The AFI Awards will have a new home from next year, at the Sydney Opera House.
Sydney has won the event after a 10 year run in Melbourne.
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally has announced that Sydney would host the film awards ceremony, from 2011 to 2014.
“Securing the AFI awards is a major coup for Sydney and it further reinforces NSW’s position as the creative capital,” Ms Keneally said. “All up we are spending $1.7 million per year and we think this is a good investment in a film and television industry that returns over $400 million to the economy.”
AFI Chairman Morry Schwartz thanked the Victorian government for its support, adding, “We intend it to be an event that will even more appropriately showcase the national and international achievements of our local screen industry.”
Sydney also gets an option to extend the agreement beyond the 2014 awards ceremony.
The AFI shift could signal an exodus for Melbourne with no confirmation yet on whether the Logie Awards will be held at Crown Casino this year.
Nine will screen the 2010 AFIs in Melbourne this December.
Source: Ninemsn, ABC Online
>Don’t joke… it’s very possible.
More than possible.
Deal is done and the inks dry.
Don’t joke… it’s very possible.
OMG What next,
The Logies going to Queensland for the next 3 years because sponsorship from the Qld government ?
Gotta disagree with you Alex on point A. Julia was light-years better than Gretel in a ceremony put together on a tenth of the budget of the Logies. As for B. Well, if Channel Nine gave it a single promo, you never know what might happen.
Yeah, if only they could hold the AFIs oustide and not in that dorky 1960s wood panelled decor of the Opera House. Sydney really needs to stop relying on a 40 year old building to get some kudos. Boring. Seen it. Try something new before everyone moves away and the city is just full of back packers. And I live in Sydney, by the way.
theiving brats
Lets hope the AFI Awards ceremony improve with the move and make it worth watching.
The Opera House and the Bridge are the best back drop on the planet !
The AFI’s are the most dull awards ceremony in Australia. Last year’s were cringe worthy. Julia Zemiro kept bad mouthing the Logies but at least a) the logies are somewhat entertaining and watchable and b) people actually watch the Logies.