Trump tariff to impact on Territory movie plan

COMMENT by NEIL RETALLICK

A Territory-based film project may be suffering a serious blow from the 100% tariff imposed by Donald Trump on movies produced outside the USA.

But then the project may also benefit from it.

The response of the Australian film industry should be an emboldened strategy to keep on keeping on.

Our government should ensure the industry has the appropriate creative development pipelines and operational frameworks.

Leading independent economist Saul Eslake is surprised by Trump’s move “given most of Hollywood are not his political allies.

“The few Hollywood Republicans, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, would be never-Trumpers.

“Trump just loves slapping tariffs on everything that he can.

Unfortunately for the American people, he’s going to have to learn the hard way that this is just dumb, and wrong.”

The focus needs to be on the long term, not just the next year’s box office.

One such opportunity is the planned film Finding Miss Almond, set in the Territory.

Whilst much of Australia’s Indigenous history is nothing to be proud of, it is a history that has been repeated across the globe in places where similar colonisation occurred.

This film tells a story of innovation, hard work, success and ultimate disappointment.

Human endeavour.

Real people.

Mark Webber is an American moviemaker who can see the potential: “The movie provides a cinematic opportunity to promote the unique and ancient Central Australian landscapes to the world, in the way Albert Namatjira captured them.”

Mr Webber was engaged by the SA Tourism Commission in 2023 to direct the television commercials for the “Travel Our Way” campaign, so he knows how to promote a unique environment.

Mark Smith is the driving force behind Finding Miss Almond based on his grandmother’s life in Alice Springs.

“These issues seldom appeared in popular culture when I was growing up, until films like Rabbit Proof Fence and The Tracker started to penetrate the mainstream.

“It is good to see so much more of this now, Indigenous film makers making great films, and attracting big stars to take leading roles, such as Cate Blanchett starring in Warwick Thornton’s The New Boy.

“There is a growing audience for these authentic Australian stories, that remind us of classics like We of the Never Never and The Man from Snowy River.”

Australia has been a part of the movie revolution. Crocodile Dundee and Shine about pianist David Helfgott won fans all over the world. Mad Max introduced audiences to a strange new world.

Meanwhile Hollywood’s focus on films populated with fantasy figures has taken the humanity out of its offering.

It was the US industry’s answer to the global box office’s drop from $40 billion per annum to about half of that.

The introduction of the tariff will effectively increase production costs which in the USA are already much higher.

At a time when box office takings have been struggling, an increased ticket price will not encourage more paying customers.

By contrast, overseas movie production has blossomed.

South Korea gave us Parasite and Squid Game, both well received for their innovation.

India’s RRR thrilled global audiences with maximalist action and unapologetic national pride.

Nigeria’s The Black Book and Aníkúlápó showed global potential despite local constraints.

Spain's Money Heist became a global phenomenon.

Brazil's I'm Still Here delivered a powerful political drama with international acclaim.

France’s Lupin broke through language and cultural barriers.

Trump’s tariff barrier will not see these types of movies made in Hollywood.

Nor, for that matter, will tax incentives.

PHOTO: Mr Trump named actor Jon Voight a "special ambassador" for Hollywood who proposed a range of tax incentives that could entice production houses to repatriate their moviemaking.

Unsurprisingly, Trump took a different tack.