Australia Urges Mel Gibson to Intervene and Lessen Impact of Trump's Cinematic Taxes
Save The Day, Mel! Australian Film Industry Pleads with Gibson to Convince Trump to Ditch Film Tariffs
The Aussie film industry is throwing a Sydney- sideshow appeal to Mel Gibson, hoping he'll use his connections as a Trump advisor to persuade the POTUS to axe his proposed movie tariffs. These tariffs threaten to cripple Australia's $650 million Hollywood business.
Industry insiders spill that these tariffs could trigger a tidal wave of job losses and send ticket prices soaring. Kate Carnell, chair of Screen Producers Australia, says Mel should encourage Trump to reconsider, arguing the tariffs are a dumb idea.
Mel, who kick-started his acting career Down Under, plans to shoot a movie in Italy this year. If the tariffs go ahead, Carnell comments, it would make no sense for Gibson's flick to earn a 100% duty when screened in the States.
Trump announced the tariffs on Sunday, claiming the American movie industry was on the brink of a "very fast death" due to foreign incentives tempting filmmakers. Studio execs scrambled, puzzled by Trump's plan and how it'd actually work. The announcement sparked shockwaves through film industries worldwide.
AUS FILM ON THE EDGE
Ever since the first Star Wars prequels and Matrix sequels were filmed in Sydney in the early 2000s when the Aussie dollar was near-record low against the greenback, Australia's film industry has intertwined with Hollywood. International spending on film and TV productions in Australia was about half the industry's total $1.7 billion expenditure in 2024, according to Screen Australia, a government body. The overall figure plunged 29% since the previous year, partly due to a Hollywood writers' strike.
Carnell foretells that 100% tariffs would be a devastating blow to the Aussie film industry. She estimates that many jobs would be lost, but it's hard to quantify exactly how many. Carnell points out that if Hollywood studios invested more shooting all movies in the U.S., their costs would skyrocket, and thus ticket prices for moviegoers would soar as well.
Kate Marks, CEO of Ausfilm, which links international studios with Australia, says the U.S. and Oz have shared a fruitful, decades-long relationship in film production. Marks vows to keep tabs on the situation, consulting with industry and government partners for updates.
In Queensland, the state where Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok' and Warner Bros' Aquaman were shot at Village Roadshow Studios, the state's screen agency is keeping a watchful eye on the evolving situation. Jacqui Feeney, CEO of the agency, says the Aussie film industry is a global network, involving collaboration with national and international partners.
A government spokesperson for the state of Victoria, home to Docklands Studios Melbourne, where films like Sixteen Candles and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones were produced, shares Victoria's unwavering support for local screen and production workers. The spokesperson emphasizes Victoria's competitive advantage as a film destination of choice for global productions.
- Kate Carnell, chair of Screen Producers Australia, argues that the proposed film tariffs could have a devastating impact on the Australian film industry, potentially leading to significant job losses and increasing ticket prices.
- Mel Gibson, who kick-started his acting career Down Under, plans to shoot a movie in Italy this year. If the tariffs go ahead, it could make no sense for Gibson's film to earn a 100% duty when screened in the States.
- The announcement of the tariffs has sparked shockwaves through the film industries worldwide, causing studio executives to question the plan and how it would actually work.
- As Australia's film industry has intertwined with Hollywood for decades, the proposed tariffs could affect the nation's $650 million Hollywood business, potentially causing difficulties in the entertainment and finance industries.
