Metro Hotels Partners with Big Picture Film Festival

George Bedwani

Metro Hotels is a Foundation Partner of an innovative new Sydney film festival designed to inspire people to get involved in social justice causes and to raise money for children in poverty.

The inaugural Big Picture Film Festival was held from 23 February - 5 March 2013 at Event Cinemas in George Street, Sydney, during which time 12 social justice documentaries were screened. All profits from the festival will go to the Bill Crews CharitableTrust, which helps poor and often homeless children in Thailand, Hong Kong and Africa.

Metro Hotels was the only hotel group to partner with the festival and sat alongside other prestigious Foundation Partners including the City of Sydney, Event Cinemas, Channel 7 and the Macquarie Radio Network.

As part of its partnership, Metro Hotels provided complimentary accommodation for the lead actors and directors from many of the films who attended the festival, as well as donating a two night accommodation prize which was auctioned on the festival’s closing night.

Metro Hotels’ Chief Operating Officer, Mr George Bedwani, said the Australian hotel chain was committed to supporting major international shows while in Australia by hosting performers for the duration of their shows.

“In the past, we have hosted the Japanese performing troupe Drum Tao, the Chinese classical dance and music company, Shen Yun, the African dance troupe Mother Africa and the performers from the theatrical dance spectacular The Merchants of Bollywood for the duration of their stays,” Mr Bedwani said.

“We were particularly impressed by the social justice aspect of the Big Picture Film Festival, which gave us an opportunity to work with The Bill Crews Charitable Trust.

As well as providing complimentary accommodation, Metro Hotels also used its eMETRO newsletter to promote the festival and encourage its clients to attend by providing 20 double film passes and gift packs to films screening during the festival.

Metro Hotels is the public face of Transmetro Corporation, an Australian owned public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. The Group currently provides a national accommodation network of properties, with over 1000 rooms in key locations and major cities across Australia.