Legendary UK producer David Puttnam will be the keynote speaker at his year's Screen Producers Association of Australia conference, which will take place in Sydney in November.
Puttnam's illustrious 30-year career includes producing the work of directors such as Ridley Scott (The Duellists, 1977), Alan Parker (Bugsy Malone, 1976; Midnight Express, 1978), Bill Forsyth (Local Hero, 1983) and Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields, 1984; The Mission, 1986). One of his biggest achievements was Chariots of Fire (1981, dir. Hugh Hudson), his film on the 1924 Olympics and the relationship between runners Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. The producer oversaw a spectacularly effective marketing campaign and scored the film seven Oscar nominations. The little known production went from being an outside chance to becoming the toast of the night, winning four awards and beating out the favoured Reds (1981, dir. Warren Beatty) for Best Picture.
Puttnam received the BAFTA Michael Balcon Award in 1982 for his service to the British Film Industry, and from 1986-88 headed up Colombia Pictures (covered in the biography by Andrew Rule, Fast Fade). He was knighted in 1995 and later turned his attention to education after retiring from producing in 1998, functioning as chairman for The National Film and Television School, and a working peer in the House of Lords.
During his Ausrtalian visit, Puttnam will also head up the International Jury for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, which will take place December 2 on the Gold Coast.
Puttnam will appear at the SPAA conference on Friday, November 19 at The Hilton Hotel, Sydney. For more information visit http://conference.spaa.org.au
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