Leading Film Awards Cancelled For 2012

The Australian Inside Film Awards will not happen in 2012 after the organisers today announced their decision to postpone the event for a year.

Citing a difficult economic climate, competition for sponsorship and a lack of funding options in New South Wales - where the ceremony is held - the awards are officially "on hold" after a 13 year run.

IF Awards Group General Manager Mark Kuban said today that, "it is important to acknowledge that we are operating in difficult economic times and in a more competitive environment. Certainly, the past few years have been challenging, partly because of market uncertainties, which have been further compounded by the recently revamped AACTA Awards which moved to Sydney in 2011."

Taking place earlier this year, the AACTAs was the rebranded AFI Awards. Attempting to establish a bigger presence with the Australian public, 'Australia's Oscars' rated poorly on Channel Nine.

Kuban added, "I think for us it's a good time to refocus and reinvent the awards to reflect the influence technology has had on film and television."

The IF Awards' central category was the People's Choice award and Kuban said that he still believed in such a format for the Australian film and television industry.

Film industry icon and IF Living Legend recipient Margaret Pomeranz called the postponement a "tragedy".

"They were wonderfully different, focusing not only on our film successes but on emerging talent like Andrew Dominik, Kath Shelper, Ryan Corr and Anthony Maras," she said.

“They were irreverent when necessary but also a lovely reflection of Australian audiences' engagement with our films. And it was always the best party in town. I hope this is a momentary glitch and they will be back with all that energy and enthusiasm for our film culture in a nanosecond.”