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Fred Schepisi AO (b. 1939) briefly trained to be a priest before working in advertising. In 1966 he formed his own company, which produced a variety of ads and documentaries. In 1973 he directed an episode of the Australian feature Libido. His script-writer was Thomas Keneally, another ex-seminarian. In 1976 the pair re-teamed to make The Devil's Playground, Schepisi's first full-length feature. His next film, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) was also based on Keneally source material. Following the film's international success, Schepisi went to America to make Barbarosa (1982), an epic Western that brought him critical praise for his reinvigoration of the form. His subsequent films have included Iceman (1984), Roxanne (1987), The Russia House (1989), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), I.Q. (1994) and Last Orders (2001). In 1988 he returned to Australia to make Evil Angels - released in America as A Cry in the Dark - with Meryl Streep and Sam Neill.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2004
© Estate of Kate Gollings
Accession number: 2004.4
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On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
Over the last five years the National Portrait Gallery has developed a collection of portrait photographs that reflects both the strength and diversity of Australian achievement as well as the talents of our photographers.
Explore portraiture and come face to face with Australian identity, history, culture, creativity and diversity.
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