In the US, the Oscar season inspires marketers to push films to Academy members ‘for their consideration’, while nominations are a great publicity hook. Does the Australian film publicity circuit buzz with the word ‘AACTA’?
In Australia, during the lead-up to our modest equivalent of the Oscars – the Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts (AACTA) Awards – tumbleweeds roll through the publicity circuit. No distributors hound local industry members for their vote; no chunks of marketing budgets are allocated to spruiking nominated films; no screeners are distributed; no parties are held.