MUMBAI: Five Australian filmmakers have been funded to attend the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) annual conference under an initiative developed by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and three screen agencies Screen New South Wales, the Pacific Film and Television Corporation (PFTC) and Film Victoria.

Angie Fielder, Nathan Anderson and Jamie Hilton from NSW, Kelly Chapman from Queensland and Polly Staniford from Victoria were acknowledged by their local state film agencies as being filmmakers who would substantially benefit from attending the conference, which is regarded as the premiere business convention for film, television and new media producers in Australia.

The Australian initiative follows in the footsteps of previous MPA film workshop programs that have been held in Singapore (2008), Beijing (2007) and Hong Kong (2006).

MPA president and managing director Asia-Pacific Mike Ellis said, "We are delighted to contribute in some small but significant way to the career development of some of Australia’s emerging filmmakers, and we hope that their engagement with the established production sector will provide opportunities to further their current projects. I look forward to seeing some of their creative endeavors come to fruition."

SPAA executive director Geoff Brown said "Great to see the major studios recognising the value of Australian producer talent in this way. We hope the participants enjoy the experience of a SPAA Conference."

Pacific Film and Television Commission CEO Maureen Barron, said as the Queensland screen industry continued to grow and enjoy success, initiatives such as this were important in connecting industry practitioners within a professional environment. "The PFTC believes industry networking is important for the local industry and to maintain professional contacts; the practitioners benefiting through this initiative will...