Paul Fenech
Encyclopedia
Paul Fenech is a film maker, television and film actor and writer from Sydney, Australia, best known for his role in Pizza
and Swift and Shift Couriers
.
short film festival in 1995 for a biographical short entitled Pizza Man based on his experiences as a pizza delivery driver. He won the Tropfest award for best film in 1998 for Intolerance, although he had submitted the film under the pseudonym Laura Feinstein in order to appeal to the sensitivities of the judges, particularly Tropfest founder John Polson, who hoped that a female director would win the award.
Fenech was then able to secure a deal with Australian community broadcaster SBS
to produce a sitcom based on his short film. Entitled Pizza
, and premiering in 2000, several series of this have to date been produced, in addition to a full-length, cinematically-released motion picture, Fat Pizza.
He made a documentary called More Than Legends, a documentary that highlighted Aboriginal
culture through the eyes of three elders.
Fenech also created the sitcom series Swift and Shift Couriers
. The show began on SBS
on the 27th of October 2008. First series contained 9 episodes and the second series began to air in August 15, 2011 after the filming finished mid 2009.
Housos
is a new sitcom Fenech created and is scheduled to air in October 24, 2011.
Slamdance Film Festival
Logie Award
Australian Comedy Awards
Australian Writers' Guild
Pizza (TV series)
Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
and Swift and Shift Couriers
Swift and Shift Couriers
Swift and Shift Couriers is an Australian comedy television series that first screened on SBS TV in October 2008. The series is produced, directed and written by Paul Fenech, who was also responsible for the comedy series Pizza. It is set around the staff who work at the 'Swift and Shift' Courier...
.
Career
He first achieved prominence by winning third place in Sydney's annual TropfestTropfest
Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival.Tropfest began in 1993 as a screening for 200 people in a cafe in Sydney but has since become the largest platform for short films in the world. Tropfest Australia takes place in February each year in front of a live audience of approximately...
short film festival in 1995 for a biographical short entitled Pizza Man based on his experiences as a pizza delivery driver. He won the Tropfest award for best film in 1998 for Intolerance, although he had submitted the film under the pseudonym Laura Feinstein in order to appeal to the sensitivities of the judges, particularly Tropfest founder John Polson, who hoped that a female director would win the award.
Fenech was then able to secure a deal with Australian community broadcaster SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
to produce a sitcom based on his short film. Entitled Pizza
Pizza (TV series)
Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
, and premiering in 2000, several series of this have to date been produced, in addition to a full-length, cinematically-released motion picture, Fat Pizza.
He made a documentary called More Than Legends, a documentary that highlighted Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
culture through the eyes of three elders.
Fenech also created the sitcom series Swift and Shift Couriers
Swift and Shift Couriers
Swift and Shift Couriers is an Australian comedy television series that first screened on SBS TV in October 2008. The series is produced, directed and written by Paul Fenech, who was also responsible for the comedy series Pizza. It is set around the staff who work at the 'Swift and Shift' Courier...
. The show began on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
on the 27th of October 2008. First series contained 9 episodes and the second series began to air in August 15, 2011 after the filming finished mid 2009.
Housos
Housos
Housos is an Australian comedy television series created by Paul Fenech for SBS, that screens on SBS One. The series is a satirical parody of low income Australian residents, who are living in Housing Commission public housing.-Cast:...
is a new sitcom Fenech created and is scheduled to air in October 24, 2011.
Filmography
| Year | Movie |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Pizza Man (short) |
| 1996 | Space Pizza (short) |
| 1997 | Dangerous Pizza (short) |
| 1998 | Intolerance (short) |
| 1998 | Somewhere in the Darkness |
| 2003 | Fat Pizza |
Television
- The 50 Foot Show (Director) (1999)
- PizzaPizza (TV series)Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
(Director, writer, producer and portraying Pauly Falzoni) (2000–2007) - Pizza LivePizza (TV series)Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
(Director, writer, producer and portraying Pauly Falzoni) (2004) - World Record PizzaPizza (TV series)Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
(Director, writer, producer and portraying Pauly Falzoni) (2006) - The Da Vinci CupPizza (TV series)Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
(Director, writer, producer and portraying Pauly Falzoni) (2006) - Swift and Shift CouriersSwift and Shift CouriersSwift and Shift Couriers is an Australian comedy television series that first screened on SBS TV in October 2008. The series is produced, directed and written by Paul Fenech, who was also responsible for the comedy series Pizza. It is set around the staff who work at the 'Swift and Shift' Courier...
(Director, writer, producer and portraying Paul 'Mario' Gauci) (2008, 2011) - HousosHousosHousos is an Australian comedy television series created by Paul Fenech for SBS, that screens on SBS One. The series is a satirical parody of low income Australian residents, who are living in Housing Commission public housing.-Cast:...
(Director, writer, producer and portraying Franky Falzoni) (2011)
Awards and nominations
TropfestTropfest
Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival.Tropfest began in 1993 as a screening for 200 people in a cafe in Sydney but has since become the largest platform for short films in the world. Tropfest Australia takes place in February each year in front of a live audience of approximately...
- 1998: Best Film (Intolerance, won)
Slamdance Film Festival
Slamdance Film Festival
As a year-round organization, Slamdance serves as a showcase for the discovery of new and emerging talent in the film industry; it is also the only major film festival fully programmed by filmmakers. Slamdance counts among its alumni many notable writers and directors who first gained notice at the...
- 1999: Grand Jury Prize (Somewhere in the Darkness, nominated)
Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
- 2001: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (Pizza, nominated)
- 2002: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (Pizza, nominated)
- 2004: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (Pizza, nominated)
- 2005: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (Pizza, nominated)
Australian Comedy Awards
- 2003: Outstanding Australian TV Comedy – character based (Pizza, nominated)
Australian Writers' Guild
Australian Writers' Guild
The Australian Writers' Guild is the professional association for all performance writers, that is, writers for film, television, radio, theatre, video and new media. The AWG was established in 1962 and is recognised throughout the industry in Australia as being the voice of performance writers...
- 2011: Comedy – Situation or Narrative (Housos, nominated)