Honouring David Stratton AM, 1939 – 2025
Sydney Film Festival celebrates the incredible life and legacy of David Stratton AM, as we honour his passing announced today by his family.
Celebrating the life and legacy of David Stratton AM
Sydney Film Festival, and by extension the very culture of cinema in Australia, would not exist as it does today without the remarkable passion and devotion of David Stratton who was the Festival Director from 1966 until 1983.
His achievements are too innumerable to list in totality, and would include his successful fight against censorship of films in Australia, the establishment of the Travelling Film Festival, support for emerging filmmakers from Australia and around the world, and fostering of a brave and adventurous cinema culture in Australian audiences.
Our thoughts are with his family who have released the following statement.
“David’s passion for film, commitment to Australian cinema, and generous spirit touched countless lives,” his family said.
“He was adored as a husband, father, grand and great grandfather and admired friend.
“David’s family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support from friends, colleagues, and the public recently and across his lifetime.”
Stratton’s family has asked for privacy in the wake of his death, but issued a special request to the movie-going public.
“[We] invite everyone to celebrate David’s remarkable life and legacy by watching their favourite movie, or David’s favourite movie of all time — Singin’ In the Rain.”
Details of a public memorial service will be announced in the near future.
You can read a comprehensive obituary and tribute to David Stratton, written by long time SFF employee, and current Australian Documentary Programmer Jenny Neighbour for the National Film and Sound Archive here: https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/vale-david-stratton
See below for a photo gallery of David over the years at Sydney Film Festival.
1964 - Ian McPherson and David Stratton
1968 - David Stratton
1968
1968 - Satyajit Ray, David Stratton, Pamela Brown
1971 - Erwin Rado, David Stratton, Jorn Donner
1971 - Jerzy Skolimowski, David Stratton and Michael Thornhill
1971 - Jorn Donner, Stratton
1972- Ingrid Murphy, Lionel Murphy, Sue Tzannes, Ross Tzannes, David Stratton
1974- David Stratton and Kate Fitzpatrick, on arrival at State Theatre
1975 - Peter Weir, David Stratton
1975 - Warren Beatty and David Stratton, State Theatre
1976 - Doug Anthony - MP, David Stratton
1978 - David Stratton, Keith Carradine
1979- David Stratton and Wally Peacey, SFF Film handler
1980- David Stratton and Christopher Petit
1980- David Stratton and Jamie Lee Curtis
1981
1981- David Stratton and Elizabeth Alexander
1981- David Stratton and Jessica Harcourt
1982- David Stratton at desk
1982- SFF Staff, (from left) Peter Howard, Kathy Turbott, Lyn McCarthy, David Stratton, (front row) Vicki Hansen, Christine Stribley
1983- David Stratton
1983- Festival Staff Farewell David Stratton
1983- George Miller, David Stratton, Peter Weir, Patricia Lovell
1983- Gough Whitlam, Don Chipp, David Stratton
1988- David and Suzanne Stratton
1996- David Stratton, Ian McPherson Lecture
1977 - Akira Kurosawa, Michelangelo Antonioni, David Stratton, Satyajit Ray
David and Mary Stratton
1976 - Giancarlo Giannini, David Stratton, Opening Night
19777 - Ron-West, Carol Hughes, David Stratton, Antonia Bernard, Modesta Gentile
1978 - David-Stratton, Ron West, Adrienne McKibbons, Antonia Barnard, Carol Hughes, Modesta Gentile, Wally Peacey
1979 - David Stratton with Jiri Menzel and interpreter
1983 - Carol Hughes, David Stratton, Antonia Barnard, Therese Gilbert
1983 - Ross Tzannes and David Stratton
Jack Thompason, David Stratton
Julie and the Directors - Nashen Moodley, Jenny Neighbour, Lynden Barber, Gayle Lake, Rod Webb, David Stratton, Julie Rigg
Modesta Gentile and David Stratton
1971 - Erwin Rado, Jorn Donnor, David Stratton
1976 - David Stratton, Michelangelo Antonioni
1978 - David Stratton, Shyan Benegal
Jacki Weaver and David Stratton
David Stratton and Anthony Buckley
1981- David Stratton and Kim Deakin
1983 - David Stratton and Martin Sharpe
1983- John and Beverley Burke, David Stratton
1983 - Ross Tzannes and David Stratton admire farewell cake
1983- Susan Tzannes, Leo Christie, Ross Tzannes, David Stratton
1987- Julia Blake and David Stratton
1989- Suzanne and David Stratton
1990 - David Stratton
2023 - In Conversation Jane Campion With David Stratton
Sydney Film Festival acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose Country SFF is based.
We honour the storytelling and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.
Don’t miss a thing!
Whether you’re in Sydney or one of our rural locations, sign up to our newsletters for all the latest news and offers.
