AustLit
Jon Hargreaves as Don (Source: screen cap)
Adaptation of
Don's Party
1971
single work
drama
Issue Details:
First known date:
1976...
1976
Don's Party
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Film Details - Double Head Productions Pty Ltd in association with the Australian Film Commission. , 1976
Production Companies:
Double Head Productions
Finance Organisations:
Australian Film Commission
Twentieth Century Fox
Director of Photography:
Donald McAlpine
Editors:
William M. Anderson
Production Designers:
Rhoisin Harrison
Cast:
Ray Barrett (Mal), Clare Binney (Susan), Pat Bishop (Jenny), Graeme Blundell (q.v., Simon), Jeanie Drynan (Kath Henderson), John Hargreaves (Don Henderson), Harold Hopkins (Cooley), Graham Kennedy (q.v., Mack), Veronica Lang (Jody), Candy Raymond (Kerry), Kit Taylor (Evan), Prime Minister John Grey Gorton (q.v., himself), Bruce Beresford (man in bottleshop)
Release Dates:
1. Australian premiere held on 10 November 1976 at the Queanbeyan Arts Festival. Released commercially in Australia on 17 November at the Centre Cinema, Canberra (ACT).Other known release dates include Netherlands (17 January 1980) and USA (27 May 1982 - New York City). The film also screened at the 1977 Berlin International Film Festival.
2. Released on videocassette format in the 1980s by Doublehead Productions and B.C. Entertainment. Released on videocassette format in the UK in 1994 by Art House Productions. Re-released on DVD format in 2005 by Umbrella Entertainment.
Location:
- Windam Place, Westleigh (Sydney, NSW)
Awards:
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Achievement in Editing - William M. Anderson (winner)
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Veronica Lang (winner)
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Actress in a Lead Role - Pat Bishop (winner)
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Achievement in Sound - William Anderson (winner)
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Director - Bruce Beresford
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Actress in a Lead Role - Jeanie Drynan (nomination)
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, (1977) Best Film - Phillip Adams (nomination)
- Berlin International Film Festival, (1977) Golden Berlin Bear - Bruce Beresford (nomination)
Notes:
1. Produced on a budget of $270,000, generated by several private investors, the Australian Film Commission, and a small contribuition from Twentieth Century Fox. The initial inner-city screenings were handled exclusively by Phillip Adams, with Twentieth Century Fox taking over distribution for the suburban and regional areas.
2. Further reference: Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper. Australian Film 1900-1977, A Guide to Feature Film Production (1980, q.v.), pp. 385-386.
The NSFA has over forty items relating to Don's Party available online as well as several versions of the script, publicity materials, and copies of the film including the original release.
Settings:
- Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,
- 1960s
