Investment

Est. 2003

The cornerstone of the Festival is the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF), funded through the South Australian Government. Since its inception in 2005, AFFIF has helped to redefine the role of film festivals. As the first fund of its type in this country and a rarity worldwide, it has rapidly come to be recognised as a major force encouraging and showcasing new and bold screen works.

AFFIF provides equity investment in Australian screen production.  Across seven festivals the Fund has invested in 103 projects including 49 features, 35 short works, four TV series, eight interactive projects and seven Art & The Moving Image works.

AFFIF-supported films have gone on to garner national and international acclaim, screening at major festivals and winning 104 international and 194 national prestigious awards (as at March 2019). Amongst this swag of laurels are three at Cannes, one at Berlin and two Sundance Film Festivals wins.

I enjoyed very much the passion of everyone involved [in the Adelaide Film Festival]… Adelaide is a unique city and it deserves a unique film festival.
– Christian Jeune, Film Department Director, Cannes Film Festival, 2015 International Feature Jury President

The world-class quality of the programming was only possibly surpassed by the warm hospitality of the filmmaking community and the stunning beauty of Adelaide and environs. I left inspired by ten immersive days of talking, looking and listening. Can’t wait to go back – ideally once a year, not every two years.
– Jane Schoettle, International Programmer, Toronto International Film Festival, 2015 International Documentary Jury

Being on a festival jury enriches and intensifies the way you look at films, and the films often reward that additional focus and attention by delivering more. The jury’s experience at this year’s festival was particularly satisfying in its competition selection, reinforced by wonderful screenings of non-competing films, by the inspired overlap with the Festival of Ideas, and by as convivial a social life as it is possible to have while still remaining functional. It is a model festival in many respects, which makes its confinement to biennial status all the more incomprehensible.
– Al Clark, 2013 AFF Jury President, Producer – The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, author, AACTA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Adelaide is the jewel of Australian film festivals. It has a laid back laconic nature that invites the Individual in. Adelaide is about quality, not quantity or fulfilling a quota. It has a charm and nature that is uniquely South Australian. It is about stories, sharing stories and friendship.
– Wayne Blair, Director – 
The Sapphires

David and I are proud and excited to be part of the always fabulous, always interesting and always challenging Adelaide Film Festival. No wonder it’s ranked amongst the top 50 festivals in the world.
– Margaret Pomeranz

The Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund is focused on the support of feature fiction films and feature documentary projects along with short films, animation, digital and interactive projects and art and the moving image works.

Since 2003 the fund has invested $1 million into a slate of shorts, feature films and new media projects every two years, with tremendous results on display at the 2013 event. As well as boosting production in South Australia, the festival fund has fostered the creation of daring and innovative works that present diverse visions of contemporary Australian life.
– Kath Dooley, Senses of Cinema

The groundbreaking ADL Film Fest Investment Fund has helped realise some of the most unique, challenging and entertaining Australian films of the recent past.
– Komal Desai, FilmInk

The Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund is looking to support projects with creative, cultural and economic benefits.

CREATIVE:  Projects must display bold and innovative story telling, a striking use of screen language and a strong creative team.

CULTURAL: Projects must demonstrate the short and long term benefits for the South Australian film industry and broader community, e.g. creative and development opportunities for individuals and organisations, branding opportunities, partnerships with national and international organisations and events and the ability of the project to raise the profile of South Australia.

ECONOMIC: Projects must demonstrate measurable economic development outcomes for South Australia, such as direct and indirect expenditure in South Australia, employment of local cast, crew and businesses and the potential for direct financial return from the equity investment.

We’ll be calling for applications to the Fund in early 2019. Please sign up to our e-news to receive firsthand information, or contact our office at [email protected] to receive more information.

There are no deadlines for the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, although we anticipate that most feature projects are locked approximately 12 months out from their premiere at Adelaide Film Festival.

Please refer to the following sections for details on applying for: