
The Dish ''The Dish'' is a 2000 Australian historical comedy-drama film that tells the story of the Parkes Observatory's role in relaying live television of humanity's first steps on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. It was the top-grossing ...
'', which was the highest grossing Australian film of the Year 2000 and entered the top ten list of highest grossing Australian films. Big budget Australian-international co-productions ''
Moulin Rouge! ''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and co ...
'' ( Baz Luhrmann, 2001) and '' Happy Feet'' (which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for filmmaker George Miller in 2006) also entered the top ten list during the first decade of the new century. Baz Luhrmann directed a series of international hits and returned to Australia for the production of 2008's ''
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
'', which showcased a host of Australian stars including Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and David Wenham and went on to become the second highest-grossing film in Australian cinematic history. '' Lantana'', directed by Ray Lawrence attained critical and commercial success in 2001 for its examination of a complex series of relationships in suburban Sydney, and events surrounding a mysterious crime. It won seven AFI Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for
Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004. LaPaglia won a Prim ...
and Best Actress for Kerry Armstrong. Emerging star Sam Worthington had early lead roles in the 2002 mobster black comedy '' Dirty Deeds'' and 2003's crime caper ''
Gettin' Square ''Gettin' Square'' is a 2003 crime caper movie set on Australia's Gold Coast and directed by Jonathan Teplitzky. The protagonists are ex-criminals trying to keep out of trouble. ''Gettin' Square'' won nominations at several Australian ceremoni ...
''. ''Gettin Square'' also featured rising star David Wenham who demonstrated versatility with a string of critically acclaimed roles including the title role in Paul Cox's 1999 biopic '' Molokai: The Story of Father Damien'' and the 2001 thriller '' The Bank'', directed by the politically conscious film director Robert Connolly. In 2005, '' Little Fish'' marked a return to Australian film for actress Cate Blanchett and won five Australian Film Institute Awards including Best Actor for
Hugo Weaving Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an English actor. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ...
, Best Actress for Blanchett and Best Supporting Actress for screen veteran Noni Hazlehurst. In 2008 following Ledger's death, the documentary film celebrating the romps of the
Australian New Wave The Australian New Wave (also known as the Australian Film Revival, Australian Film Renaissance, or New Australian Cinema) was an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema, particularly in the United States. It began in the ea ...
of 1970s and 1980s low-budget cinema: '' Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!'' The film was directed by Mark Hartley and interviews filmmakers including
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...
,
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...
, George Miller and Barry Humphries. The early 2000s were generally not successful years for Australian cinema, with several confronting dramas proving unpopular at the box office. In 2008, no Australian movies made $3 million at the box office, but a conscious decision by filmmakers to broaden the types of films being made as well as the range of budgets produced a series of box-office hits at the close of the decade. Strong box office performances were recorded in 2009–10 by Bruce Beresford's '' Mao's Last Dancer''; the Aboriginal musical '' Bran Nue Dae'' the dramatization of John Marsden's novel '' Tomorrow, When the War Began''; and the crime drama '' Animal Kingdom'' which featured major Australian screen stars Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce and Jacki Weaver. ''Animal Kingdom'' achieved success at the 2010 Australian Film Institute Awards and was acclaimed at film festivals around the world. ''Tomorrow, When the War Began'' became the highest-grossing domestic film of 2010 and it was nominated for nine Australian Film Institute Awards. Other award-winning films of the period included '' Balibo'' (2009) starring
Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004. LaPaglia won a Prim ...
; Middle Eastern crime flick '' Cedar Boys'' (2009) directed by Serhat Caradee; and animated comedy drama '' Mary and Max''. World War I drama ''
Beneath Hill 60 ''Beneath Hill 60'' is a 2010 Australian war film directed by Jeremy Sims (credited as Jeremy Hartley Sims) and written by David Roach. Set during World War I, the film tells the story of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company's efforts in min ...
'' (2010), directed by
Jeremy Sims Jeremy Hartley Sims (born 10 January 1966) is an Australian actor and director. Career Jeremy Sims was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1966, and was educated at Wesley College 1977–83. His first appearance on the big screen was as 'boy on ...
and starring Brendan Cowell, was nominated for numerous awards and won three. Sally Riley, as inaugural head of the Indigenous department at
ABC Television ABC Television most commonly refers to: *ABC Television Network of the American Broadcasting Company, United States, or *ABC Television (Australian TV network), a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia ABC Television or ABC ...
, after her previous role at the
Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a producti ...
(later
Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
), has done much to develop Indigenous talent in the film and television industry. Contemporary Indigenous film-makers include Warwick Thornton,
Wayne Blair Wayne Blair may refer to: * Wayne Blair (cricketer) (1948–2019), New Zealand cricketer * Wayne Blair (director) Wayne Blair (born 28 November 1971) is an Australian writer, actor and director. He was on both sides of the camera in '' Redfer ...
, Trisha Morton-Thomas and Rachel Perkins. The Australian film industry continues to produce a reasonable number of films each year, but in common with other English-speaking countries, Australia has often found it difficult to compete with the American film industry, the latter helped by having a much larger home market. The most successful Australian actors and filmmakers are easily lured by Hollywood and rarely return to the domestic film industry. The South Australian Film Corporation continues to produce quality films, and
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
has been chosen as the location for films such as '' Hotel Mumbai'' (2019).


2020–present

An Australian film and TV industry was afflicted by
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, with at least 60
shoots In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop. In the spr ...
being halted and about 20,000 people out of work. On Monday 23 March, all productions funded by
Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
were postponed. , after some improvement in COVID-19 statistics in Australia, Screen Australia continues to fund work and process applications, intending to use all of its 2019/20 budget. Sometimes after reopening movies and TV industries, two other several films including ''
Escape from Pretoria ''Escape from Pretoria'' is a 2020 Australian prison film co-written and directed by Francis Annan, based on the real-life prison escape by three political prisoners in South Africa in 1979, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Daniel Webber. It is ba ...
'' (2020) and James Wan's reboot of
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...
franchise '' Mortal Kombat'' (2021), a feature film production in the state’s history, who were delaying the films during the pandemic.


Genres


Australian Gothic films

Gothic films incorporate Gothic elements and can be infused within different genres such as horror, romance, science fiction, and comedy. Australian Gothic films have been an accordant genera ever since the 1970s. Gothic Australian films means to make films that are diverse and use camera techniques in different ways to question what the audience may perceive. One of the Australian Gothic films created by female filmmakers Suzan Dermody and Elizabeth Jacka called ''The Screening of Australia'' (1987), shows different stylistic thematic terms and was the most successful at showing what is called the
ocker The term "ocker" is used both as a noun and adjective for an Australian who speaks and acts in a rough and uncultivated manner, using Strine, a broad Australian accent. Definition Richard Neville defined ockerism as being "about conviviality: c ...
, a term to describe a (white) Australian savage man. Other than this, there is a strong relationship between Australian Gothic films and Gothic literature. The characters and the actions that happen in a Gothic novel is created into a Gothic film. Most Gothic novels during the 1970s referred to female characters and their Australian cultural values. Although the film '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (1975) was directed by a male filmmaker, it was written by female storyteller Joan Lindsay. Lindsay decided to make this film culturally related to Australian societal issues of day-to-day lives. Her film included Gothic materials and gave a twist of horror that later the director will showcase through the mise-en-scene and cinematography. The use of Gothic materials were offered by the filmmakers Dermody and Jacka to other Australian Gothic films that have opened up to a more thematic analysis. Other Gothic films were made to broaden Australian characteristics and features. ''Smoke Em If You Got ‘Em'' (1988), produced by Jennifer Hooks, showcased the protagonist in a supernatural horrific way, but also added a comedic twist to not lose its characterization of film style.


Government support

John Gorton,
Prime Minister of Australia The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is also accountable to federal parliament under the princip ...
from 1968–1971, initiated several forms of Government support for Australian film and the arts, establishing the
Australian Council for the Arts The Australia Council for the Arts, commonly known as the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announced in 1967 as the Austra ...
, the Australian Film Development Corporation and the
National Film and Television Training School National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
. Prime Minister
Gough Whitlam Edward Gough Whitlam (11 July 191621 October 2014) was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from 1972 to 1975. The longest-serving federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1967 to 1977, he was notable for being the h ...
continued to support Australian film. The South Australian Film Corporation was established in 1972 to promote and produce films, while the
Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a producti ...
was created in 1975 to fund and produce internationally competitive films. The federal Australian government had supported the Australian film industry through the funding and development agencies of Film Finance Corporation Australia, the
Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a producti ...
and
Film Australia Film Australia was a company established by the Government of Australia to produce films about Australia in 1973. Its predecessors were the Cinema and Photographic Branch (1913–38), the Australian National Film Board (1939–1955, under diff ...
. In 2008 the three agencies were consolidated into
Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
.


Government funding bodies

*
Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
, successor to **
Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a producti ...
, **
Film Australia Film Australia was a company established by the Government of Australia to produce films about Australia in 1973. Its predecessors were the Cinema and Photographic Branch (1913–38), the Australian National Film Board (1939–1955, under diff ...
and ** Film Finance Corporation Australia *
Queensland Film Corporation The Queensland Film Corporation (QFC) was a government-funded film production company that existed in the state of Queensland, Australia, in the 1980s. History The Queensland Film Corporation was established by the ''Queensland Film Industry Dev ...
(defunct) *
Screen NSW ---> Screen NSW, formerly known as the New South Wales Film and Television Office, or FTO, and before that the New South Wales Film Corporation, is a brand name that is part of Create NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales that is ...
* Screenwest * South Australian Film Corporation *
Tasmanian Film Corporation The Tasmanian Film Corporation was a Tasmanian statutory corporation founded 1977 to replace the Tasmanian Government Department of Film Production. Films By far its biggest success was Manganinnie, an AFI Award and AWGIE Award winning feature fil ...
(defunct) *
VicScreen VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victorian Government’s creative and economic screen development agency. They function behind the scenes, supporting professionals, infrastructure, projects and events – elevating Victori ...


Highest-grossing Australian films


Other financial hits

High-grossing Australian films from earlier decades include: *1900s – '' The Story of the Kelly Gang'' (1906) (gross £20,000) *1910s – ''
The Fatal Wedding ''The Fatal Wedding'' is a play by Theodore Kremer and a 1911 Australian silent film directed by Raymond Longford based on the melodrama, which he and Lottie Lyell had toured around Australia.
'' (1911) (£18,000), '' The Life Story of John Lee, or The Man They Could Not Hang'' (1912) (£20,000), ''
The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell ''The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell'' is a 1916 Australian silent film about the execution of nurse Edith Cavell during World War I. Although one of the most popular Australian silent movies ever made, it is considered a lost film. Synopsis The st ...
'' (1915) (£25,000) *1920s – '' For the Term of His Natural Life'' (1927) (over £40,000) *1930s – '' On Our Selection'' (1932) (£60,000), '' The Silence of Dean Maitland'' (1934) (£50,000) *1940s – ''
Forty Thousand Horsemen ''Forty Thousand Horsemen'' (aka ''40,000 Horsemen'') is a 1940 Australian war film directed by Charles Chauvel. The film tells the story of the Australian Light Horse (mounted rifleman as distinct from cavalry) which operated in the desert at t ...
'' (1940) (£130,000), '' Smithy'' (1946) (over £50,000), '' The Overlanders'' (1946) (£250,000), ''
Sons of Matthew ''Sons of Matthew'' is a 1949 Australian film directed and produced and co-written by Charles Chauvel. The film was shot in 1947 on location in Queensland, Australia, and the studio sequences in Sydney. ''Sons of Matthew'' took 18 months to comp ...
'' (1949) *1950s – '' Walk Into Paradise'' (1956) *1960s – '' They're a Weird Mob'' (1966) (over $2 million) *1970s – '' Alvin Purple'' (1973) ($4.72 million), '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (1975) (over $5 million), '' Mad Max'' (1979) ($100 million)


Directors

*
Gillian Armstrong Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas. E ...
* Tony Ayres *
Stuart Beattie Stuart Beattie (born 4 August 1971) is an Australian filmmaker. His screenplay for '' Collateral'' (2004) earned him nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay, Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay and Saturn Award fo ...
* Bruce Beresford * Charles Chauvel * Paul Cox *
Kieran Darcy-Smith Kieran Darcy-Smith is an Australian actor, film director, and screenwriter. He is best known for starring in the films '' The Cave'', '' The Square'', '' Animal Kingdom'', and '' The Reef''. He made his feature film directing debut with 2012 fil ...
* Andrew Dominik *
Kevin James Dobson Kevin James Dobson (born 1952)page 140 is an Australian director who worked extensively in film and television. His full name is used in order to avoid confusion with the actor Kevin Dobson. Personal life Dobson was born in Manchester. He emigra ...
*
Matt Drummond Matthew Simon Drummond is an Australian film director, screenwriter and visual effects supervisor. Personal Matthew Drummond is the eldest child of musician Pat Drummond and the brother of Pete Drummond from the Australasian band Dragon. C ...
* Peter Duncan * Adam Elliot * Stephan Elliott * Richard Franklin (director) *
Rolf de Heer Rolf de Heer (born 4 May 1951) is a Dutch Australian film director. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in the Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old.
* Scott Hicks * John Hillcoat *
P. J. Hogan Paul John "P. J." Hogan (born 30 November 1962) is an AACTA Award-winning Australian film director and writer. Early life Hogan was born in Brisbane, Queensland. As a teenager, he lived on the North Coast of New South Wales and attended Mt S ...
* Gregor Jordan * Ray Lawrence * Raymond Longford * Baz Luhrmann *
James McTeigue James McTeigue (born December 29, 1967) is an Australian film and television director. He has been an assistant director on many films, including '' Dark City'' (1998), the ''Matrix'' trilogy (1999–2003) and '' Star Wars: Episode II – Att ...
* George Miller * George T. Miller * Russell Mulcahy * Chris Noonan * Phillip Noyce * Matthew Victor Pastor * Alex Proyas * Sally Riley * Fred Schepisi * Anupam Sharma * Rob Sitch *
Kriv Stenders Kriv Stenders is an Australian writer, producer and director best known for the film '' Red Dog'' and the thriller film ''Kill Me Three Times''. He started off directing music videos for many famous Australian bands, including Go Betweens, M ...
* Warwick Thornton * Brian Trenchard-Smith * James Wan * Rachel Ward * Peter Weir * Simon Wincer *
Leigh Whannell Leigh Whannell (; is an Australian screenwriter, actor, film producer, and film director. He is best known for writing films directed by his friend James Wan, including ''Saw'' (2004), ''Dead Silence'' (2007), '' Insidious'' (2010), and '' Insi ...


Actors

File:Errol Flynn1.jpg,
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...
, star of '' The Adventures of Robin Hood'' and '' Captain Blood'' File:Eric Bana at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.jpg, Eric Bana, star of '' Chopper'' and ''
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...
'' File:Cate Blanchett Cannes 2015.jpg, Cate Blanchett, the first Australian to win two
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
and the most nominated Australian in the acting categories overall with 7 nominations. File:Toni Collette (8968233309).jpg, Toni Collette, star of '' Muriel's Wedding'' and '' Little Miss Sunshine'' File:Abbie Cornish (8140596577).jpg, Abbie Cornish, star of '' Somersault'' and '' Sucker Punch'' File:Judy Davis - Eye of The Storm.jpg, Judy Davis, star of '' The Dressmaker'' and '' Husbands and Wives'' File:Joel Edgerton in 2017.jpg, Joel Edgerton, star of '' Animal Kingdom'' and ''
Loving Loving may refer to: * Love, a range of human emotions * Loving (surname) * ''Loving v. Virginia'', a 1967 landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case Film and television * Loving (1970 film), ''Loving'' (1970 film), an American fi ...
'' File:Chris Hemsworth by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Chris Hemsworth, who has found success as
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...
File:World Premiere Logan Berlinale 2017.jpg, Hugh Jackman, who has found success as Logan / Wolverine in the ''X-Men'' film series File:John Jarratt (Man Of Steel red carpet movie premiere, Sydney).jpg, John Jarratt, star of ''
Wolf Creek Wolf Creek may refer to: Bodies of water Missouri * Wolf Creek (Beaver Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (Cane Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (Cave Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (Elkhorn Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (South Grand River tributary) * ...
'' and ''
Wolf Creek 2 ''Wolf Creek 2'' is a 2013 Australian horror film co-written and directed by Greg McLean. The film is a sequel to the 2005 film '' Wolf Creek'' and stars John Jarratt, reprising his role as Mick Taylor. It was released on 30 August 2013 at the V ...
'' File:Nicole Kidman Cannes 2017 2.jpg, Nicole Kidman, the first Australian to win the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year ...
and one of Hollywood's highest paid performers. File:Heath Ledger (Berlin Film Festival 2006) revised.jpg, Heath Ledger, star of ''
Brokeback Mountain ''Brokeback Mountain'' is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written ...
'' and '' The Dark Knight'' File:Ben Mendelsohn by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Ben Mendelsohn, star of '' Animal Kingdom'' and '' Mississippi Grind'' File:Guy Pearce Cannes 2012 (revised).jpg, Guy Pearce, star of '' Memento'' and '' The Rover'' File:Chips Rafferty.jpg, Chips Rafferty, star of '' The Overlanders'' and '' Wake in Fright'' File:SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23 Margot Robbie arrives at the Australian Premiere of 'I, Tonya' on January 23, 2018 in Sydney, Australia (28074883999) (cropped).jpg, Margot Robbie, star of '' The Wolf of Wall Street'' and '' Suicide Squad'' File:GeoffreyRushTIFFSept2011.jpg,
Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emm ...
, the first Australian to win an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
,
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
,
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
, and
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
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Hugo Weaving Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an English actor. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ...
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The Australian film industry has produced a number of successful actors, actresses, writers, directors and filmmakers many of whom have been known internationally. Actors *
David Argue David J. Argue (born 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Snowy in ''Gallipoli'' as well as the lead role in the 1993 film '' Hercules Returns'' and Dicko in the 1983 film ''Razorback''. Filmography Films Televisio ...
* Simon Baker * Eric Bana *
Grant Bowler Grant Bowler (born 18 July 1968) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and television presenter who has worked in American, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian film, television, and theatre. He is known for playing the role of Constable Wayne ...
*
Luke Bracey Luke Bracey (born 26 April 1989) is an Australian actor. He is known for his work in films such as ''Monte Carlo'', '' G.I. Joe: Retaliation'', ''The November Man'', ''Point Break'', and ''Hacksaw Ridge''; and for television series such as ''Ho ...
* Bryan Brown * Jason Clarke * Vince Colosimo * Jai Courtney * Brendan Cowell * Russell Crowe * Max Cullen * Ed Devereaux * Ernie Dingo * Joel Edgerton *
Eamon Farren Eamon Farren (born 19 May 1985) is an Australian actor. Following starring roles in the films '' X: Night of Vengeance'' (2011) and '' Chained'' (2012), he came to prominence for portraying Richard Horne in the 2017 revival of ''Twin Peaks''. H ...
* Travis Fimmel * Peter Finch *
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...
* David Franklin *
Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apoca ...
* David Gulpilil * Chris Hemsworth * Liam Hemsworth *
Luke Hemsworth Luke Hemsworth (born 5 November 1980) is an Australian actor who is known for his roles as Nathan Tyson in the TV series ''Neighbours'' and as Ashley Stubbs in the HBO sci-fi series ''Westworld''. He is the older brother of actors Chris Hemswor ...
* Damon Herriman * Paul Hogan * Barry Humphries * Bill Hunter * Hugh Jackman * Shane Jacobson * John Jarratt * Sean Keenan * Ryan Kwanten *
Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004. LaPaglia won a Prim ...
* George Lazenby * Heath Ledger * Keiynan Lonsdale * Callan McAuliffe * Leo McKern * Julian McMahon * John Meillon * Ben Mendelsohn *
Levi Miller Levi Zane Miller (born 30 September 2002) is an Australian actor and model. He is known for playing Peter Pan in '' Pan'' (2015), Luke in ''Better Watch Out'' (2016), and Calvin in ''A Wrinkle in Time'' (2018). Early life Miller was born in ...
* Callan Mulvey *
Matthew Nable Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league player. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah and ...
* John Noble * Barry Otto * Guy Pearce * Peter Phelps * Dominic Purcell * Wayne Pygram * Chips Rafferty * Richard Roxburgh *
Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emm ...
* Benedict Samuel * Xavier Samuel *
Yahoo Serious Yahoo Serious (born Greg Gomez Pead; 27 July 1953) is an Australian film actor, director, and score composer. His films include the comedy films ''Young Einstein'' (1988), ''Reckless Kelly'' (1993), and ''Mr. Accident'' (2000). Serious writes, ...
* Anthony Simcoe *
Troye Sivan Troye Sivan Mellet ( ; born 5 June 1995) is an Australian singer-songwriter, actor and YouTuber. After gaining popularity as a singer on YouTube and in Australian talent competitions, Sivan signed with EMI Australia in 2013 and released his th ...
* Kodi Smit-McPhee *
Jesse Spencer Jesse Gordon Spencer (born 12 February 1979) is an Australian actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Billy Kennedy on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' (1994–2000, 2005, 2022), Robert Chase on the American medical drama ...
* Sullivan Stapleton * Nick Tate * Noah Taylor * Rod Taylor *
Jack Thompson Jack Thompson may refer to: Sports *Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892) (1892–1969), English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Bristol City *Jack Thompson (1920s footballer), English footballer who played for Aston Villa and Bright ...
* Brenton Thwaites * Charles Tingwell * Lani Tupu * Rhys Wakefield *
Hugo Weaving Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an English actor. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ...
* David Wenham * Sam Worthington *
Aden Young Aden Young (born 30 November 1971) is a Canadian-Australian actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Daniel Holden in the SundanceTV drama ''Rectify'', for which he was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor ...
Actresses * Judith Anderson * Jacinda Barrett *
Lorraine Bayly Lorraine Daphne Bayly AM (born 16 January 1937) is an Australian actress of film, television and theatre, presenter, singer, dancer, pianist and theatre director and writer. She is perhaps best known to small screen audiences for her soap ...
* Claudia Black * Cate Blanchett * Emily Browning * Rose Byrne *
Bianca Chiminello Bianca Chiminello (born 1976) is an Australian model and actress best known for her role as Jenavian Charto on the television series ''Farscape''. She is also known for her role in David Fincher's '' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'', sta ...
* Toni Collette *
Alyssa-Jane Cook Alyssa-Jane Cook (born 16 February 1967) is an Australian actress, singer and TV presenter currently on TVSN. Actress roles She is best known for her regular role as ''Lisa Bennett'' on the Australian television soap opera '' E Street''. Sh ...
* Abbie Cornish * Ruth Cracknell *
Linda Cropper Linda Cropper (born 1 January 1958) is an Australian actress, primarily known for her role as Geraldine Proudman in the TV series ''Offspring'' and as Dame Nellie Melba in the television series '' Melba''. An shortened edited version of the tel ...
* Essie Davis * Judy Davis * Elizabeth Debicki *
Courtney Eaton Courtney Eaton (born 6 January 1996) is an Australian actress. She is known for her supporting roles as Ava in the 2019 film ''Line of Duty'', Cheedo the Fragile in the 2015 film '' Mad Max: Fury Road'', and as Zaya in the 2016 film '' Gods of ...
* Gigi Edgley *
Belinda Emmett Belinda Jane Emmett (12 April 1974 – 11 November 2006) was an Australian actress and singer. She was best known for her roles in the TV drama series ''Home and Away'' and '' All Saints'' as well as the sitcom '' Hey Dad..!''. She was married ...
* Indiana Evans * Isla Fisher * Lucy Fry * Megan Gale *
Melissa George Melissa George (born 6 August 1976) is an Australian actress and entrepreneur. A former national artistic rollerskating champion and model, George began her acting career playing Angel Parrish in the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1993– ...
* Rachel Griffiths * Noni Hazlehurst * Bella Heathcote *
Cariba Heine Cariba Heine (born 1 October 1988) is a South African-born Australian actress and dancer. She is known for her roles as Rikki Chadwick in the Network Ten show '' H2O: Just Add Water'', Bridget Sanchez in the third series of ''Blue Water High'', ...
* Virginia Hey * Raelee Hill * Claire Holt * Natalie Imbruglia * Melissa Jaffer *
Adelaide Kane Adelaide Victoria Kane (born 9 August 1990) is an Australian actress and model. She first gained recognition for her roles as Lolly Allen in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' and Tenaya 7 (later Tenaya 15) in the children's series '' Power Rangers R ...
* Nicole Kidman * Shiori Kutsuna *
Katherine Langford Katherine Langford (born 29 April 1996) is an Australian actress. After appearing in several independent films, she had her breakthrough starring as Hannah Baker in the Netflix television series ''13 Reasons Why'' (2017–2018), which earned h ...
* Isabel Lucas * Lottie Lyell * Tammy MacIntosh * Elle Macpherson * Deborah Mailman * Jessica Marais *
Miriam Margolyes Miriam ( he, מִרְיָם ''Mīryām'', lit. 'Rebellion') is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus. The ...
* Robin McLeavy *
Dannii Minogue Danielle Jane Minogue () is an Australian singer, television personality, and actress. She initially gained recognition for her appearances on the television show '' Young Talent Time'' (1982–1988) and for her role as Emma Jackson on t ...
*
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
* Sophie Monk *
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one s ...
* Miranda Otto * Teresa Palmer *
Susie Porter Susie Porter (born 1970 or 1971) is an Australian television, film and theatre actress. She made her debut in the 1996 film '' Idiot Box'', before rising to prominence in films including '' Paradise Road'' (1997), ''Welcome to Woop Woop'' (1997) ...
* Emilie de Ravin *
Rebecca Riggs Rebecca Riggs is an Australian actress best known for her role as Commandant Grayza in the science fiction television series ''Farscape''. Career Television Riggs play the recurring role of Commandant Grayza in the TV show Farscape. She ha ...
* Margot Robbie *
Ruby Rose Ruby Rose Langenheim (born 20 March 1986) is an Australian model, actress, disc jockey and television presenter. Rose was a presenter on MTV Australia (2007–2011), followed by several high-profile modelling gigs, including Maybelline New Yor ...
* Portia de Rossi * Greta Scacchi *
Pallavi Sharda Pallavi Sharda (born 5 March 1990) is an Australian actress of Indian descent, and a classical Indian Bharathanatyam dancer. Her film credits include Oscar nominated film '' Lion'' (2016), Bollywood films ''Begum Jaan'' (2017) and ''Hawaizaada ...
* Sia * Sarah Snook * Yvonne Strahovski *
Magda Szubanski Magdalene Mary Therese Szubanski ( ; born 12 April 1961) is an Australian comedy actress, author, singer and LGBT rights advocate. She performed in ''Fast Forward'', ''Kath & Kim'' as Sharon Strzelecki and in the films ''Babe'' (1995) and ' ...
*
Rachael Taylor Rachael May Taylor (born 11 July 1984) is an Australian actress and model. Her first lead role was in the Australian series ''headLand'' (2005–2006). She then made the transition to Hollywood, appearing in films including ''Man-Thing'' (2005 ...
* Sigrid Thornton * Sonia Todd * Phoebe Tonkin * Anna Torv * Holly Valance * Leeanna Walsman * Mia Wasikowska * Naomi Watts * Jacki Weaver * Samara Weaving * Peta Wilson * Rebel Wilson * Gemma Ward * Odessa Young


See also

* Antipodean Film Festival * Australian Directors Guild * Australian Writers' Guild * Event Hospitality and Entertainment * List of Australian films * List of films set in Australia * List of films shot in Adelaide * List of films shot in Darwin * List of films shot in Melbourne * List of films shot in Queensland * List of films shot in Sydney * List of films shot in Tasmania * List of films shot in Western Australia * List of cinema of the world * Television in Australia * World cinema


References


Literature


Encyclopedia and reference

* Goldsmith, Ben, Ryan, Mark David, and Lealand, Geoff Eds. "Directory of World Cinema : Australia and New Zealand 2". Bristol: Intellect, 2014. * Murray, Scott, ed. ''Australian Film: 1978–1994''. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1995. * Pike, Andrew and Ross Cooper. ''Australian Film: 1900–1977''. revised ed. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998. * McFarland, Brian, Geoff Mayer and Ina Bertrand, eds. ''The Oxford Companion to Australian Film''. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1999. * Moran, Albert and Errol Vieth. ''Historical Dictionary of Australian and New Zealand Cinema''. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press, 2005. * Reade, Eric. ''Australian Silent Films: A Pictorial History of Silent Films from 1896 to 1926''. Melbourne: Lansdowne Press, 1970. * Deb Verhoeven, Verhoeven, Deb, ed. ''Twin Peeks: Australian and New Zealand Feature Films''. Melbourne: Damned Publishing, 1999.


Critique and commentary

* Ryan, Mark David and Goldsmith, Ben
Australian Screen in the 2000s
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland. * Collins, Felicity, and Theresa Davis. ''Australian Cinema After Mabo''. Sydney: Cambridge University Press, 2004. * Dawson, Jonathan, and Bruce Molloy, eds. ''Queensland Images in Film and Television''. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 1990. * Dermody, Susan and Elizabeth Jacka, eds. ''The Screening of Australia, Volume 1: Anatomy of a Film Industry''. Sydney: Currency Press, 1987. *——— . ''The Screening of Australia, Volume 2: Anatomy of a National Cinema''. Sydney: Currency Press, 1988. * Moran, Albert and Tom O’Regan, eds. ''An Australian Film Reader'' (Australian Screen Series). Sydney: Currency Press, 1985. * Moran, Albert and Errol Vieth. ''Film in Australia: An Introduction'' Sydney: Cambridge University Press, 2006. * O'Regan, Tom. ''Australian National Cinema''. London: Routledge, 1996. * Ryan, Mark, David (2009
'Whither Culture? Australian Horror Films and the Limitations of Cultural Policy'
Media International Australia: Incorporating Culture and Policy, no. 133, pp. 43–55. * Stratton, David. ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry''. Sydney : Pan Macmillan, 1990. 465p. * Verhoeven, Deb. ''Sheep and the Australian Cinema''. Melbourne : MUP, 2006.


External links


Commonwealth and State Government Sites


australianscreen
– Australia's audiovisual heritage online
Screen Australia

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia

Australian Government site on Film in Australia

Pacific Film and Television Corporation (Queensland)

New South Wales Film and Television Office

Australian Centre for the Moving Image (Victoria)

South Australia Film Corporation

Filmwest (Western Australia)

Australian Film, Television and Radio School

Film Making studies in Australia


Non-government sites


film.org.au: the best of Australian Films

Internet Movie Database, Australia

Australian Cinemas Map

Ozmovies Australian Film Database, Australia



Anything Oz or New Zealand Films site

Cinema and Audiences Research Project (CAARP)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinema Of Australia Cinema of Australia,