This year’s Australia Day winners include 732 people, including Film Benevolent Association president Murray Forrest, playwright Joanna Murray-Smith and writer and performer Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa.
Khalsa was awarded the Order of Merit (OAM) and Forrest and Murray-Smith were made Members of the Order of Merit (AM).
This is the latest honor in an already illustrious career for Forrest, who has been recognized for his significant contributions to the film and television industry.
Mr Forrest, former director of film processing labs Atlab and Colorfilm, has been chairman of the charity Motion Picture Benevolent Society since 1996 and became a life member in 2020.
His other roles in the industry include Founding Chairman of Ausfilm (1994), Director of the Australian Film Producers Association (1982-1996), President of the American Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (1982-1985); He also serves as president of the Motion Picture and Television Engineers Association. Australian Cinema Pioneers (1991), Director of the Asian Producers Federation (1978-1984).
In 2008, the Motion Picture Producers Association of America established the Murray Forrest Award in his honor to recognize achievement in filmmaking, and previous recipients include Gillian Armstrong, George Miller, and John Seale. The names are listed.
Forrest is also the inaugural recipient of the Australian Film Pioneers Association’s inaugural Humanitarian Award, in recognition of his long-standing contribution to the Motion Picture Industry Benevolent Society (MPIBS).
Speaking to IF, the industry veteran said being named a member of the Order has special meaning given that he immigrated to Australia from Scotland 61 years ago on January 26. he said.
“For obvious reasons, 61 years ago I had no intention of winning any awards, far from it,” he said.
“When I arrived here, I was determined to do everything in front of me and step into the film industry. I am very happy, honored and honored to be able to do this.”
Recognized for her contributions to the performing arts, Khalsa also took time to reflect on her recent journey in the industry through her upcoming book, Fully Sikh: Hot Chips and Turmeric Stain, which will be released early next month.
The WA-based spoken word artist, author and performer made national headlines in 2016 with her performance of ‘To Advance Australia’ on Australia’s Got Talent, and grew up on the outskirts of Perth. He is also known for writing and performing the poetic play “Fully Sikh,” which has a theme of the ancient times. .
As a screenwriter, she and partner Perun Bonser are among Sukjit and one of 10 teams selected for the Imagine Impact Australia 2020 Accelerator to develop their own romantic series One of the Good Ones and she was also part of the team. I went to an all-girls school behind Uruvi. The school was one of the projects to receive funding through the ABC and Screen Australia’s Fresh Blood Initiative.
Mr Khalsa, executive director of Perth’s Blue Room Theatre, told IF: “It’s always exciting when someone from the arts world is recognized on a national platform.”
“Whether it’s performing arts, film or literature, that’s what we’re fighting for, so I feel like this is a win for all of us,” she said.
“It’s a great honor to be on the map.”
Like Khalsa, Murray-Smith was listed for his contributions to the performing arts, but as a writer.
A veteran playwright, she has written nearly 30 plays over the past 30 years, including “Julia,” “Berlin,” “Pennsylvania Avenue,” “Fury,” “Rockabye,” and “Switzerland.” They were adapted into a script for Anton Corbijn to direct.
Her other screenwriting credits range from the 1988 mystery thriller Georgia to the 2019 drama Palm Beach, as well as Sunnyside (2005) and Judgment Rock (2002). ) and Ceasefire (1994).
In an interview with IF last year, she spoke about the relationship between different mediums in her work.
Murray-Smith said the medium had a positive influence on her playwriting.
“As a playwright, you are the ultimate arbiter of what happens on stage and what people say, so it gives you a certain amount of freedom, which is really fun, but you also have the freedom to make your own decisions. I like the way the words sound, so it’s very easy to overwrite them,”’ she said.
“I think working on screen has made me more aware of the benefits of economic language. I also understand that you can tell a story not just with words, but also with silence, faces, and body language. did.”
