More than 50 filmmakers, producers, brands and agency leaders gathered at Thinkerbell’s Melbourne office on Thursday evening for the latest Cairns Crocodiles Film & Screen track Cheese & Wine event.
Following the successful debut of the Film & Screen track at Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, this year, the evening brought together representatives from across Melbourne’s creative industries to celebrate and promote the track’s return in May 2027.
Attendees included executives from Sick Dog Wolf Man, TBWA, Australian production house Wildebeest, Whale, Bastion, Ruma Films, Otherside and dentsu. Representatives from The Iconic, Visit Victoria and Pacific Islands including Tonga, were also among those who joined the festivities.
Also in attendance were familiar Cairns Crocodiles faces, including Film & Screen advisory board member, Thinkerbell co-founder and venue host of the evening Adam Ferrier; Cairns Crocodiles MC Stephanie Tranquille; Poppet founder and executive producer Nat Taylor; and independent creative director and creative consultant Michael Skarbek. Taylor and Skarbek both took part in the moving and impactful Creativity Needs Different Brains session at this year’s Cairns Crocodiles.
The evening kicked off with a welcome from Cairns Crocodiles content director Pippa Chambers, who reflected on the festival’s remarkable growth since its founding in 2022, from an inaugural audience of 600 to approximately 2,300 delegates in 2026, with ambitions to welcome more than 2,500 in 2027.
“It’s fantastic to have so many people from Melbourne’s buzzing film, screen and brand communities in one room,” former adland journalist Chambers said.
“Film & Screen was our first dedicated breakout track at Cairns Crocodiles, but it certainly won’t be our last.”
The evening also celebrated the success of the 2026 programme, which featured standout speakers including Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, acclaimed director and cinematographer Warwick Thornton, Hollywood cinematographer Toby Oliver ACS, award-winning creative leader Paula Bloodworth, advertising pioneer Jane Evans and Adam Smith, visual director for The Chemical Brothers.
“We’re incredibly excited about what we’re building for 2027 and the opportunities to bring different creative industries together,” Chambers added.
“There’s so much crossover happening between brands and entertainment, and we want Cairns Crocodiles to be right at the heart of those conversations.”
“There’s a real appetite for bringing the film and screen industries closer to the worlds of advertising, marketing and brands,” said de Clare.
“Our first year demonstrated just how much these industries have to learn from one another. For 2027, we’re looking to build on that momentum, bring even more diverse voices into the conversation and create a space where filmmakers, producers, creatives and brands can make meaningful connections.”
The conversation segued neatly to Thinkerbell co-founder Ferrier, who shared insights into the growing amount of work his agency has been doing in the microdrama space.
With Veuve Clicquot champagne flowing and plenty of cheese on offer, the evening continued with conversations and connections across the industry.
Later in the evening, emerging filmmakers Talia Liddle and Travis Cloudy-Hensgen (below) took to the microphone to share the exciting news that their short film, Protest on the Dancefloor, had been selected among 30 short films progressing to the next stage of AACTA Awards consideration.
Written and directed by Liddle, and produced by and starring Cloudy-Hensgen, Protest on the Dancefloor explores how Blackfellas in Naarm (Melbourne) use music and dancefloors to create spaces of sovereignty, connection and liberation amid an ever-changing political climate.
The film, which also featured in the Melbourne International Film Festival programme, was a fitting example of the emerging filmmaking talent Cairns Crocodiles is passionate about championing.
Cairns Crocodiles Film & Screen returns as part of Cairns Crocodiles 2027, taking place on day two of the festival on 26 May at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Got a great session idea for Cairns Crocodiles 2027? Submissions are now open through the festival’s Topics in the Tropics portal, with creatives, brands and industry leaders invited to pitch their ideas before entries close on 31 October.
Get your ticket now before prices go up on December 31st!
