Sarah Watt
Encyclopedia
Sarah Ann Watt was an Australia
n film director
.
Born in Sydney
, Watt completed a Graduate Diploma of Film and Television (Animation) at the Swinburne (now VCA) School of Film and Television, Melbourne in 1990. Her student film "Catch of the Day" was to reflect the style of future work. In 1995, she directed a short film, Small Treasures, which won Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival
. In 2000, she made a program for the SBS
series Swim Between the Flags. She received the Australian Film Institute
's award for Best Director for her 2005 film Look Both Ways
.
Watt returned to the VCA School of Film and Television to teach animation and was to assist in the development of many animators including Academy Award winner Adam Eliot in 1996. Watt was instrumental in the development of scripts for all of her students, but left the School to further develop her own projects, returning on occasion as a script and final production assessor.
During the post-production of Look Both Ways, Watt was diagnosed with cancer. Her second film My Year Without Sex
was released in 2009.
She died on 4 November 2011 after suffering for six years with breast
and bone cancer, aged 53.
Sarah Watt was married to actor
William McInnes
. They have two children, Clem (b.1993) and Stella (b.1998).
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Watt completed a Graduate Diploma of Film and Television (Animation) at the Swinburne (now VCA) School of Film and Television, Melbourne in 1990. Her student film "Catch of the Day" was to reflect the style of future work. In 1995, she directed a short film, Small Treasures, which won Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
. In 2000, she made a program for the 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...
series Swim Between the Flags. She received the Australian Film Institute
Australian Film Institute
The Australian Film Institute was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry...
's award for Best Director for her 2005 film Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways is a 2005 Australian independent film, written and directed by Sarah Watt, starring an ensemble cast, which was released on 18 August 2005. The film was supported by the Adelaide Film Festival fund and opened the 2005 festival. It won four AFI Awards, including Best Film and Best...
.
Watt returned to the VCA School of Film and Television to teach animation and was to assist in the development of many animators including Academy Award winner Adam Eliot in 1996. Watt was instrumental in the development of scripts for all of her students, but left the School to further develop her own projects, returning on occasion as a script and final production assessor.
During the post-production of Look Both Ways, Watt was diagnosed with cancer. Her second film My Year Without Sex
My Year Without Sex (film)
My Year Without Sex received strongly favourable reviews, and was touted by The Sydney Morning Herald as "possibly the best" Australian film of 2009 as well as "the most accomplished" local film of 2009 by The Age....
was released in 2009.
She died on 4 November 2011 after suffering for six years with breast
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and bone cancer, aged 53.
Sarah Watt was married to actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
William McInnes
William McInnes
William McInnes is an Australian film and television actor and writer.-Television:After a recurring role on A Country Practice in 1990, McInnes appeared in series such as Bligh, Ocean Girl, and Snowy before making his name as Senior Constable Nick Schultz on Blue Heelers in 1994...
. They have two children, Clem (b.1993) and Stella (b.1998).