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The cinema of Australia has a long history and has produced many internationally-recognized films and world-famous actors and filmmakers, although it has frequently suffered from an underfunded industry. HISTORY Australia's film history has been characterised as one of 'boom and bust' due to the unstable and cyclical nature of its industry; there have been deep troughs when few films were made for decades and high peaks when a glut of films reached the market.David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Sydney: Pan Macmillan, 1990 Australian film has a long history. Indeed, the earliest known Feature Length Narrative Film in the world was the Australian production '' The Story Of The Kelly Gang '' ( 1906 ). Arguably one of the world's first film studios, the Limelight Department was operated by The Salvation Army in Melbourne, Australia, between 1891 and 1910. The Limelight Department produced evangelical material for use by the Salvation Army, as well as private and government contracts. In its 19 years of operation, the Limelight Department produced about 300 films of various lengths, making it the largest film producer of its time. The major innovation of the Limelight Department would come in 1899 when Herbert Booth and Joseph Perry began work on Soldiers of the Cross, arguably the first feature length film ever produced. Soldiers of the Cross fortified the Limelight Department as a major player in the early film industry. However, Soldier of the Cross would be dwarfed when the Limelight Department was commissioned to film the Federation of Australia. The boom of the 1910s The first 'boom' in Australian film occurred in the 1910s . After beginning slowly in the years from 1900 , 1910 saw 4 narrative films released, then 51 in 1911 , 30 in 1912 , and 17 in 1913 , and back to 4 in 1914 , the beginning of World War I.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production'', Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 1–49 While these numbers may seem small, Australia was one of the most prolific film-producing countries at the time . There are various explanations for the subsequent demise of the industry; historians have pointed to falling audience numbers, a lack of interest in Australian product and narratives, and the decision to participate in World War I. However, a major reason lay in the fact that Australian theatre chains realised that Australian films were much more expensive than imported films from the United States , which could be purchased cheaply as production expenses had already been recouped. To redress this decline, the federal government imposed a tax on imported film in 1914, but this was removed by 1918 . By 1923 , U.S. films dominated the Australian exhibition sector, with 94% of all films coming from that country. The boom of the 1970s and 1980s During the 1970s , government funding for Australian filmmakers was increased, and a generation of directors and actors emerged who told distinctively Australian stories. Films such as '' Picnic At Hanging Rock '' ( Peter Weir , 1975 ) and '' Sunday Too Far Away '' ( Ken Hannam , 1975 ) made an impact on the international arena. The 1970s and 80s are regarded by many as a 'golden age' of Australian cinema, with many successful films, from the dark science fiction of '' Mad Max '' ( George Miller , 1979 ) to the blatantly commercial Aussie-bloke romantic comedy of '' Crocodile Dundee '' ( Peter Faiman , 1986 ), a film that defined Australia in the eyes of many foreigners despite having little to do with the lifestyle of most Australians. THE INDUSTRY TODAY The Australian film industry continues to produce a reasonable number of films each year, but in common with other English-speaking countries, Australia has often found it difficult to compete in a marketplace dominated by American product. The most successful actors and film-makers are easily lured by Hollywood and rarely return to the domestic film industry. Many US producers have moved productions to Australian studios as they discover a pool of professional talent well below US costs. Studios established in Australia, like ''. Government support A recurring debate in the Australian film industry revolves around the necessity or otherwise of government support for the industry. In brief, the argument for government support maintains that a viable film industry is only possible if it is supported in some way by the government and proponents of this view hold that the industry cannot compete against the hegemony of Hollywood. The argument against government support is that the industry is viable without support and will become stronger if increasingly globalized market forces are allowed full and untrammeled play. Others argue that a film industry in itself has little value. The history of the industry in Australia is to some extent a result of the ascendancy of one position over the other. Australian exports The Australian film industry has produced a number of successful actors and directors, most of whom have moved on to Hollywood. These include actors Cate Blanchett , Toni Collette , Nicole Kidman , Naomi Watts , Geoffrey Rush and Russell Crowe , directors Peter Weir , Mario Andreacchio and Baz Luhrmann , and associated production experts. NOTABLE FILMS The following is a selection of films that are particularly important to Australian film history. Picnic at Hanging Rock See Also: Picnic at Hanging Rock '' Picnic At Hanging Rock '' was produced by Patricia Lovell , Hal McElroy and Jim McElroy and directed by Peter Weir . It was one of the first Australian films to be seen internationally. It is an enigmatic Art Film ; its rhythm is marked by a recurring sense of unease, the use of lingering, even haunting, images of the Rock and the Australian outback. The ''Mad Max'' series See Also: Mad Max ]] Released in 1979, ''Mad Max'' is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi/action thriller directed by George Miller , and written by Miller, James McCausland , and Byron Kennedy , who also produced the film. It was the first mainstream, populist Australian film to be seen internationally and became a worldwide box office hit with its combination of odd characters and over-the-top car stunts, launching Mel Gibson to international stardom. The was followed by '' Mad Max 2 '' ( 1981 ; known in the US as ''The Road Warrior''), and '' Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome '' ( 1985 ); the latter was a US-Australian Co-production ). '''Breaker' Morant'' See Also: 'Breaker' Morant (film) ]] '''Breaker' Morant'' was an internationally popular Australian film set during the Second Boer War in South Africa . It tells the story of Breaker Morant , who ordered the summary execution of several Afrikaner and African prisoners, which led to his controversial court-martial and execution for murder by the British Army. The all-Australian supporting cast features Bryan Brown , Lewis FitzGerald , and Jack Thompson . Gallipoli See Also: Gallipoli (1981 film) ]] ''Gallipoli'' is a 1981 film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. The climax of the movie occurs on the Anzac battlefield at Gallipoli and depicts the ill-fated attack at the Nek on the morning of the 7 August , 1915 , by the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The film is very popular in Australia as it depicts an important moment in Australian history. Crocodile Dundee series See Also: Crocodile Dundee ]] ''Crocodile Dundee'' is one of the few Australian films to have a large success in America, in part because its second half takes place in New York City . Released on April 30 , 1986 in Australia, and on September 26 , 1986 in the United States, it was the second highest grossing film in the USA in that year and went on to become the No. 1 film worldwide at the box office. The film used Stereotype s about Australians as plain-speaking bush-dwellers to popular effect. It is perhaps best remembered for the phrase "That's not a knife." ''That's'' a knife." uttered by Paul Hogan 's Mick Dundee when confronted by a mugger in New York. A sequel, '' Crocodile Dundee II '' was made in 1988 which was the fifth highest-grossing film of the year in the United States and earned more than $300 million worldwide. A belated third sequel, '' Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles '' (2001) was not as successful. Romper Stomper See Also: Romper Stomper ''Romper Stomper'' ( 1992 ), directed by Geoffrey Wright , was a controversial film in Australia, due to its portrayal of Neo-nazis . The film follows the exploits and downfall of a neo-Nazi Skinhead group in blue-collar suburban Melbourne. Intented to discourage neo-nazism, it unintentionally became a cult classic among racist skinheads. The film starred Russell Crowe before he became internationally famous. Strictly Ballroom See Also: Strictly Ballroom ''Strictly Ballroom'' was Baz Luhrmann 's adaptation of his own short play of the same name, first staged in 1986. It was a huge hit at the Cannes Film Festival , winning the Prix De Jeunesse award. It was sought after by distributors from across the world and immediately after its showing at Cannes, it was sold to 86 countries for more than $10 million. Luhrmann went on to direct two Hollywood films. Muriel's Wedding See Also: Muriel's Wedding ]] ''Muriel's Wedding'' is a 1994 Australian film that was a success around the world. Toni Collette received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her role, and the worldwide success of this film furthered the international careers of Collette, Rachel Griffiths , and director P.J. Hogan . The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert See Also: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert ''The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' is a 1994 Australian film about a Drag Queen , a Transvestite and a Transsexual driving across the Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a large bus they have named Priscilla. The film brought Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce to international attention. It was written and directed by Stephan Elliott . Babe See Also: Babe (film) ''Babe'' is a 1995 fantasy film that tells the story of a pig who wants to be a herding dog. It was successful across the world, in part because the international cast used ambiguous accents which were ambiguous, so the film's origin was unclear; it could appear as much like England or America as Australia. '''' was the sequel, released in 1998. Shine See Also: Shine ''Shine'' is a 1996 film that tells the true story of pianist David Helfgott , who suffered a mental breakdown and spent years in institutions. It was one of the most successful Australian films at the Oscars , winning the Academy Award for Best Actor ( Geoffrey Rush ), and being nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role ( Armin Mueller-Stahl ), Best Director ( Scott Hicks ), Best Film Editing, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, Best Picture and Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. ''The Castle'' See Also: The Castle (movie) ]] ''The Castle'' is a Cult Film in Australia but little seen internationally, owing to its obscureness to those unfamiliar with Australian working class culture. The story follows the exploits of a tow-truck driver living in Melbourne who foils an attempt to evict his family from their home in order to expand the airport. ''Rabbit-Proof Fence'' See Also: Rabbit-Proof Fence ''Rabbit-Proof Fence'' is 2002 film about three Aboriginal girls who travelled a huge distance in Western Australia by following 1500 miles of Rabbit Proof Fence for nine weeks to return to their mother's community at Jigalong . When it was released, the film caused debate over its historical accuracy. It is one of the few internationally successful Australian films to depict the Aboriginal experience. ''Harvie Krumpet'' The Australian animated short film '' Harvie Krumpet '' recently received an Academy Award For Animated Short Film . SELECTED LIST OF MOVIES FILMED OR PRODUCED IN AUSTRALIA See Also: List of Australian films
NOTABLE DIRECTORS '' (2003). Baz Luhrmann was born in Herons Creek in New South Wales in 1962. His best known films are '' Strictly Ballroom '' (1990), '' Romeo And Juliet '' (1996), and '' Moulin Rouge! '' (2001) Other Australian directors:
NOTABLE ACTORS ]] as Faramir in Lord Of The Rings ]] as Agent Smith in The Matrix ]] ]] as Robin Hood ]] ''Main category:''
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