SCREEN FOREVER / News / Hector Crawford Memorial Lecturer

22 Feb 2024

Today, Screen Producers Australia (SPA) are pleased to announce that one of Australia’s most loved and respected performers and public figures, Magda Szubanski AO, will deliver the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture at SCREEN FOREVER 38 (19-21 March 2024).

For over four decades Magda has been an Aussie household name, having written and performed in some of Australia’s most renowned films and TV shows including Babe, Big Girl’s Blouse, Bligh, Bran Nue Dae, Dogwoman, Dr Plonk, D-Generation, Fast Forward, Full Frontal, Good Guys Bad Guys, it’s A Date, Kath and Kim, Little Deaths, Sisters, Something Stupid, and Three Summers to name a few.

Magda’s iconic roles have secured her place as an Australian legend of screen and stage, but Sharon Strzelecki will go down in the history books as one of Magda’s most loved characters. Magda played Sharon in the blockbuster sitcom Kath & Kim, widely acknowledged as the most successful comedy in Australian television history.

Families worldwide fell in love with the Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning film Babe in 1995, where audiences first met another of Magda’s most famous characters, Mrs Hoggett.

Magda’s stage appearances have been larger-than-life performances in productions including Guys and Dolls, Love, Loss and What I Wore, The Melbourne Theatre Company production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the national tour of Grease: The Arena Spectacular, and The Mad Woman Of Chaillot to name a few.

Magda has received many accolades during her career, including a Mo Award, seven Logie Awards, three AWGIE Awards, two People’s Choice Awards and an AFI for Best Actress.

Magda is also a best-selling, award-winning author following the release of her internationally acclaimed memoir Reckoning. Relating the story of her father’s activities as an assassin in Nazi-occupied Poland, Szubanski’s story of intergenerational trauma, migration and coming-of-age as a young gay woman received rave reviews.

Released in late 2015, Reckoning won a slew of literary awards, including winner of the 2016 ABIA Book of the Year, Biography of the Year, Booksellers Choice Award, NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, the Indie Award for Non-Fiction; Winner Victorian Community History Award and was shortlisted for several more awards including the National Biography Award.

Until recently, Magda was less known for her extensive charitable work, having worked as a young woman at a women’s refuge shelter. Magda is one of Australia’s most prolific LGBTQIA+ rights activists, using her celebrity status during Australia’s ‘yes’ campaign for marriage equality.

In the past, Magda has regularly been rated highly in the Q Score Report, ranking her as one of the most trusted celebrities in Australia. Having such a highly regarded, courageous and respected public figure deliver the prestigious address to a historically packed audience will undoubtedly see her lay the foundations for many topical and important conversations throughout the conference.

SPA CEO Matthew Deaner stated, “The Hector Crawford Memorial Lecturer plays an important role at each SCREEN FOREVER, and we’re pleased to have a legend delivering the lecture next month. Magda’s career as a multi-award-winning actor, producer, and writer of some of Australia’s most memorable TV shows made her an ideal candidate to deliver an address highlighting the importance our unique independent production sector plays in sharing Australian culture and stories worldwide.

“Magda’s reputation precedes her, and having an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the performing arts as this year’s lecturer, we are sure delegates will have a not-to-be-missed opportunity to hear from one of our generations greats,” said Mr Deaner.

The Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture has been a keynote feature of the annual SCREEN FOREVER conference since 1992. The speech honours its namesake's legacy and emphasises the importance of independent production in Australia's cultural life.

More information on SCREEN FOREVER 38 can be found at screenforever.org.au. After a completely sold-out event in 2022 and 2023, delegates are encouraged to register early to secure their spot.