Speeches
Friday, 26 September 2025
Helpmann Academy Graduate Film Showcase
Rod and I are pleased to join you for the inaugural Helpmann Academy Graduate Film Showcase and, as the academy’s patron, I am delighted that we are celebrating together the exceptional work of South Australia's emerging filmmakers.
I am proud that the Helpmann Academy remains the only organisation of its kind in Australia, supporting young artists at the critical juncture between completing their studies and embarking on a professional career.
Rod and I have had the privilege of engaging with the academy's work over the past four years, including attending the graduate visual arts exhibitions, and we have loved meeting artists and curators and seeing them flourish.
Tonight's event represents an important new addition to the academy’s calendar, showcasing the work of graduates across film and television.
I congratulate each of the filmmakers whose work has been selected.
While rewarding, professional filmmaking is not an easy career path.
The screen industry can be demanding, competitive and uncertain, and the transition from student to professional filmmaker requires both courage and resilience.
I thank you all for persevering through your studies, honing your craft, developing your unique voices and creating the compelling works we will enjoy this evening.
Your films – whether documentary, drama, experimental or music video – represent more than your considerable technical skill.
They are your diverse perspectives on the world; your stories which deserve to be told.
I thank Flinders University for the leadership it has shown in bringing together this showcase, with support from the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia.
I thank the Helpmann Academy board, staff and CEO Jane MacFarlane for their dedication to supporting emerging artists in film and across different creative disciplines.
I also thank the Academy's community of passionate supporters who make these opportunities possible through their generosity and commitment to South Australia's cultural life.
To our filmmakers: I wish you all the very best as you transition from study into professional practice.
Your work will not only shape the screen industry but also influence how we understand ourselves and our place in the world.
I know we will all be inspired by what we are about to see, and I look forward to following your careers as you make your mark on South Australia’s creative industries, and beyond.