The AACTA Festival and Awards will officially return to the Gold Coast, Australia from 3-7 February 2027.
As shared, the major screen industry event has grown in recent years to comprise 100 individual events and 350 speakers across its five-day run, becoming an important networking and education hub for Australian filmmaking crew and acting talent.
In the past, the festival has featured major Australian names including Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Snook, Dacre Montgomery, Yerin Ha and Baz Luhrmann, as well as international guests Henry Cavill, Ron Howard, Brian Cox and Robbie Williams.
The AACTA team is preparing for another big year in 2027, with plans to ‘build on this momentum,’ for five days of screenings, masterclasses, industry events, conversations, and opportunities to connect.
‘We’re incredibly proud of how the AACTA Awards and Festival have grown on the Gold Coast over the past three years. There is nothing else quite like it on the Australian screen calendar,’ Jack Christian, AACTA Chair says.
‘It is a week that celebrates achievement, creates opportunity and puts Australian screen talent firmly in the spotlight. In 2027, we’re taking another step forward with an even more ambitious five days of celebration, conversation and connection, showcasing the very best of Australian screen and bringing our industry together.’
AACTA Festival and Awards 2027 announced – quick links
What to know about the 2027 AACTA Festival and Awards
As shared, plans for the annual event are already shaping up.
The 2027 AACTA Festival will open on 3 February with the Awards Industry Gala and Official After Party which aims to bring together Australia’s screen industry to celebrate outstanding achievements in filmmaking.
This will be followed by the Festival Industry Day on 4 February, with this providing a ‘dedicated day of thought-provoking conversations, networking and professional development, with leading Australian and international screen practitioners exploring the ideas, opportunities and challenges shaping the industry.’
The AACTA Awards 2027 will take place on 5 February, with a major ceremony set to recognise and award outstanding achievements in Australian screen storytelling across a variety mediums – television, film and online. This will be followed by an Awards After Party.
Across the weekend, the festival will continue with additional screenings and talks. On 6 February, the event will be open as a Screen Careers Expo, with this providing aspiring screen industry professionals the chance to learn more about the industry and career pathways.
The Queensland Government on plans for the festival
As shared by the Queensland Government, the AACTA Festival is a high priority, particularly for its impact on local tourism and screen jobs creation.
‘The return of AACTA is another vote of confidence in Queensland as Australia’s events capital,’ Andrew Powell, Minister for the Environment and Tourism says.
‘Major events like AACTA attract visitors, support local jobs and showcase the very best of our State. Through Destination 2045, we’re growing a world-class events calendar that keeps Queensland the home of the holiday and a destination people want to visit time and again.’
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John-Paul Langbroek, Queensland Minister for the Arts, was also enthusiastic about the impact of the upcoming event.
‘The AACTA Awards and Festival continues to be a highlight of Queensland’s screen culture calendar,’ Langbroek says.
‘With a packed program that connects the best of the Australian industry with the next generation of filmmakers, celebrates screen excellence and highlights the creativity of the sector, the AACTA Awards and Festival is an unmissable experience. The Crisafulli Government is proud to support the 2027 event in February.’
