SCREEN FOREVER / News / SCREEN FOREVER stays in Queensland

04 May 2023

Today Screen Producers Australia (SPA) are thrilled to announce that Australia’s premier screen industry event, SCREEN FOREVER, will call Queensland’s glittering Gold Coast home for another three years. 

For 37 years, SCREEN FOREVER has developed an unrivalled ability to unite the sector and provide a world-class platform to champion the talent, passion, and achievements of the Australian screen industry, and SPA can think of no better place to house SCREEN FOREVER than one of Asia Pacific’s most exciting screen hubs.  

“We’re excited to extend our stay in the Gold Coast, Queensland, and want to thank the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland and the City of Gold Coast for their continued support. Since moving to Queensland, the conference has showcased the state’s diverse locations and world-class facilities. We are certain industry practitioners, both locally and internationally, will share in our excitement at three more years up north,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner. 
 
“SCREEN FOREVER is crucial to the health of the Australian screen industry and, on average, brings over 1,000 local, national, and international screen industry professionals together, promoting and strengthening Australia’s screen industry, and we can’t think of a better place to do this for another three years than Queensland,” said Mr Deaner. 

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was delighted to secure the new deal with SPA to keep SCREEN FOREVER on the Gold Coast for another three years.  

“The event has been incredibly valuable to our local economy, as both the screen industry and the tourism sector continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic,” the Premier said.  

“This new agreement comes a few months after we signed another three-year deal for the Gold Coast to host Australia’s Academy Awards – the AACTAs. 

“Events like these bolster the city’s reputation as the foremost screen hub of the Asia Pacific. 

“It’s a place where ideas are born, where deals are done, where cameras roll, and where we honour screen excellence.  

“And all of this leads to more jobs for Queenslanders. 

“I thank Screen Producers Australia for their investment and their continued contribution to screen culture and jobs in Queensland.

“Screen Queensland welcomes the continuation of our SCREEN FOREVER partnership with Screen Producers Australia. The Gold Coast is very much at the heart of Queensland’s thriving screen production sector and remains the perfect setting for the industry to come together and focus on the future.  

“This three-year agreement provides more opportunities for Queensland practitioners and businesses to take full advantage of Australia’s leading screen conference being held right here in the sunshine state,” said Dr Belinda Burns, Acting CEO, Screen Queensland. 

“What a fantastic announcement for our city and the industry," said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.  

"I thank Screen Producers Australia, Screen Queensland and the State Government for backing our industry which has grown significantly in the past four years.   

"The next three years will supercharge the opportunities coming our way," said Mr Tate. 

SCREEN FOREVER provides a vital forum for discussion and debate on the issues and challenges that affect screen business. Most importantly, SCREEN FOREVER, through the SPA Connect Marketplace, delivers precious business opportunities which progress, amplify and strengthen Australian screen stories. 

It unites the pillars of entertainment, media, and technology and is one of the largest congregations of screen industry professionals in the Southern Hemisphere and attended by The Who’s Who in Australian screen business – the leading Australian and international industry practitioners involved in all aspects of producing, creating, writing, directing, distributing, and financing screen content across film, television, games, interactive and online.