George Miller and Doug Mitchell Call for AACTA Board Overhaul Following Jack Christian’s Departure
The filmmakers are demanding an elected board and greater financial accountability, insisting the departure of AACTA’s chair does not resolve their concerns about the organisation’s governance.
Oscar-winning filmmaker George Miller and producer Doug Mitchell have called for the remaining directors of the Australian Film Institute (AFI) and Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) to agree to an orderly transition to a new, member-elected board, following the departure of chairman Jack Christian.
Their intervention follows a statement issued to AFI/AACTA members in which the board confirmed Christian had stepped down after six years and revealed it had made an offer to Miller to end what it described as his “constant disparagement” of the organisation and threats of litigation.
The board also announced that it had selected a new general manager and was preparing to unveil a significant broadcast agreement intended to support the AACTA Awards through to 2030.
However, in a response provided to The Hollywood Reporter Australia, Miller and Mitchell argue that Christian’s departure and the proposed management changes do not address broader concerns about governance, financial accountability and the board’s relationship with members.
They are calling for a new board elected by members, a review of the organisation’s constitution and governance arrangements, and a timetable for reform to be presented ahead of the December 16 annual general meeting.
Miller and Mitchell also explicitly reject the board’s suggestion that their campaign is motivated by a desire to reinstate the organisation’s former CEO, insisting their focus is on the institution’s future.
Both statements are reproduced in full below.
AFI/AACTA Board Statement
The board announced the changes in a letter to members on Monday. It said it has chosen a new General Manager and will announce “a significant broadcast deal” in the coming weeks, which it says will support the Awards through to 2030…. Dear Members,
We have received enquiries regarding an article written by Michael Bodey posted on his Substack, Shouting at Clouds,on 16 October 2026.
While the AFI and its Board cannot comment on any of the claims made, we would like to update you on the actions that the Board is taking to improve the financial and operational health of the organisation.
We have recently made an offer to Dr Miller to end his constant disparagement of the organisation and his threats of litigation which commenced in April 2026 and remain unactioned. We believe these threats are driven by an intention to reverse the restructure undertaken by the Board, including the restoration of the former CEO to his previous position.
We have asked Dr Miller to instead work with us to create a better and stronger AFI/AACTA.
The current Board are looking to the future and acknowledge the management practices and financial oversight of the past were lacking. Our full focus is to reset AFI/AACTA for long term success. Specifically, we have been working hard to:
· Finalise the appointment of a General Manager to lead AFI/AACTA successfully into its future;
· Provide clear strategic direction;
· Strengthen governance, both organisationally and at a Board level;
· Deliver transparency and best practice financial management, and;
· Ensure sufficient long-term planning.
To deliver on these priorities, we are committed to diversifying and expanding the Board to better represent broader expertise across both film and screen content.
The well-credentialled names that Dr Miller has suggested are fine candidates, but we believe there is a much broader team that can be assembled to better represent our membership and to ensure delivery of the AFI/AACTA priorities.
Over the past couple of months, the Board has commissioned the work of an experienced operations manager to interrogate every area of the business and to identify reporting and policy issues that have been ignored for several years. In doing this, we have been able to set new budgets that have made significant savings in the way the organisation operates.
The Board are currently working with a partnership consultant to support the existing team in identifying commercial opportunities to support the growth of the Awards and Festival, ensuring they can continue to be funded to maintain and exceed the standards already set by this organisation.
We are also looking at ways we can grow the Awards beyond what they are now and create even better opportunities for our members and partners. The Board is committed to establishing new initiatives to further the engagement and support that our industry deserves.
As to the financial questions raised by Mr Mitchell, AFI/AACTA has engaged independent auditors as well as external accountants and we will release our financial reports as we do every year before the AGM. It should, however, be noted that the restructure was instituted to address past financial performance and the Board has undertaken strong financial measures to repair the financial position since the last financial reporting date.
The Board and its new management structure are committed to total transparency to bring this organisation back to financial and governance health.
We have a long-term plan to keep the AFI/AACTA at the centre of our industry and in the coming weeks we will be announcing a significant broadcast deal which will provide unprecedented support for the awards through until 2030.
Importantly, we have been conducting a search for a new General Manager to lead the organisation and have settled on a successful candidate. We have shared their identity confidentially with Dr Miller to give him some comfort about the level of expertise they will bring to AFI/AACTA.
With the General Manager search now complete, we can also confirm that the AFI/AACTA Chair Jack Christian has stepped down from the Board and his role as Chair. The Board thanks Jack for his six years of service guiding the organisation through a time of change and repositioning. Under his chairmanship, Christian secured the largest government partnership deal in the organisation’s history. He led the Board’s work to strengthen governance, improve financial transparency and reporting and tighten financial controls. During his tenure, AFI/AACTA expanded its national and international reach, with the Awards’ move to the Gold Coast and the launch and growth of the AACTA Festival and Screen Careers Expo.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. We’ve secured major partnerships, strengthened the organisation and created new opportunities for Australian screen talent to be seen and celebrated here and internationally. These are substantial achievements that will benefit the AFI/AACTA well into the future,” Christian said.
The Board will keep you informed on our offer to Dr Miller, as we hope we can come to a position together where the future and stability of this organisation will be the primary focus for us all.
Faithfully,
The Board, AFI/AACTA
Response From George Miller and Doug Mitchell
Following the Board’s recent communication, we want to clarify the change we are seeking for AFI/AACTA. Jack Christian’s departure is a significant development. It does not, however, resolve the wider questions about the organisation’s governance, financial accountability and relationship with its members.
We are seeking a fresh start.
Members who supported the request for an extraordinary general meeting were asking for a meaningful opportunity to consider the organisation’s leadership and future. That request was refused. The concerns behind it remain relevant after the Chair’s departure. We welcome improvements that can be demonstrated in financial management, staffing and commercial support. A new General Manager and new partnerships could make valuable contributions. But these developments do not, by themselves, answer the concerns members have raised about the Board’s stewardship.
We therefore call on the remaining directors to agree to an orderly transition to a new Board elected by members, with any necessary constitutional changes put to members through the proper process. We do not support an arrangement that leaves the present Board substantially in place and treats the underlying concerns as resolved. The change we seek does not depend on reinstating any former employee or director. Our focus is the future of the institution.
The people we proposed as directors agreed to offer their experience and service as a practical way to begin this transition. Our wider objective is a transparent process through which members can choose a capable Board with the skills, independence and commitment the organisation needs. That renewal should include a review of the constitution and governance arrangements: how directors are elected, how conflicts are managed, how financial performance is reported, and how members can hold their representatives accountable.
We also propose developing an industry advisory council, drawing on a broad range of screen and organisational experience. Its role would be to contribute advice and help shape the organisation’s direction, with the elected Board retaining responsibility for decisions. There is a larger opportunity here. AFI/AACTA can celebrate achievement through its awards while doing more throughout the year to connect Australian audiences with Australian films and screen stories. That ambition needs a sustainable funding plan, clear priorities and results that members can assess.
We ask the Board to set out, ahead of the 16 December AGM, a practical proposal and timetable for members to consider this renewal. This should include a clear process for Board transition, constitutional review and meaningful member participation. We are ready to contribute to that work.
Our commitment is to an AFI/AACTA whose leadership has the confidence of its members and whose activities serve the Australian screen community and its audiences rather than trivial awards biased towards a broadcasters agenda.
Warm regards,
George Miller and Doug Mitchell