Film Festivals - Melbourne-based critic Peter Krausz sets down his thoughts on Palace Cinemas' Film Festivals

Editor’s Note: This statement by noted Melbourne-based film critic Peter Krausz (left) first appeared on Peter’s Facebook page Movie Metropolis    WYN 88.9FM

PALACE CINEMAS FILM FESTIVALS

I have covered all film festivals run by Palace Cinemas since their inception. As one of the few film critics/film journalists and broadcasters that cover everything film, over the last 30 years or so I have been running film radio programs, I have covered all film festivals in detail.

Palace this year have decided to cut back on media coverage of their film festivals and deny media, especially supportive media like myself, access to films during the festival. As a contrast, the Alliance Francaise, which runs the French Film Festival (not Palace), gives me the opportunity each year to choose as many films as possible I want to see. They know that I review them all on my show and appreciate the coverage. Palace does not care, and is no longer interested in media coverage. 

Palace does have a media screening for all their film festivals, and a few screener links are sent through, but media are no longer invited to opening night, nor are festival passes available for someone like myself who covers film festivals in detail for my audience. Indeed I was met with hostility recently when I asked about receiving some passes to review films for the Spanish Film Festival, despite having a 30 minute interview last week on my show with one of the Spanish FF organizers. 

What is particularly galling is that the cinemas never sell out, so it is not as if media like myself are taking tickets away from paying customers, plus the publicity advantage in me reviewing films on air ensures a wider interest in the film festival and more ticket sales. Clearly Palace does not care about publicity for their film festivals and do everything possible to curtail coverage as they think they have an automatic audience that need no coverage. 

This now means of course, for the first time since the inception of the Spanish FF at Palace Cinemas, that I will NOT be covering the festival on my show. Other non-Palace film festivals are much more willing to provide tickets and allow me coverage of their festival. I am fearful that this ridiculous Palace policy will continue with their other film festivals (and I note they have progressively cut some of their film festivals) and this means my coverage of their festivals will be scant or non-existent. I would have thought, aside from being internationally recognized for my film festival coverage on air and on this Facebook Page, and having now served on two FIPRESCI juries, including last year at the Munich FF (as the first time an Australian film critic has been selected to be on this international jury), that my track record speaks for itself, clearly Palace does not give a shit. I suspect a few media passes have been set aside for a few Sydney based critics, but Melbourne based critics are not worthy.

This has been written out of sheer frustration and as my film audience deserves better treatment from Palace. Wither film festivals at Palace.

Peter Krausz

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