Anastasia Palaszczuk MP
Premier Of Queensland
Minister For The Olympics
Welcome to the 2023 Gold Coast Film Festival – celebrating Australian and international films and the talented people who bring them to life.
The Queensland Government, through Screen Queensland and Tourism Events Queensland, proudly supports this festival to engage industry professionals, creating thousands of jobs in film and television production, and by supporting such events as Women in Film Lunch, Screen Industry Gala Awards, and Shorts in Paradise Festival, to name just a few.
The Gold Coast has long been the heart of Queensland’s world-renowned screen production industry — welcoming major local and international productions including Baz Luhrmann’s award-winning Elvis, Ron Howard’s acclaimed Thirteen Lives, Disney+ series Nautilus and the adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel Apples Never Fall. The city has also secured several flagship industry events, including Australia’s premier screen industry conference and marketplace SCREEN FOREVER, the 2023 Australian International Movie Convention and, from 2024, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.
It’s only fitting for Queensland’s most dynamic screen destination to roll out the red carpet for its very own premier film festival – welcoming cinephiles across 12 days of panels, pop-up cinemas, and parties.
So get ready to swap the surf and sand for a cinema seat and enjoy the lights, camera and action at the 2023 Gold Coast Film Festival.
Stirling Hinchliffe MP
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Innovation and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics and Paralympics Sport and Engagement
Welcome to the 2023 Gold Coast Film Festival, a highlight on the It’s Live in Queensland events calendar and a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Gold Coast as a tourism destination.
The Gold Coast community is grateful to welcome visitors who fill their cafes and restaurants, stay in their accommodation, use local transport and explore our unique tourism experiences.
That’s why we support events through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Destination Events Program because they bring a welcomed boost to the local community and supports local jobs.
Events like the Gold Coast Film Festival allows friends and family to reconnect and creates community pride. We hope you enjoy your stay and return again in the near future.
Be sure to immerse yourself in the local culture and get the opportunity to explore some of our world-class tourism experiences in this beautiful region.
Congratulations to the event organisers and volunteers – we wish you all the best for a successful event.
Tom Tate
Mayor, City of Gold Coast
It’s lights, camera, Gold Coast as we again welcome this incredible film festival to the Home Of The Arts.
Now in its 21st year, the festival is a celebration of film and film making.
In 2023, we have a lot to celebrate with more global blockbusters being produced on the coast as well as continued investment in post production studios.
As a city, we are dreaming big and have recently announced a world-wide expression of interest for film companies to be a part of our exciting future. The EOI offers around 70 hectares of land in the north of our city for new studios, sound stages and post production facilities. This is an incredible opportunity as we continue to evolve as the Hollywood of the South Pacific.
As Mayor, I encourage patrons to take advantage of the free industry events spread across the 12-day program. Knowledge is power and these panel-format workshops are a fantastic way to learn more about your craft.
For now, it’s a ‘drum roll’ for the 2023 GCFF.
Enjoy.
Josh Martin
Chief Executive Officer
Gold Coast Film Fantastic Ltd
Whether you’re a Gold Coast local or travelling visitor, on behalf of our Board, management team and volunteers, we can’t wait to share this year’s 21st Gold Coast Film Festival with you.
Across 12 days and nights the Gold Coast will once again showcase Queensland’s biggest celebration of film and filmmaking with a non-stop program of films, premieres, and special events.
There’s also a range of thought-provoking panels and industry education events which are free-to-attend and only made possible through generous donations to the GCFF Giving Fund charity.
Thank you to all our partners and sponsors for continuing to share in our common goal of growing and promoting this city’s flourishing screen industry.
I extend my sincerest thanks to our small but talented team who have worked tirelessly over many months to bring this festival to life. I know it will all pay off when the curtain drops on Closing Night right here at our wonderful home venue, HOTA Home of the Arts. We hope to see you there!
Sasha Close
Head of Programming
The 2023 festival program is a delightful, insightful, and fun program of global and local films.
Opening night and closing night feature films are directed by women sharing powerful and engaging stories and in between these gala nights are an array of feature films and shorts plus numerous panels and special events.
The popular Local Filmmaker Focus strand celebrating Gold Coast talent returns this year. World cinema is on display on the big screen with festival favourites and award winners.
If you are looking for more light entertainment from a festival film, the program also has that covered. Whilst the very best of current Australian cinema is showcased in the program and I encourage audiences to discover these powerful, important films.
Prepare to be entertained and engaged this April at the Gold Coast Film Festival and soak up in the best cinema experience at HOTA Home of the Arts, and across numerous venues on the Gold Coast.
Lincoln Lewis
Festival Ambassador
I was truly honored being asked to be Ambassador for last year’s film festival but to be asked to return has me overwhelmed with gratitude.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have filmed multiple films and TV shows on the Gold Coast throughout my career, starting with my first acting job right here on the coast to filming several movies and tv shows being shot here over the last couple of years.
It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate the immensely talented actors and filmmakers we have on our doorstep and I’m extremely proud to be a part of it.
I remember when starting out they used to say that if you were QLD based there wouldn’t be much luck unless you moved down south. Flash forward to today, there are now countless local and international shows & blockbuster films all shot right here in the Gold Coast with the great man himself Baz Luhrmann nicknaming this place “Goldywood”!
The Gold Coast Film Festival just keeps getting better as it highlights and celebrates every aspect of our industry as well as showcasing everything this beautiful place has to offer.
I couldn’t imagine a more stunning backdrop for our Festival and I can’t wait for everyone to come out for another epic time celebrating our industry together!
Festival team
Josh Martin
Chief Executive Officer
Sasha Close
Head of Programming
Bryony Parker
Shorts Programmer
Ella Pimm
Senior Festival Coordinator
Amanda Goddard
Marketing & Communications Consultant
Bec Pini
Festival Operations & Events Consultant
Lachlan McMillan
Partnership Specialist
Amie Whetter
Technical Coordinator
PJ Habner
Public Relations
Lauren McDonald
Social Media
Eliana Budd
Ticketing and Volunteers
Margot Robbie
Festival Patron
Lincoln Lewis
Festival Ambassadors
Jenny Cooney
Festival Ambassadors
Sue Maslin AO
Festival Ambassadors
GCFF Board
Luke Wheatley
Chair
Lynne Benzie
Deputy-Chair
Michael Selwyn
Board Member
Brett Thornquest
Board Member
Nikola McWilliam
Board Member
Renee Fry
Board Member
Peta Thomson
Executive Assistant