Director Robert Connolly to be honoured at Screen Music Awards

Writer, producer and director Robert Connolly will receive the 2018 Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award later this month.

Connolly (The Slap, Deep State, Barracuda, The Bank, Balibo, Paper Planes) will receive the honour from the APRA Board of Directors  at the Screen Music Awards in recognition of his close work with Australian composers.

Robert Connolly said, “I remain in awe of the creative insight and impact that composers have contributed to the film and television productions I have worked on. So many times the profound emotional and narrative elements that have eluded me as a filmmaker have been so much more clearly explored by the composer. It is a great honour to receive this award from APRA, providing an opportunity for me to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution screen music has made to my work.”

Screen Music Awards will be held on Monday November 19 at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.

Known for producing and directing high quality cinema with a political focus and social themes, Robert has powerfully showcased the work of Australian composers like Lisa Gerrard, Alan John, Bryony Marks, Nigel Westlake, François Tétaz, Evelyn Ida Morris and more in his film and television projects. As a producer, Robert’s first feature film, The Boys, with the music of seminal experimental group The Necks has gone on to become a classic in Australian cinema. Since then, he has garnered numerous awards and accolades for his work collaborating with an impressive and diverse range of composers on productions including The Bank, Balibo, Paper Planes, The Slap and more. A champion of Australian film and television, Robert served on the Screen Australia board from 2008-2012 and continues to introduce and mentor emerging talent and new creative voices. Robert is well known for taking great care that the score plays a vital role in all of his productions.