CAST AND CREW SCREENING OF ‘X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE’ CELEBRATES WORLD IP DAY

26 April, 2009

[Media Note: “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” cast and crew image available on request. Contact: Stephen Jenner.]

Sydney: Over 850 members of the Australian cast and crew of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” assembled on World Intellectual Property Day to celebrate the first screening of the movie in Australia.

Speaking at the event, Marc Wooldridge, the Managing Director of Twentieth Century Fox Australia said that the screening of the film on World IP Day provided the opportunity to recognise the value of filmmaking skills Australians have to offer the world, both in front of and behind the camera.

“World IP Day is a time to recognise that films like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” are more than just great entertainment, they showcase the innovation and creativity in Australia’s community and contribute significantly to our economy.”

The cast and crew screening of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” was held on World IP Day at Hoyts Cinema, at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, to celebrate the creative work of the Australian film industry, and to draw attention to the importance of respecting intellectual property.

Over 1,000 Australians worked on “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, and the film engaged over 100 Australian companies including visual effects companies Rising Sun Pictures and Fuel. The movie, which was filmed in New South Wales at Fox Studios Australia and on locations at Lake Macquarie, Brownlow Hill and on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour, contributed over $60 million dollars to our local economy.

Adrianne Pecotic, Executive Director of the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), acknowledged the incredible creative contribution made by the Australian cast and crew towards this film: “Our filmmaking industry is a shining example of how people with good ideas combined with hard work can stimulate jobs, generate significant wealth for the economy, and make all Australians proud of their work.”

A recent report by Access Economics revealed that the film and television industry generated an estimated $4.4 billion in value-added to the Australian economy in 2006-7.

The film stars Hugh Jackman, and other Australian actors including Asher Keddie, Max Cullen, Aaron Jeffrey, Peter O’Brien and Tahnya Tozzi, and opens in cinemas around Australia on 29 April.

*World IP Day is an initiative of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), and has been celebrated annually on April 26 since its inception in 2001.

About AFACT

AFACT works closely with industry, government, police and educational institutions to address copyright theft and protect the interests of the film and television industry as well as the interests of Australian movie fans.

In 2008, state and federal police conducted 51 raids involving movie piracy and seized 544,697 pirated DVDs. They also seized 488 burners capable of producing 12 million pirated DVDs a year with a potential street value of over $61million.

AFACT acts on behalf of the 50,000 Australians and small businesses under threat from copyright theft, including independent cinemas, video rental stores and film and television producers across the country.