Qantas is the New Australians Sponsor in Film Awards

27th Sep 2016

Australian national carrier Qantas and Australians in Film announced a partnership for the 5th Annual AiF Awards, which will take place on 19th October, this year (Wednesday) at Neue House in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The main award of the night has been renamed and is now called the "Qantas Orry-Kelly Award" in memory of Orry-Kelly, Australian costume designer who worked on Some Like it Hot and Casablanca and a winner of several Oscars.

In addition, Qantas will also be the Presenting Sponsor of the Heath Ledger Scholarship and the official partner for Australians in Film's creative workspace "Charlie's" at Raleigh Studios and the MentorLA program (presented with Screen Australia).

In a press statement regarding the partnership with Qantas, AiF President Kate Marks said:

"Qantas has a longtime reputation of supporting the Australian arts around the world. It is only fitting that as Australia continues to produce some of the world's best on and off-screen talent, that the country's national carrier is associated with Australian film and AiF in Hollywood."

Marks continued:

"After Mad Max: Fury Road cleaned up at the Academy Awards this year, there are high hopes for the upcoming release of one of our AiF FOXTEL Breakthrough Awards Honorees, Garth Davis's Lion, starring Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel, and Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge. The next generation of Australian screen talent will benefit enormously from this exciting partnership."

Senior Executive Vice President of Qantas Americas, New Zealand, Pacific Islands and Japan Stephen Thompson said:

"As the national carrier, Qantas is committed to championing the best of Australia, including Australian film talent. Australia is home to some exceptional industry trailblazers and we are thrilled to be a part of recognizing their achievements through such a reputable organization."

Thompson also added:

"With almost 50 direct Qantas flights between Los Angeles and Australia each week, we are also proud to play a role in helping to connect some of Australia's brightest screen talent with Hollywood and Hollywood with some of the best film studios and producers in the southern hemisphere, including Fox Studios Sydney, Village Roadshow Studios, Animal Logic."