On 18 June in Pretoria, the Australian Minister for Sport, Youth, Early Childhood Education and Childcare, the Hon Kate Ellis MP, and the South African Minister for Arts
and Culture, the Hon Lulama Xingwana, signed a treaty-level co-production agreement between the two countries.
The treaty aims to encourage film co-productions between Australian and South African filmmakers by streamlining some of the administrative and funding issues around cooperation in filmmaking.
Said Minister Ellis: “This film co-production agreement is a further example of the growing bilateral relationship between Australia and South Africa. Our two countries have long competed and cooperated in the sporting arena and I am delighted to see our connections are expanding in the cultural sphere as well.’
Australian and South African filmmakers already are working together to great effect. An example of this is the Australian – South African joint production, The Team that Never Played – a film about apartheid era football players who never participated in the FIFA World Cup owing to sporting sanctions. The Team that Never Played will premiere in South Africa at the official opening of the Africa on Screen and Soccer Film festivals on Thursday, 24 June.
Practical benefits for filmmakers are that projects approved as official co-productions under the treaty will be granted “national treatment’ by both countries meaning co-producers can access a range of funding and tax benefits; simplified immigration requirements for the entry of skilled personnel; and duty free importation of equipment for use in co-productions. Official co-productions will also be treated as “local content’ under domestic television broadcast quotas.
The agreement, once approved through each country’s respective parliamentary processes, will provide opportunities for Australian and South African filmmakers to pool their creative and financial resources, facilitate cultural and creative exchange between the countries and
increase the output of high-quality productions.
