MEDIA  RELEASE:  Thursday  8  October  2015  

 LEADING  US  FILM  &  BROADWAY  PRODUCER  PAULA  WAGNER  CONFIRMED  

FOR  2015  SCREEN  FOREVER  CONFERENCE    Screen  Producers  Australia   is  delighted  to  announce  that  Paula  Wagner—  co-­‐founder  of  Cruise/Wagner  Productions  with  Tom  Cruise  and  producer  of  more  than  20  films  including  the  Mission:  Impossible  trilogy,  The  Last  Samurai,  Vanilla  Sky,  The  Others  and  War  of  the  Worlds—is  confirmed  to  speak  at  SCREEN  FOREVER  2015,  the  premier  conference  for  the  screen  industry  in  Australia.    

 "We  are  honoured  to  have  such  a  highly  respected  producer  as  Paula  Wagner  participating  in  this   year’s   SCREEN   FOREVER   conference,”   said   Matthew   Deaner,   CEO,   Screen   Producers  Australia.  “Paula’s   leadership,  outstanding  experience,  and  creative  vision   inspire  producers  and  film  executives  around  the  world.”    Paula  Wagner  is  a  film  and  theatre  producer  who  has  worked  in  the  top  ranks  of  the  American  entertainment  industry,  and  whose  many  Academy  Award-­‐nominated  films  shatter  box-­‐office  records.  After  commencing  as  a  prominent  agent  at  Creative  Artists  Agency,  representing  top  Hollywood  talent  such  as  Tom  Cruise,  Sean  Penn,  Oliver  Stone,  Val  Kilmer,  Demi  Moore  and  Liam  Neeson,  Wagner  launched  Cruise/Wagner  Productions  with  her  former  client  Tom  Cruise  in  1993.  Over  the  next  13  years,  Wagner  and  Cruise  produced  a  wide  range  of  films  that  earned  numerous  prestigious  awards,  critical  praise,  and  more  than  $3  billion  in  worldwide  box-­‐office  

receipts  for  films  such  as  the  Mission:  Impossible  trilogy,  The  Last  Samurai,  Vanilla  Sky,  and  The  Others.    The  Mission:   Impossible   trilogy   is  a  series  of  action  spy   thriller   films  based  on  the   television  series  of   the  same  name,  starring  Tom  Cruise.  Directed  by  Brian  de  Palma,  the  original  film  premiered  in  1996,  breaking  several  box-­‐office  records  and   grossing   over   $457  million  worldwide.   The   second   and   third   films   in   the   series  were   released   in   2000   and  2006,  directed  by  John  Woo  and  J.  J.  Abrams  respectively.  The  trilogy  grossed  over  $1.4  billion  worldwide,  and  the  film  series,  which  has  since  spawned  a  further  two  features,  is  the  17th  highest  grossing  of  all  time.  

 Wagner  was   the  executive  producer   for   Steven  Spielberg's   sci-­‐fi   disaster   film  War  of   the  Worlds,  which  grossed  $591  million  globally   and  was  nominated   for   three  Academy  Awards   in  2005.   From  2006,  Wagner  was   co-­‐owner  of  United  Artists   Pictures,   together  with   Cruise   and  MGM,   and  was   the   company's   CEO   until   2008.   During   her   tenure,  Wagner  orchestrated  relationships  with  top   industry   talent   including  Oscar-­‐winning  screenwriters  Christopher  McQuarrie,  Paul  Haggis,  Steven  Zaillian  and  Guillermo  del  Toro.    

 Wagner’s   additional   production   credits   include   “Five”   (Lifetime)   and   “The   Governors   Awards”   ceremony   for   AMPAS,  2013.     She   is   a   member   of   the   Broadway   League,   AMPAS,   and   she   serves   on   the   National   Board   of   Directors   for  the   Producers   Guild   of   America,   the   boards   of   Film   Forum,   American   Cinematheque,   National   Film   Preservation  Foundation,  and  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  UCLA  School  of  Theatre,  Film  and  Television.  Her  significant  contributions  to  the  entertainment  industry  have  been  recognised  with  honours  such  as  Premiere  magazine’s  Women  in  Hollywood  Icon  Award,  the  UCLA/Producers  Guild  of  America  Vision  Award,  awards  from  international  film  festivals  such  as  Chicago  and  Sarasota,  as  well  as  serving  as  the  President  of  the  First-­‐Time  Directors  Jury  at  the  Venice  Film  Festival.      Currently,  Wagner  develops  film,  television  and  theatre  through  her  production  company,  Chestnut  Ridge  Productions.  Her  recent  Broadway  production  credits  include  the  Tony-­‐nominated  plays  The  Heiress  and  Mothers  and  Sons.    In  Conversation  with  Paula  Wagner,  Tuesday  17  November  2015  Sponsored  by  Holding  Redlich  SCREEN  FOREVER    17-­‐19  November  2015,  Crown  Conference  Centre,  Melbourne  Australia.  Registrations  now  open  at  www.screenforever.org.au  

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 Media  Enquiries:    

Miranda  Brown  |  Miranda  Brown  Publicity  ph:  03  9419  0931  mob:  0411  568  781  miranda@mbpublicity.com.au  Stephanie  Pirrie|  Miranda  Brown  Publicity  |  ph:  03  9419  0931  mob:  0430  517  722  |  stephanie@mbpublicity.com.au   ABOUT  SCREEN  FOREVER:  Held  over  three  days,  SCREEN  FOREVER  is  one  of  the  largest  congregations  of  media  and  entertainment  professionals  in  

the   Southern   Hemisphere.   Conference   delegates   include   leading   Australian   and   international   industry   practitioners   involved   in   all   aspects   of  

producing,   creating,  writing,   directing,   distributing   and   financing   screen   content.   Delegates   have   unparalleled   access   to   innovative   thinkers   and  

industry  leaders  at  the  intersection  of  entertainment,  media  and  technology.  Presented  by  Screen  Producers  Australia,  SCREEN  FOREVER  2015  will  

take  place  at  Crown  Conference  Centre  Melbourne  Tuesday  17  November  to  Thursday  19  November  2015.  Keynote  speakers  in  2014  included:  Phillip  

Adams  AO  –  Broadcaster  Filmmaker  Author;  Gale  Anne  Hurd  –  CEO,  Valhalla  Entertainment;  USA;  Joe  Godwin  –  Director  BBC  Children’s  (UK);  Mark  

Scott  AO  –  Managing  Director,  ABC;  Roy  Lee  –  Producer,  Vertigo  Entertainment,  USA;  Tim  Worner,  Chief  Executive  Officer,  Seven  West  Media;  Richard  

Freudenstein  -­‐  Chief  Executive  Officer,  FOXTEL  and  Michael  Ebeid,  Managing  Director,  SBS.