ANDREW MACKIE & RICHARD PAYTEN – 2023 NATIONAL CINEMA PIONEERS OF THE YEAR Richard Payten and Andrew Mackie have worked in the Australian and New Zealand film industry for the last thirty-five years as distributors, marketers, and producers – but always on the side of the independents. Richard began his career at Chauvel Cinemas in…
TOM SCHOUTEN – 2023 VICTORIAN CINEMA PIONEER OF THE YEAR I first entered the exhibition industry by default in 1960 when my family moved into the manager’s residence at the Plaza Theatre in Geelong. Though mainly live theatre, we did screen Greek movies on a Sunday night in those early days. Then along came the…
KATHY SHARP – 2023 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CINEMA PIONEER OF THE YEAR Movies have always been in my blood. My Mum worked as a teen for Arthur & Rene Stiles at The Cygnet, as did my Aunty and my Uncle (in fact they met at work). As a child I remember lining up at City cinemas…
LEIGH BOAG – 2023 QUEENSLAND CINEMA PIONEER OF THE YEAR Leigh writes… “My wonderful life in the Qld Film Industry. After leaving school, I applied as a film repairer at CIC in Ann street in 1979. Not knowing anything about films I went upstairs and was greeted by Joy Strange. She said the boss won’t…
PHILLIP BRANFORD – 2023 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CINEMA PIONEER OF THE YEAR Phillip (Phil) started as a third boy at the Port Elliot Institute in 1965 (while still at High School), then followed his cousin to the Port Elliot Drive In as an unpaid assistant during school holidays and some weekends. As he was doing a…
JENNY NEIGHBOUR – 2023 CINEMA PIONEER OF THE YEAR In 1989, when Jenny Neighbour applied for the job of Senior Secretary/Assistant to the Director of the Sydney Film Festival, she was interviewed for the position by SFF Director Paul Byrnes and SFF Administrator Ross Barnard, who is now National Secretary/Treasurer of Cinema Pioneers. Thirty four…