MPAA CEO’s keynote to address partnerships between Hollywood and the Asia Pacific region

Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) will deliver the keynote address at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, 2011.

The speech will cover the success of filmmaking during challenging economic conditions, new technology and the development of partnerships between Hollywood and the Asia Pacific region.

The address will be given on Wednesday November 23, a day before the Awards ceremony, at a special presentation at Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane, Australia.

 “APSA is honoured to have Chris Dodd attend this year’s Awards ceremony and deliver what surely will be a timely and thought-provoking keynote address. The film industry of Asia-Pacific is making a strong impression globally and has an abundance of stories to tell about its history, its cultures and current issues,” said APSA chairman Des Power.

 “As the region takes great strides economically and culturally, we are fortunate to witness the development of a generation of filmmakers with vision and advanced craftsmanship. The quality and range of their work is simply stunning.  Kudos to APSA for seizing this timely initiative to recognize their creativity and provide an environment for the further development of their careers through the formation of the APSA Academy,” said Dodd.

In 2010, the MPA and APSA launched the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund – a $100,000 development fund exclusive to filmmakers in the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, supported wholly by the Motion Picture Association (MPA). Among funded projects were Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation.