ABSTRACT
Value is an inescapable feature of all cultural objects. Disputes over value are likewise inescapable (see Frow 1995, B.Smith 1988). Value is especially significant for Australian cinema. It needs to be positively regarded by audiences, distributors, exhibitors, investors and critics. The ‘public’ needs to feel well disposed towards Australian cinema to sustain ongoing governmental commitment. Governments need to see their film support as both a public good and electorally valuable in order to justify their outlays in the face of competing demands. Australian cinema needs not only a cinematic identity but a positive one. It needs not only an international presence but international standing.
