HOST BRENDAN COWELL

unites audiences Australia-wide & proudly presents the

2008 MOVIE EXTRA FILMINK AWARDS

Last year he presented an Award, this year he’s presenting the Awards.  Australia and the 2008 MOVIE EXTRA FILMINK Awards are proud to unveil our 2008 Host, Brendan Cowell, star of Love My Way and the critically acclaimed feature film, Noise.  Cowell, who currently resides in NYC, is back home to host the only movie award show in Australia, which celebrates the Best and Worst in Film from 2007, putting Australian film on the same platform as international film.  It’s tongue-in-cheek, politically incorrect yet not without its serious moments!

“I am stoked to be offered the job of hosting the Filmink Awards. I wasn't nominated for anything so I had to find a way to be involved somehow. I take Awards very seriously so I think Filmink and I will make a great match. I'm looking forward to the canapes and the good looking people.” said Cowell.

Cowell will be sparring with the best of Australia’s comedic talent including Merrick & Rosso, Chris Taylor and Craig Reucassel from The Chaser and The Umbilical Brothers.  Joining them on stage are our top Aussie actors including Academy Award® nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (The Whale Rider, Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger), Sun Park (The Jammed, Hi5), Joel Edgerton (The Square, $9.99, Secret Life of Us), Nash Edgerton (The Square), Danielle Catanzariti (Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger, Blackbird), Diana Glenn (Black Water, Satisfaction, The Oyster Farmer), David Field (Chopper, West,  Two Hands), Luke Ford (The Black Balloon, The Mummy 3), Darren Gilshenan (Chandon Pictures), Roger Ward (Mad Max, Not Quite Hollywood) and Rob Carlton (Chandon Pictures).

Colin Friels is the recipient of the 2008 Peter Finch Lifetime Achievement Award and joins John Jarratt and Margaret Fink in this hall of fame.  Plus Paul Mac and Bertie Blackman hit the stage with the premiere performance of The Only One, the song written especially for the soundtrack to Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger, out now through EMI.

Jamie Watson headlines the walk up music with original tracks composed and created just by him!  Plus we’ve got The LaB Sydney designing our graphics.  This year is bigger and better than ever before.  It’s the 2008 MOVIE EXTRA FILMINK Awards – LARGER THAN LIFE!

Dov Kornits, FILMINK Magazine publisher is rightly excited about all of these developments.

“Brendan Cowell is such a talented all-rounder, I think he’s a certainty to pick up the Best Host Award at the 2008 MOVIE EXTRA FILMINK Awards. And Jamie Watson and the great people at Trackdown Studios did such a fabulous job last year, we can’t wait to show off their wares on March 12.”

The 2008 MOVIE EXTRA FILMINK Awards is on 12 March, 7:30pm at Sydney’s iconic State Theatre with the exclusive after party at The Argyle. Tickets on sale now, ph 136 100 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.au. Tickets from $55 per person.

Not just for Sydney-siders, the MOVIE EXTRA FILMINK Awards will also be televised nationally on Saturday 15^th March at 7:30pm on MOVIE EXTRA. This is truly an occasion for the whole country to enjoy, and to be swept up into the glamour of this red carpet gala event.