The National Film and Sound Archive will open Australians & Hollywood: A Tale of Craft, Talent, and Ambition on December 4.

Exclusive to Canberra and two years in the making, the exhibition will celebrate Australia's contemporary cinematic acting and filmmaking success in Hollywood.

Although details are scant at present, the exhibition will prominently feature never or rarely publicly seen objects, costumes, documents and footage from the archive's collection as well as items on loan from the private collections of such luminaries as George Miller and Mia Wasikowska.

Australians & Hollywood, curated by Tara Marynowsky, will be the archive's first original exhibition in two decades. It is not a collaboration with other institutions.

The archive's chief engagement officer, Matt Ravier, said, "The idea is to invite visitors to rethink Australian cinema in the light of our international success."

From the early international success of filmmakers such as Miller (the Mad Max films, Happy Feet) to more recent breakthroughs by the likes of Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom, Australia) Cate Shortland (Somersault, Black Widow), the exhibition will range widely as it shows how Australia's involvement with Hollywood anjd the international film industry has evolved.

It will feature never-before publicly seen objects, costumes, original documents and footage from the archive's collection, as well as exclusive loans from the private collections of some of Australia's most celebrated actors, cinematographers, and filmmakers.

Mr Ravier said there were many theories for the prominence of Australians in the world of cinema, including that many left everything behind when they went overseas and so were determined to succeed, and often had the help of those who came before them.

The standard of training in such institutions as the National Academy of Dramatic Art and the Australian Film Radio and Television school was also high, providing hopefuls with a good grounding.

He also said that some involved in filmmaking pursued many opportunities overseas, often coming back - like Eric Bana in The Dry - while others such as Warwick Thornton remained in Australia telling the stories they wanted to tell and sending them out to the world.

Australians & Hollywood: A Tale of Craft, Talent, and Ambition is on at the National Film and Sound Archive from December 4, 2021 to April 25, 2022. Visit nfsa.org.au for more information.

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