SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
OPENING OF THE AUSTRALIAN
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
SYDNEY TOWN HALL 5 MAY 1984
It gives me a great deal of pleasure to be with you on this
special occasion the Australian Children's International
Film Festival.
As many of you will know Hazel and I are particularly
interested in and concerned about entertainment for young
people. Hazel eagerly accepted the nomination to become a
member of the Board of the Australian Children's Television
Foundation, which is doing a fine job in the television area
for our* children.
Many of your present here tonight are deeply involved in the
education of children. You will therefore keenly appreciate
the enormous influence of film and television in our
children's your students formative years.
The facts speak for themselves. According to the Australian
Children's Television Foundation:
Throughout their schooling children complete 11,500
hours of formal education
They will also view 15,000 hours of television
They will witness some 18,000 murders
They will-view 500,000 advertisements
And they will watch 7 times more films than they
read books.
Nothing could more graphically illustrate the need for the
community parents, educators and the entertainment
industry alike to come to grips with the implications of
this situation. Film and television are far and away the
most substantive media influence on our children. The
quality of the product is of critical importance.
And that is why I am especially pleased with this initiative
by the Yoram Gross Film Studio and the Australian Film
Commission to continue an Australian Children's
International Film Festival. It will give us all a chance
to see the best in children's films from around the world
and from within Australia.
The Festival will also help in developing an understanding
of the standards at which we should aim. Hopefully it will
as well help in spreading awareness of Australia's own film
making capabilities.
We have all taken great pride in the resurgence o~ f the
Australian Film Industry over recent years. But ' I suspect
that the average citizen thinks only about the obvious adult
box-office successes like " Picnic at Hanging Rock", " The Man
from Snowy River" and " Breaker Morant".
The fact is that alongside the burgeoning and successful
Australian feature film industry we also have a growing
quality children's film production capability.
In the film and television animation industry alone, studios
are employing hundreds of artists, writers, actors and
technicians on a regular basis.
And overseas network and cable television buyers, as well as
cinemas, are keen to buy our products. " Dot and the
Kangaroo", for example, has now been screening in the United
States for four years a sure sign that it is greatly
appreciated. As with adult films Australia's ability to produce
children's films that have style and quality goes back to
the first days of cinema.
And with the Government's interest in thingjs archival you
will believe me when I say I am delighted that the National
Film Archive, which we have recently taken steps to
establish on a more secure basis, has made available the
1927 classic " The Kid Stakes" for this Festival.
But to return to the present what can we expect at this
Festival? I am told some of the features to be shown over the next
week have won awards at other international film festivals.
During this festival, audiences will have the opportunity to
see a film entitled " Ten to Survive", produced by ten
countries for UNICEF. The Film is about the rights of thve
child as outlined by the United Nations.
3.
The seventh " Right" involves education and it reads in part
"( The Child) shall be given an education that will promote
his general culture". Children's films have become part of
our culture, and our culture has become an integral part of
our indigenous children's films.
In short, quality productions designed for either cinema or
television can be both entertaining and, at the same time, a
satisfying and effective way for young Australians to learn
more about life, both here and overseas. As such we cannot
attach too much importance to continued Australian success
in this field.
I wish you all well with this important project'and I have
very great pleasure in declaring this Australian Children's
International Film Festival officially open.