Tropfest Australia, supported by foundation partner CGU Insurance, is today announcing two exciting developments to this year’s event - Academy Award winner and five-time Emmy nominated actress, Susan Sarandon, will head the Tropfest Australia 2018 Jury. For the first time, the ABC will be the exclusive broadcast partner.

Susan Sarandon, fresh off a Golden Globe nomination for Feud (2017), is known for critically acclaimed performances in classic films Bull Durham (1988), Thelma & Louise (1991), Dead Man Walking (1995), The Lovely Bones (2009) and so much more. Sarandon will take part in a star-studded week of festivities which culminates in the Tropfest ‘main event’ on Saturday 17 February at Parramatta Park.

“I love Australia and am extremely excited to be coming to Sydney in February for Tropfest,” said Sarandon. “There is an enormous amount of film talent down under, so I’m looking forward to watching all of these amazing short films showcasing Australia’s vibrant diversity.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have Susan Sarandon, a true cinematic legend, head the Tropfest jury this year,” said Tropfest Founder and Executive Chair John Polson. “It’s not every day an Oscar winner sits down to watch your short film, so I know our finalists will be beside themselves with excitement.”

This year the ABC will broadcast the Tropfest main event live on its new channel, ABC COMEDY. The event will also be shown on ABC iview and the ABC COMEDY Facebook page and ABC COMEDY YouTube channel globally. It’s the first year the ABC has partnered with Tropfest to bring the event straight to those watching wherever they may be. The partnership celebrates the ABC’s commitment to telling diverse Australian stories, and championing the filmmakers behind them.

John Polson said “ABC has been absolutely crucial in cultivating independent Australian arts and culture over the years, so we can’t think of anyone else we’d rather partner with on our live national broadcast. With ABC on board, our Finalists can now look forward to their films being enjoyed by thousands more enthralled Trop fans. This is a great day for Tropfest!” 

ABC’s Director of Television, David Anderson said “Tropfest promises to be an amazing event this year, and we are incredibly excited to partner with Tropfest Australia to bring the unique talents of new and emerging Australian filmmakers to our television audiences.”

The broadcast will air on February 17 on ABC COMEDY and will capture the black-carpet arrivals, interviews with the filmmakers and celebrity guests, as well as showcase the final 16 films as they are shown at Parramatta Park. The broadcast and the finalists’ films will also be available on ABC iview after the live event.

Past jurors of Tropfest have included film luminaries such as Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Billy Crudup and George Miller — who heads the Tropfest Advisory Board.

Tropfest is supported by Foundation Partner CGU Insurance, Presenting Partner Melrose Park by PAYCE, Exclusive Automotive Partner Holden and Strategic Partners Western Sydney University, Parramatta Park Trust, and the City of Parramatta. The ABC is the Exclusive Broadcast Partner and YouTube Australia the Live Streaming Partner. Tropfest is also supported by Major Government Partner, Screen Australia.