Australia’s best known, most widely performed playwright, and celebrated scriptwriter, David Williamson is coming to Dungog to share his stories. We are honoured to feature some of his most popular films at this year’s Festival and to present an in depth Master Class, hosted by the Australian Writers Guild.

As a scriptwriter, Williamson has brought to the screen his own plays including The Removalists, Don’s Party, The Club (screening 1:45pm, Friday May 27, SBS Theatre), Travelling North and Emerald City along with his original screenplays for feature films including Libido, Petersen, Gallipoli (screening 6:30pm, Saturday May 28, James Theatre), Phar Lap and The Year of Living Dangerously.

His plays have been translated into many languages and performed internationally, including major productions in London, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

Keep a close eye out for the film adaptation of his play Face to Face, directed by Michael Rymer, which has recently won a string of awards at international festivals.

Williamson was the first person outside Britain to receive the George Devine Award (for The Removalists). His many awards include eleven AWGIEs, four AFIs for Best Screenplay and, in 1996, the United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Award.  In 2005 he was awarded the Richard Lane Award for services to the Australian Writers’ Guild.

No other Australian writer has done more to consistently create intelligent, challenging theatre and cinema. He has insurmountably raised the profile of Australian artistic endeavour overseas and has done so with fierce political passions and ideals. Rarely will you agree with all of Williamson’s characters, but herein lies the brilliance of his writing. At the core of each project is a constant, healthy dose of wit and Aussie humour, while the material forces audiences to argue and stand up for what they believe in, long after the lights come on.