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The Patron of the Asia Pacific Screen Academy is Australian screen legend, Jack Thompson AM.

MESSAGE FROM THE PATRON OF THE ACADEMY

For almost 3000 years, across lands today covered by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the trade routes of the ancient Silk Road connected nations and cultures.

In like spirit, the Asia Pacific Screen Academy is today building business and cultural networks between Asia Pacific’s best filmmakers. The Asia Pacific includes the world’s fastest growing and most prolific film markets. As the world’s economic axis shifts from West to East, regional film production is surging, opportunities are opening up and new challenges are emerging.

The Academy includes almost 500 of Asia Pacific’s most influential filmmakers. All Winners, Nominees, Jury and Nominations Council members are inducted into the Academy. Since its formation in 2008, the APSA Academy has become a vital industry network. Co-production opportunities are fostered. Ideas and development opportunities are shared.

Script development grants exclusive to Academy members expanded in 2011, further stimulating film production. The Motion Picture Association again offered four $25,000 grants. The $40,000 APSA Children’s Film Fund was launched, wholly supported by Academy member Butch Jimenez’s 4 Boys Films.

In 2011, for the first time, Academy members were able to vote in selected Award categories. The Nominees and Winners of the Animation and Documentary categories were this year decided by Academy members via APSA’s newly launched online viewing and voting system, APSA View. Nominees for Best Children’s Feature Film were also voted by the Academy. I thank all who participated.

The APSA Academy is distinguished not only for the professional opportunities it has created but by the spirit of fraternity and respect it embodies.

Our films speak in different languages. But through film and the Academy, we have a common voice.

Jack Thompson AM – Patron

An Australian film legend, Jack Thompson AM has been at the forefront of the Australian film industry since 1969. He has featured in more than 50 films and received every major Australian film award, including his nomination as a Living Legend (2005 IF Awards). He is best known as a lead actor in several acclaimed Australian films including such classics as Wake in Fright, Sunday Too Far Away, The Man From Snowy River and starred alongside Bryan Brown in Breaker Morant for which he won Cannes and AFI Awards. For his service to the Australian film industry Jack Thompson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1986. His recent film credits include the epic Baz Luhrmann film, Australia and Bruce Beresford’s Mao’s Last Dancer, based on the international best-selling book of the same name. It is this extraordinary career that has elevated Jack Thompson to be regarded as an international ambassador of Australian cinema. In 2008, APSA proudly welcomed Jack Thompson as Patron of the newly-formed Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.