AACTA Unveils 2027 Festival Lineup With ‘Fortitude Valley’ and ‘Tough Love’ World Premieres

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has unveiled the first program for its 2027 AACTA Festival, bringing together leading filmmakers, international screen talent and two major Australian television world premieres.

Returning to HOTA, Home of the Arts, on the Gold Coast from February 3–7, the five-day event will feature exclusive screenings, behind-the-scenes discussions, live demonstrations and industry development opportunities, alongside the annual AACTA Awards.

Among the festival’s headline events are the world premieres of the ABC crime series Fortitude Valley and BINGE Original Tough Love, with both productions set to introduce audiences to new Australian television stories.

Set in Brisbane, Fortitude Valley stars Hunter Page-Lochard, Kat Stewart and Rupert Everett, with Sian Davies directing the Queensland production.

The festival will also host the world premiere of Tough Love, featuring Miranda Otto, Rick Donald, Jay Ryan and Hugo Johnstone-Burt.

Beyond the premieres, AACTA has assembled an extensive program of conversations and masterclasses featuring some of Australia’s most recognisable screen creatives.

Acclaimed director Justin Kurzel will revisit key scenes from Snowtown, Macbeth and Nitram, exploring his approach to building tension and drawing performances from actors.

Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes will discuss the action filmmaking behind Netflix’s War Machine, while director Jeffrey Walker will examine his work on Queensland-shot productions including Bull, Who the Hell Is Hamish?, Allen and Fing!

With Yellowjackets approaching its final season, Australian stars Liv Hewson and Courtney Eaton will also take part in a discussion reflecting on the series and its impact.

Emmy Award-winning costume designer Molly Rogers will offer audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the wardrobe of The Devil Wears Prada 2, while music supervisor Jemma Burns will explore the creative decisions behind music in film and television.

The festival will also feature a live filmmaking demonstration from acclaimed Australian director Bruce Beresford, who will rehearse actors on stage in a scene from the upcoming The Ballad of Les Darcy.

Academy Award-winning cinematographer Dean Semler will revisit his work on Dances with Wolves and Apocalypto, while production designer Owen Paterson will discuss projects ranging from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to Captain America.

AACTA has also announced four ambassadors for the 2027 festival: Chloe Hayden, Christopher Chung, Gemma Chua-Tran and George Pullar.

The actors represent an emerging generation of Australian screen talent working across local and international productions.

Chung, whose credits include Slow Horses and My Brilliant Career, said the role offered an opportunity to celebrate the country’s creative industry and support its future.

“Australian storytelling has such a distinct voice, and it’s exciting to see our industry continue to grow and make its mark on the world stage,” Chung said.

“I think it’s more important than ever that we champion the diversity of voices and perspectives that make Australian storytelling so unique, while creating opportunities for the next generation of talent.”

The 2027 program will also spotlight emerging Queensland filmmakers through the PROOF initiative, delivered in partnership with Screen Queensland and the Gold Coast Film Festival.

Three proof-of-concept short films — Deadline, The Water Tank and Tick, Tick, Tick — will premiere in competition, with a grand jury selecting one project for potential feature film development.

Industry development will remain a central component of the festival, including the AACTA Screen Careers Expo, which provides aspiring filmmakers with opportunities to meet screen professionals and explore career pathways.

Queensland Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the festival was expected to generate more than 10,300 visitor nights and deliver over $5.8 million in economic benefits to the state.

The festival returns alongside the AACTA Industry Awards Gala on February 3 and the main AACTA Awards Ceremony on February 5.

Further screenings and program announcements are expected ahead of the event.

Tickets for the 2027 AACTA Festival and associated awards events are now available through the festival’s official website.