Albanese pays tribute to David Stratton
'With dry humor and sharp insight, David Stratton shared his love of film with our country,' the PM said in a statement on Thursday. 'All of us who tuned in to At the Movies respected him for his deep knowledge and for the gentle and generous way he passed it on. May he rest in peace.' Faced with a series of health issues, Stratton retired in 2023 after a life dedicated to film.
'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, grandfather, 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.'
They also had a special request for film buffs. '[We] invite everyone to celebrate David's remarkable life and legacy by watching their favorite movie, or David's favorite movie of all time - Singin' In the Rain,' the family added. Born in Wiltshire, England, Stratton arrived in Australia in 1963 under the 'Ten Pound Pom' migration scheme and quickly became involved with the local film industry.
He became director of the Sydney Film Festival (SFF) in 1966. Under his leadership he re-shaped the organization. While head of the SFF Stratton battled the appalling censorship of the time - which had led to massive cuts in films. He left the SFF in 1983, leaving the event financially secure and respected worldwide. It was revealed decades later that Stratton was under surveillance from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization at the time due to the festival screening films from the Soviet Union and his visit to the communist state in the late 1960s.
In 1980, Stratton joined SBS as a film consultant, where he later starred on-screen co-hosting the long-running The Movie Show alongside Margaret Pomeranz until 2004. He later said that his role at SBS was his 'proudest' moment. Stratton curated and hosted hundreds of screenings from some of the world's greatest filmmakers on SBS Cinema Classics on Sunday evenings and the Movie of the Week. Stratton and Pomeranz hosted At the Movies at the ABC for ten years until their retirement in 2014.
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