Bengaluru: Australian Consulate-General Sean Kelly announced the launch of an Australian Film Showcase in Bengaluru from 12-14 May. This Film Showcase will be taking place at INOX, Mantri Square Mall. Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) chairman S V Rajendra Singh Babu was present on the occasion.

“This is our first ever Australian Film showcase in Bengaluru, and I am delighted to be a part of it. The Australian film industry makes only about 25 films every year, but we produce high quality films, and high quality film talent,” Sean Kelly said.

The Showcase will include eight films- Red Dog: True Blue, Dirty Deeds, Red Dog, The Dressmaker, Force of Destiny, Lion, The Sapphires and Swerve.

“Films like Force of Destiny and Red Dog: True Blue have never been released in Asia, and will be showcased for the first time,’’ Kelly said.

The Film Showcase aims to create awareness among Indian movie buffs about Australian film industry. “Many people think they don’t know about Australian film industry. They might be aware of actors like Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett, and movies like Happy Feet and Moulin Rouge but they are not aware that they are Australian,” said Kelly.

Entry is free and open to all. Passes will be available to the public at KCA and INOX, Mantri Square Mall. These passes will be issued on a first-come first-serve basis.

Australian actor and producer Bryan Brown and producer Nelson Woss will also be participating in the film festival. They will be an integral part of the Film Collaboration Workshop which will be organized on 11th May. This workshop will concentrate on the co-productions, location filming, technical aspects, film distribution, film education and other incentives between the South Indian and Australian film industries.

“We will be taking advantage of the participation of Bryan and Nelson to open a dialogue with the vibrant South Indian film industry on film collaboration. I hope that this film showcase will highlight the strength and capacities that the Australian industry has to offer and provide a foundation for strong ties in filmmaking,” Kelly said.

The Australian Consulate-General is organising this festival in Bengaluru in collaboration with KCA.

“We want a film showcase like this to take place every year to provide an opportunity for us to discuss how to take our culture and films to countries like Australia. We extend our full support to the Australian film fraternity, which has great actors and technicians,” KCA President Rajendra Singh Babu said.

Babu has also spoken about bringing the South Indian film industries to the limelight, instead of just focusing on Bollywood.