Gillian Armstrong
Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas. Early life Armstrong was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 18 December 1950."Gillian Armstrong: Women Filmmakers & Their Filmes.''Gale Biography in Context'' Gale Cengage Learning. Web. She went to a local high school, Vermont High School (now Vermont Secondary College), and was the middle child of a local real estate agent father and a primary school teacher mother who gave up work to have a family.Higson, Rosalie."Gillian Armstrong: The Real Thin''The Australian: Arts''The Australian. Web Armstrong stated in ''The Australian'' that her parents were always very supportive of their hopes and dreams, which was not always the way it was for women in the 1960s and 70s. Her father was a frustrated photographer who wasn't allowed to follo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are known as "Sydneysiders". The 2021 census recorded the population of Greater Sydney as 5,231,150, meaning the city is home to approximately 66% of the state's population. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2017. Nicknames of the city include the 'Emerald City' and the 'Harbour City'. Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the Greater Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and Aboriginal engravings and cultural sites are common throughout Greater Sydney. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydney stands are ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Starstruck (1982 Film)
''Starstruck'' is a 1982 Australian comedy-drama musical film directed by Gillian Armstrong and starring Jo Kennedy, Ross O'Donovan and Margo Lee. The plot concerns two teenagers trying to break into the music industry. The film was shot on location in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was marketed with the tagline "A Comedy Musical." The hotel shots were filmed at the Harbour View Hotel in The Rocks, near the south pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Plot Sydney teenager Jackie Mullens works as a barmaid in her mother's failing pub, but dreams of becoming a singing star. Her scheming 14-year-old cousin Angus aspires to be her manager. At a local club talent night, Jackie's performance impresses pop band The Wombats, who become her backing band. Jackie also begins dating the band's guitarist, Robbie. In an attempt to get Jackie on a TV talent show, "The Wow! Show", Angus calls up the show's host, Terry Lambert, and tells him Jackie will be walking a tightrope between high- ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton ('' née'' Hall, born January 5, 1946) is an American actress and director. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over six decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and the AFI Life Achievement Award. Keaton's career began on stage when she appeared in the original 1968 Broadway production of the musical '' Hair''. The next year she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Woody Allen's comic play '' Play it Again, Sam''. She then made her screen debut in a small role in ''Lovers and Other Strangers'' (1970), before rising to prominence with her first major film role as Kay Adams-Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's ''The Godfather'' (1972), a role she reprised in its sequels ''Part II'' (1974) and ''Part III'' (1990). She frequently collaborated with Woody Allen, beginning with the film adaptation of '' Play It Again, Sam'' (1972). Her next ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mel Gibson
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apocalyptic action series ''Mad Max'' and as Martin Riggs in the buddy cop action-comedy film series ''Lethal Weapon''. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia, when he was 12 years old. He studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where he starred opposite Judy Davis in a production of ''Romeo and Juliet''. During the 1980s, he founded Icon Entertainment, a production company, which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called "an alternative to the studio system". Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the World War I drama ''Gallipoli'' (1981), which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute,The Australian Film InstitutPast Winners as well as a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and six Golden Globe Awards. Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films '' Bush Christmas'' and '' BMX Bandits''. Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film ''Dead Calm'' and the miniseries ''Bangkok Hilton''. In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film ''Days of Thunder''. She received greater recognition with lead roles in '' Far and Away'' (1992), '' Batman Forever'' (1995), '' To Die For'' (1995) and ''Eyes Wide Shut'' (1999). For her portrayal of writer Virginia Woolf in the drama '' The Hours'' (2002), Kidman won the Academy Award for Best Actress ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pat Wilson
Pat Wilson (born Patricia Mary Higgins; 11 June 1948) is an Australian singer and journalist. Wilson wrote for ''Go-Set'', a 1960s and 1970s pop music newspaper, under the pen-name "Mummy Cool" during 1971–1972. Wilson released several singles in the early 1980s including the hit single "Bop Girl". The song was written by her then husband Ross Wilson of the bands Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock. Pat currently resides in the Melbourne suburb of Elwood. Biography Early years Little is known about Wilson's early years. She first saw Ross Wilson perform with his band The Pink Finks in about 1965, when she was sixteen. They met when he was working for the Department of Supply. In 1969, Ross left Australia for England to become a member of Procession. Wilson joined him there; they married and returned to Australia. Ross and three bandmates formed Daddy Cool in 1970 and toured Australia. In early 1971 they performed at the Myponga Festival in South Australia. Concert footage of ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bop Girl
"Bop Girl" is the debut single by Australian pop singer Pat Wilson. The song was written by her then-husband, Ross Wilson of the bands Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock. "Bop Girl" was released in September 1983, peaking at number two on the Australian Kent Music Report, number ten in New Zealand and number 28 in South Africa. At the 1983 ''Countdown'' Music Awards, the song won Best Debut Single. Wilson was also nominated for Most Popular Female Performer and "Bop Girl" was nominated for Best Promotional Video. Music video Film maker Gillian Armstrong directed "Bop Girl"'s music video. It is the screen debut of 15-year-old Nicole Kidman playing the role of one of three young "bop girls". Kidman was chosen by Armstrong; songwriter Ross Wilson recalled that Kidman was to represent "an up and coming starlet with a bright future." Kidman herself insisted that the video be used for both a BBC documentary about her career, and in an American Cinematheque tribute (November ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sam Neill
Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. Born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, Neill moved to Christchurch with his family in 1954. He first achieved recognition with his appearance in the 1977 film '' Sleeping Dogs'', which he followed with leading roles in ''My Brilliant Career'' (1979), '' Omen III: The Final Conflict'', ''Possession'' (both 1981), ''A Cry in the Dark'' (1988), ''Dead Calm'' (1989), ''The Hunt For Red October'' (1990), and ''The Piano'' (1993). He came to international prominence as Dr. Alan Grant in '' Jurassic Park'' (1993), a role that he reprises in ''Jurassic Park III'' (2001) and '' Jurassic World Dominion'' (2022). Outside of film, Neill has appeared in numerous television series, including ''Reilly, Ace of Sp ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Judy Davis
Judith Davis (born 23 April 1955) is an Australian actress in film, television, and on stage. With a career spanning over 40 years, she has been commended for her versatility and regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation. Frequent collaborator Woody Allen described her as, "one of the most exciting actresses in the world". She is the most awarded recipient for the AACTA Award with nine accolades and has received numerous accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards, and two nominations for Academy Awards. Davis is a 1977 graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where she starred opposite Mel Gibson in ''Romeo and Juliet''. Most of Davis's stage work has been in Australia, including ''Visions'' (1979), '' Piaf'' (1980), ''Miss Julie'' (1983), ''King Lear'' (1984), ''Hedda Gabler'' (1986), ''Victory'' (2004) and ''The Seagull'' (2011), but she also starred in the 1982 London production of ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Australian Film Institute
The Australian Film Institute (AFI) was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry. It is responsible for producing Australia's premier annual film and television awards, the AACTA Awards (previously the AFI Awards)."The Australian Film Institute – Celebrating 50 Years of Pride and Passion" Overview The work of the institute is supported by government funding, corporate sponsors and approximately 10,000 members nationally. As Australia's foremost motion picture industry association, AFI promotes the Australian film and television industry and plays a cent ...[...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Australian Film Institute Awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry, both locally and internationally, including the producers, directors, actors, writers, and cinematographers. It is the most prestigious awards ceremony for the Australian film and television industry. They are generally considered to be the Australian counterpart of the Academy Awards for the U.S. and the BAFTA Awards for the U.K. The awards, previously called Australian Film Institute Awards or AFI Awards, began in 1958, and involved 30 nominations across six categories. They expanded in 1986 to cover television as well as film. The AACTA Awards were instituted in 2011. The AACTA International Awards, inaugurated on 27 January 2012, are presented every January in Los Angeles. History 1958–2010: AFI Awards The awards were presented ann ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Miles Franklin
Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (14 October 187919 September 1954), known as Miles Franklin, was an Australian writer and feminist who is best known for her novel ''My Brilliant Career'', published by Blackwoods of Edinburgh in 1901. While she wrote throughout her life, her other major literary success, ''All That Swagger'', was not published until 1936. She was committed to the development of a uniquely Australian form of literature, and she actively pursued this goal by supporting writers, literary journals, and writers' organisations. She has had a long-lasting impact on Australian literary life through her endowment of a major annual prize for literature about "Australian Life in any of its phases", the Miles Franklin Award. Her impact was further recognised in 2013 with the creation of the Stella Prize, awarded annually for the best work of literature by an Australian woman. Life and career Franklin was born at Talbingo, New South Wales, and grew up in the Brindabella ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |