Last week, Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham, B&T’s bon vivant, editorial consultant and MFA Hall of Famer, has just returned from the Gold Coast. No, he wasn’t there for Schoolies, but was there for the 77th Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC). In this first article part of a Val Morgan content series, he shares what he took away.
I’m thrilled to be back at the 77th AIMC on the sunny Gold Coast. Many moons ago when I worked on the Disney business in Melbourne with industry legend Alan Finney, we regularly attended the convention at the Royal Pines Resort.
WOW how the convention has evolved and represents the dynamic thriving local cinema industry. Excluding India we are the eight largest international box office market globally and it’s brilliant to see the big international studios, indies and exhibitors large and small come together to celebrate cinema over a jam packed four days. More than 800 people with over 40 sessions, four special advance screenings plus a trade expo show and unlimited Bulla Choc Tops and Darrell Lea treats. The AIMC executive director Cameron Mitchell and his small but mighty team including Sonia, Bec, Rob and Tim should be super proud of an outstanding conference that showcases the diverse content available on our cinema screens and the vital cultural impact it delivers.
Now normally I would share with you the inside oil, scoops on the slates presented and reviews of the extraordinary films arriving in your cinema next year. However, I respect the AIMC’s Confidentially/NDA agreements, this conference is a closed event and our mobile phones are placed in security pouches. From the AIMC website the program does name The Correspondent, Gladiator II, The Last Journey and Better Man as films screening at the convention.
Over our four-part movie convention content series I will interview movie studios marketing executives and industry leaders who will share their overall perspectives of the conference.
One vital fact I would like to highlight is that our local box office results are intrinsically linked to the number of movie titles released and their audience appeal. Post-pandemic and with the recent writers strike, the availability of product out of Hollywood was greatly reduced. I can happily report that next year with full diverse slates from the big studios plus an incredible line up from the indies the box office is going to go gangbusters. I will even go out on a limb and predict we will smash previous years results and have a new box office record in Australia and New Zealand.
On reflection, for a movie geek like me to spend four days in a darkened theatre fitted out with Hoyt’s technology and incredible sound attending the Australian International Movie Convention is heaven. At the AIMC the magic of movies is truly brought to life… I was on the edge of my seat holding my breath, smiling, laughing, thinking WTF, Goosebumps and with tears in my eyes as a scene touched my heart! Only incredible movies on the big screen can elicit all those emotions and be an important cultural moment plus deliver the magic of the cinema experience.
I’ll be back next year!
