Fred Schepisi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fred Schepisi
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Frederic Alan Schepisi
26 December 1939 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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| Years active | 1976–present |
| Known for | The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Plenty Last Orders Empire Falls The Eye of the Storm |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Schepisi |
| Children | Alexandra Schepisi |
Frederic Alan Schepisi is an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born on 26 December 1939. He is well-known for directing many movies, including The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Plenty, Roxanne, and A Cry in the Dark.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frederic Alan Schepisi was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 26 December 1939. His father, Frederic Thomas Schepisi, sold fruit and cars.
When he was a teenager, Fred started watching classic European films. He saw movies like The Wages of Fear and Bicycle Thieves at a special theatre in Melbourne.
For part of his high school, he spent time at a religious school in Macedon. His experiences there later inspired his 1976 movie, The Devil's Playground.
After finishing school at 14, he briefly worked as a car mechanic for his father. However, he soon found a passion for the world of advertising.
Career in Film
Schepisi began his career as a messenger at an advertising company. He joined local film clubs and started making his own short films. He worked his way up in advertising, becoming a writer for ads. Eventually, he started directing commercials.
In 1964, at age 24, he became the manager for Cinesound Productions in Victoria. He brought in talented film students to work on projects. He created new and exciting commercials for big companies like Volkswagen.
Starting The Film House
In 1966, Fred Schepisi and two graphic designers bought Cinesound Victoria. They renamed it The Film House. This company became very important for a new wave of Australian filmmaking. It helped new directors like Gillian Armstrong and Peter Weir get started.
Directing Feature Films
Schepisi's first full-length movie was The Devil's Playground in 1976. But it was The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) that made him famous around the world. This film was one of the first to tell an Aboriginal story on the big screen.
This success led him to direct films in the United States. His first American film was Barbarosa (1982), a Western starring Willie Nelson.
He then directed the science fiction movie Iceman (1984). In 1985, he directed Plenty, starring Meryl Streep. In 1987, he made the comedy Roxanne with Steve Martin. This movie was based on an old French play.
Meryl Streep and Sam Neill also starred in his 1988 film, Evil Angels. This movie was known as A Cry in the Dark outside Australia.
Later films include the spy thriller The Russia House (1990), starring Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer. He also directed Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and I.Q. (1994), which was about Albert Einstein.
In 2001, he directed Last Orders, with famous actors like Michael Caine. In 2003, he made It Runs in the Family, which starred Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas.
In 2005, Schepisi directed a TV miniseries called Empire Falls for HBO. It featured many well-known actors like Paul Newman and Helen Hunt.
In 2011, he directed The Eye of the Storm. This film was shot in Australia and starred Charlotte Rampling and Geoffrey Rush. The story is about how children learn about themselves through their family.
His most recent film was Words and Pictures (2013), starring Juliette Binoche and Clive Owen.
Music Videos
Fred Schepisi has also directed music videos. One example is the 2008 song "Breathe" by Kaz James.
Other Activities
In the 1960s, Fred Schepisi strongly supported creating a film school in Melbourne. This led to the first filmmaking course at Swinburne Technical College in 1966. He even helped examine the first students' films without pay.
He has also been involved in international film festivals. He was the president of the 2006 Bangkok International Film Festival. In 2007, he led the jury at the 29th Moscow International Film Festival.
As of 2024, Schepisi helps support the National Film and Sound Archive in Australia. This group works to save Australia's film history.
Awards and Recognition
Fred Schepisi has won many awards for his work. He won awards from the Australian Film Institute for directing and writing. He won for his films The Devil's Playground and Evil Angels.
A photo of him taken in 2000 is kept at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Other awards and honours include:
- 1973: Won a Silver AFI Award for The Priest.
- 1976: Won the AFI Award for Best Film for The Devil's Playground.
- 1991: Received the Raymond Longford Award from the AFI.
- 2004: Was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. This is a special honour for his services to the Australian film industry.
- 2005: Nominated for an Emmy Award for directing Empire Falls.
- 2006: Received an honorary degree from the University of Melbourne.
- 2006: Won a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or TV Movie for Empire Falls.
- 2011: Won a Special Jury Prize at the Rome International Film Festival for Eye of the Storm.
Personal Life
Fred Schepisi has been married three times and has seven children. His current wife, Mary, is an artist. She often travels with him when he is making films. She finds ideas for her paintings from the places they visit.
He believes Australia should become a republic. He is one of the people who started the Australian Republican Movement.
Filmography
- The Devil's Playground (1976)
- The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
- Barbarosa (1982)
- Iceman (1984)
- Plenty (1985)
- Roxanne (1987)
- Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark) (1988)
- The Russia House (1990)
- Mr. Baseball (1992)
- Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
- I.Q. (1994)
- Fierce Creatures (1997)
- Last Orders (2001)
- It Runs in the Family (2003)
- Empire Falls (2005)
- The Eye of the Storm (2011)
- Words and Pictures (2013)
Unmade Films
- Bitter Sweet (1979) – a romance drama that was planned but not made.
See also
In Spanish: Fred Schepisi para niños
