娱乐英语新闻:Sydney wins UNESCO film award

SYDNEY, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Sydney has been named the second international UNESCO City of Film, Australia's New South Wales ( NSW) Minister for the Arts Virginia Judge announced the UNESCO award here Thursday.

The UNESCO award means Sydney becomes only the second international City of Film, behind Bradford of the United Kingdom.

It is recognition of the city's long history of film making and film infrastructure, Judge said.

The award has the potential to provide a major boost for the city's motion picture industries but filmmakers said a major infrastructure upgrade is needed to make the most of it.

Judge, who backs the idea of creating a moving image center in Sydney, similar to the one in Melbourne, said there is no reason why it could not happen.

The UNESCO award was made as part of the organization's Creative Cities program, launched in 2004 to promote the social, economic and cultural development of cities around the globe.