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Henri Safran |
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French-Australian writer/director Henri Safran was born in 1932 but has been an Australian citizen since 1963. He grew up in Paris with his Jewish family during World War II. Although he recalls his childhood as being a happy one, his most vivid childhood memory is one of terror, when French police smashed in the door of his Paris apartment. His father was sent to die in Auschwitz while the rest of the Safran family was barred from their apartment. Safran and his sister were "farmed out" during the war, then later rejoined their mother who had remarried when she came to Australia.
Safran returned to Europe to work in French and British TV, and also had a long stint with the ABC where he was the original producer of "Four Corners."
In 1977 Safran made the classic "Storm Boy" which ended up securing three AFI awards and was the year's biggest money-making film. But, as Safran himself has said, "success doesn't breed success," and in the five years after Storm Boy was made, Safran only made two films - "Golden Souk," and the one he is quoted to be proudest of. "Listen to the Lion," a 52 minute short feature, is a grim, brooding tale about Sydney derelicts. The film was made for $36,000 with the help of the Australian Film Commission. Says Safran of the film:
"I'd like to feel that 'Lion' encouraged young Australian filmmakers to embark upon new paths."
In those five years, Safran made a living by producing television commercials, preferring to wait until the right script came along. Finally, in 1981, after being frustrated at the lack of good comedy scripts around, Safran took his own initiative and wrote "Norman Loves Rose," a Jewish-Australian comedy which was released in 1982 to mixed reviews. Costing $1.3 million - a modest sum for a feature film - there were 81 investors who put up sums varying from as little as $2000 to Greater Union's $175,000.
In the years that followed, Henri Safran directed more films, many of which were children's dramas (Bush Christmas and The Rogue Stallion) and TV mini-series (A Fortunate Life, Flair and The Lancaster Miller Affair being examples).
DIRECTOR FILMOGRAPHY
1. Storm Boy (1977)
2. Norman Loves Rose (1982)
3. The Wild Duck (1983)
4. Bush Christmas (1983)
5. A Fortunate Life (TV mini-series, 1985)
6. Edge of Power (1987)
7. Flair (TV mini-series, 1989)
8. The Rogue Stallion (1990)
9. The Lancaster Miller Affair (1990)
PRODUCER FILMOGRAPHY
1. Norman Loves Rose (1982)
2. Relatives (1985)
WRITER FILMOGRAPHY
1. Norman Loves Rose (1982)
2. The Wild Duck (1983)
ACTOR FILMOGRAPHY
1. The Lancaster Miller Affair (1990)
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