Quick Facts
Biography
John Winter (born 29 March 1956) is an Australian film and television writer, director and producer. He is best known for producing Rabbit-Proof Fence, Doing Time for Patsy Cline and Paperback Hero. His directorial debut Black & White & Sex premiered at the 2011 Sydney Film Festivalwith its international premiere at the 41st International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film won the 'Best Experimental' at the 2012 ATOM Awards.
Career
Winter began his career at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) where he was a production manager. His credits during this time include the Nature of Australia series, A Dangerous Life, Bodysurfer, Police Rescue and Come in Spinner. During this period he co-wrote and directed the short film Paper Dart that screened at the St Kilda Film Festival.
Winter's producing career has had many successes. In 1995 he produced Vacant Possession which received 4 Australian Film Institute (AFI) nominations and won a Special Jury prize at Créteil.
In 1997 John also produced Doing Time for Patsy Cline which opened Sydney Film Festival and received 10 AFI nominations including Best Film. The film was a critical and box office success.
Winter was script producer on the first series of the ABC's high rating television drama series, SeaChange, before returning to producing with Paperback Hero starring Hugh Jackman and Claudia Karvan. My Mother Frank followed, premiering at Berlin International Film Festival. It starred Matthew Newton, Sinéad Cusack, and Sam Neill,closed the Sydney Film Festival and won Most Popular Feature Film at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
Winter also produced Phillip Noyce's acclaimed Rabbit-Proof Fence that won Best Film at the 2002 AFI Awards.
Directing
Winter has directed several short films, most recently Apartment 1911 which premiered at the 2016 Byron Bay Film Festival.
Mirror Mirror, starring Roy Billing, screened at 27 international film festivals including Frameline and the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. It was the opening short of the 2008 Melbourne Queer Film Festival.
Winter's feature film directorial debut is Black & White & Sex (2011).The film had its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival on 18 June 2011.
Awards
- Winner 2002 AFI Award - Best Film Rabbit-Proof Fence
- Nominated 1997 AFI Award - Best Film Doing Time for Patsy Cline
- Winner 2012 ATOM Awards - 'Best Experimental' Black & White & Sex
- Nominated 2012 Taipei Film Festival - International New Talent Competition - Grand Prize Black & White & Sex
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Apartment 1911 | Director, producer, writer, cinematographer, editor |
| 2011 | Black & White & Sex | Director, producer and writer |
| 2008 | Mirror Mirror | Director, producer and writer (story) |
| 2004 | A Director's Gotta Do: The Producer's Cut | Producer, director, cinematographer |
| 2004 | A Man's Gotta Do | Producer |
| 2002 | Rabbit-Proof Fence | Producer |
| 2000 | My Mother Frank | Producer |
| 1999 | Paperback Hero | Producer |
| 1998 | SeaChange | Script Producer |
| 1997 | Doing Time for Patsy Cline | Producer |
| 1996 | Turning April | Producer |
| 1995 | Vacant Possession | Producer |
| 1994 | The Roly Poly Man | Line Producer |
| 1993 | Love in Limbo | Co-Producer |
| 1993 | 'No Worries | Line Producer |
