Director Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright honored at MOMA

(Photo Copyrighted: Taken March 20th, 2011 by Robert Bonsignore/Angel Light Pictures)

A surprise private screening celebration in honor of Canadian Director Ted Kotcheff's 80th Birthday.

(New York, NY, March 26, 2011)— The restored 1971 Australian classic Wake in Fright was screened Sunday night at The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in The Lewis B. & Dorothy Cullman Education & Research Building (The Celeste Bartos Theater) as part of a surprise private screening celebration given by his wife Laifun in honor of his 80th Birthday.

The event was co-hosted by Chris Meloni (Law & Order SVU) and Antonio Saillant (Angel Light Pictures). Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU), Brian Dennehy and Michael Talbott (First Blood) and many other close friends of the honoree attended this historical event and a special reception dinner followed immediately after the screening at the restaurant Bice NY.

Wake In Fright, released in 1971, is a sharply observed drama about a schoolteacher stranded in a hostile country town. Based on a novel by Kenneth Cook, it stars Gary Bond alongside Chips Rafferty, Donald Pleasence, Jack Thompson and Sylvia Kay. Directed by Canadian Ted Kotcheff, produced by George Willoughby and written by Evan Jones.

At the time of production, Kotcheff had directed two films, the Tiara Tahiti (1962) and Two Men Sharing (1969). After Wake In Fright, Kotcheff would continue to have a successful career as a director. His later films included The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1973), as well as the football comedy "North Dallas Forty" (1979), which he also co-wrote, Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), First Blood (1982), and Weekend at Bernie's (1988). In the 1990s, he returned to directing for TV and the executive producer of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

38 years after its 1971 debut, 'in competition,' at the Cannes Film Festival, this film was declared a Cannes Classic in 2009 and was screened again as part of the 2009 Cannes Classics retrospective program, Kotcheff holds the honor of having one of only 2 films to have ever been screened twice at Cannes.

A landmark film in the renaissance of Australian cinema in the 70s, Wake in Fright was lost for many years and has been restored by Australia’s National Film and Sound Archive and re-issued and is now considered one of the greatest Australian films of all time. The film is distributed via Madman Entertainment.

Antonio Saillant and Chris Meloni Co-Hosted a Celebration in honor of Director Ted Kotcheff at MOMA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Antonio Saillant and Chris Meloni Co-Hosted a Celebration in honor of Director Ted Kotcheff at MOMA.

Actor, Producer and owner of Angel Light Pictures, Antonio Saillant, joined the surprise 80th birthday festivities for executive producer of "Law & Order: SVU," Ted Kotcheff. The Sunday, March 20, event, was also hosted by his wife, Laifun, screened his 1971 Australian film, "Wake in Fright," which debuted 40 years ago at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2009, "Wake in Fright" was declared a "Cannes Classic" (and was screened again as part of that year's retrospective program). It's one of only two movies to hold this "Cannes Classic" distinction.

After the screening Kotcheff held a Q & A much to the delight of the audience. Also joining the celebration and the party afterwards held at Bice (East 54th) were actors Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU), Brian Dennehy and Michael Talbott (First Blood) and many other close friends and family of the honoree.


Antonio Saillant and Chris Meloni in March 2011 (Photo Copyrighted: Robert Bonsignori/Angel Light Pictures)


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Director Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright honored at MOMA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Director Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright honored at MOMA
A surprise private screening celebration in honor of Canadian Director Ted Kotcheff's 80th Birthday.

(New York, NY, March 22, 2011)— The restored 1971 Australian classic Wake in Fright was screened Sunday night at The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in The Lewis B. & Dorothy Cullman Education & Research Building (The Celeste Bartos Theater) as part of a surprise private screening celebration given by his wife Laifun in honor of his 80th Birthday.

The event was co-hosted by Chris Meloni (Law & Order SVU) and Antonio Saillant (Angel Light Pictures). Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU), Brian Dennehy and Michael Talbott (First Blood) and many other close friends of the honoree attended this historical event and a special reception dinner followed immediately after the screening at the restaurant Bice NY.

Wake In Fright, released in 1971, is a sharply observed drama about a schoolteacher stranded in a hostile country town. Based on a novel by Kenneth Cook, it stars Gary Bond alongside Chips Rafferty, Donald Pleasence, Jack Thompson and Sylvia Kay. Directed by Canadian Ted Kotcheff, produced by George Willoughby and written by Evan Jones.

At the time of production, Kotcheff had directed two films, the Tiara Tahiti (1962) and Two Men Sharing (1969). After Wake In Fright, Kotcheff would continue to have a successful career as a director. His later films included The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1973), as well as the football comedy "North Dallas Forty" (1979), which he also co-wrote, Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), First Blood (1982), and Weekend at Bernie's (1988). In the 1990s, he returned to directing for TV and the executive producer of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

38 years after its 1971 debut, 'in competition,' at the Cannes Film Festival, this film was declared a Cannes Classic in 2009 and was screened again as part of the 2009 Cannes Classics retrospective program, Kotcheff holds the honor of having one of only 2 films to have ever been screened twice at Cannes.

A landmark film in the renaissance of Australian cinema in the 70s, Wake in Fright was lost for many years and has been restored by Australia’s National Film and Sound Archive and re-issued and is now considered one of the greatest Australian films of all time. The film is distributed via Madman Entertainment.