Rachel Griffiths. (Photo: Lisa Tomasetti)
Actor, director and producer Rachel Griffiths will deliver this year’s Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture at Screen Producers Australia’s (SPA) Screen Forever conference.
An Academy and Emmy Award nominated and Golden Globe winning actress, Griffiths’ feature directorial debut, Michelle Payne biopic Ride Like A Girl, is due in cinemas later this month. She also stars in, executive produced and co-created ABC/Blackfella Films’ Black Bitch, the first two episodes of which will premiere today at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Griffiths got her big break in 1994 with P.J. Hogan’s Muriel’s Wedding, after which she headed to the US and became well-known for roles in long-running series Six Feet Under and Brothers & Sisters. Her role in Hilary & Jackie earned her an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress.
In film her credits include My Best Friend’s Wedding, Hacksaw Ridge,The Hard Word, Blow, Step Up, Burning Man, Ned Kelly, Patrick, Saving Mr Banks, Beautiful Kate and Mammal. Her television roles include Camp, Underground, Paper Giants: Magazine Wars, Deadline Gallipoli, When We Rise and Dead Lucky.
In 2015 she made her television directorial debut on the second season of Matchbox Pictures’ Nowhere Boys.
The Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture has been a keynote feature of the annual Screen Forever conference since 1992, the most recent delivered by Leah Purcell. The speech honours its namesake’s legacy and emphasises the importance of independent production in Australia’s cultural life.
“At our Awards two years ago, Rachel spoke of the shocking discovery she’d made while negotiating her producing fee for Ride Like A Girl: producers make no money, have no power and are exhausted! While this statement highlights the all too common plight of the feature film producer in Australia, it is also an example of the depth and breadth of industry experience Rachel now brings with her to every role. Actor, director, producer – Rachel has, quite literally, done it all and we are honoured to have her join the Screen Forever program,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.\
Screen Forever runs November 12 – 14 in Melbourne. Griffiths’ lecture will be held on the 12th.