The Foxtel Group and AACTA announced today they will extend their long-standing partnership with a new agreement that will see the Foxtel Group continue as the Presenting Partner of the AACTA Awards for the next three years.
As part of the significant new deal, Foxtel will produce a new annual streamed entertainment special – Inside the AACTA Studio – that will become a major lead-in program to the AACTA Awards, showcasing the best of Australian film and television and building on the success of a partnership that spans more than a decade.
The Foxtel Group remains a committed local champion for Australian stories and voices in all genres across drama, lifestyle, factual, sport and news. As the critically acclaimed global success story of Wentworth comes to an end in 2021, the group has a number of local productions coming including Love Me, Upright 2 and The Twelve as well as a series of major returning and new Lifestyle shows including Selling Houses Australia, The Repair Shop and Great Australian Bake Off.
The AACTA Awards (formerly the AFI Awards) have honoured screen excellence in Australia for over 60 years, since the first AFI Awards were held in 1958.
Foxtel Group, Chief Content and Commercial Officer, Amanda Laing said, “With a history that goes back more than a decade, I am delighted we are extending our partnership with AACTA. We are thrilled to continue to support at scale the ever-growing and ever-changing Australian screen industry, particularly coming out of a year like this one.”
“We are very proud of our rich slate of award-winning local productions and to have played a part in aiding the Australian industry to build, celebrate and showcase some of the most acclaimed storytellers in the world, on and off the camera. Our renewed partnership with AACTA, including the newly created Inside the AACTA Studio, allows us to continue to recognise the outstanding work of our burgeoning creative community and take it to the next level.”
AACTA President, Russell Crowe said, “I am thrilled that our partnership with the Foxtel Group will continue for a further three years.”
“Foxtel are a long-term supporter of AACTA, and this increased commitment is an enormous testament to the Foxtel Group’s ongoing commitment and support of AACTA, the Australian screen industry and its talented creative community.”
AACTA Vice-President, Nicole Kidman said, “Despite the challenges we are facing in these times, the Australian screen industry has endured, and Australians continue to achieve success on a global scale.”
“This increased commitment from Foxtel will see us continue to celebrate these successes at the annual AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group”
The partnership with Foxtel Group will span presenting rights, broadcasting rights, marketing, PR, content production and will see both the FOXTEL and BINGE brands brought to life at key events throughout the year.
AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella, said “Foxtel’s longstanding partnership of the AACTA Awards has provided tremendous support for the acknowledgement and celebration of our screen industry’s best and brightest whose sustained resilience and perseverance throughout the ongoing pandemic has continued to inform and entertain Australians at a time when we have needed it most.”
“The Foxtel Group’s renewed and expanded commitment is invaluable and the introduction of the newly created Inside the AACTA Studio will allow us to reach more Australians and celebrate an industry that has entertained us throughout 2021.”
Further details regarding the AACTA Awards in 2021 will be announced soon.