Arts Minister Andrea Michaels has rejected criticism over a ‘ritzy’ trip to Cannes Film Festival involving 13 people including staff and 10 South Australian filmmakers

The Arts Minister has rejected criticism over expenditure on a “ritzy” trip for 13 people to the Cannes Film Festival in France earlier this year.

Arts Minister Andrea Michaels has come under fire over expenditure on a “ritzy” trip for 13 people to the renowned Cannes Film Festival in France earlier this year.

Ms Michaels told budget estimates she attended the festival along with a ministerial staffer and a government staffer, as well as a delegation of 10 filmmakers who were supported by the government to make the trip.

Ms Michaels said she stayed at the Mercure near the airport “in order to minimise costs”.

“The 2.5 days at the Cannes Film Festival was with programming run by the Adelaide Film Festival,” she said.

“There was a screening of five works in production there.”

Asked about the cost of the trip, which took place in May, Ms Michaels said “we will proactively disclose those costs as soon as we are able to, within the period that is required”.

Ms Michaels said receipts and invoices were “still being processed” but the cost of the trip would be disclosed within the usual time frame, which at the time of the trip was three months.

However, she said she stayed at the Mercure near the airport “in order to minimise costs”.

Arts Minister Andrea Michaels. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

This week, opposition arts spokesman John Gardner said Ms Michaels had questions to answer over the cost and necessity of the trip.

“Andrea Michaels must explain how a ritzy trip to the Cannes Film Festival with a three-person Ministerial delegation has delivered tangible benefits for South Australia,” he said.

“South Australians are battling the cost of living crisis and struggling to make ends meet, but when Andrea Michaels had the opportunity to reveal the cost of her trip in budget estimates, the minister refused.

“Why is Andrea Michaels hiding the cost of her trip? Did she stay in one of Cannes’ spectacular luxury hotels alongside stars such as Nicky Hilton, George Lucas and Demi Moore?”

Ms Michaels said the state government was a “strong supporter of the arts” and the trip presented a valuable opportunity to put 10 South Australian filmmakers on the global stage at the biggest and most important film festival in the world.

“While there, our local filmmakers met with key industry figures and made connections that promise to deliver benefits for years to come,” she said.

Minister Andrea Michaels has come under fire over expenditure on a “ritzy” trip for 13 people to the renowned Cannes Film Festival in France earlier this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

“Three filmmakers have since had follow up meetings about further developing their projects.

“It is disappointing to see the Liberal opposition try and have it both ways – criticising the state government for not doing enough for the arts and then also criticising the government for supporting artists.”

Originally published as Arts Minister Andrea Michaels has rejected criticism over a ‘ritzy’ trip to Cannes Film Festival involving 13 people including staff and 10 South Australian filmmakers