|
Film-maker, lecturer and croquet champion Aggy Read
died in Brisbane on Sunday August 22 1998 after a short battle with cancer. Aggy is perhaps best known as the former Manager of the UBU FILMS group in Sydney during the 1965-1970 period. Meeting Albie Thoms at Sydney University, they later formed UBU with David Perry, John Clark and associates including Phillip Noyce, Garry Shead, Gary Stiven, Paul Winkler, and a host of others. As one of the seminal figures in UBU FILMS (as described in Peter Mudie's book Sydney Underground Movies: Ubu Films , UNSW Press, 1997) Aggy was (along with Thoms) for many the public face of the group - appearing on television (This Day Tonight and Don Lane Show amongst many others), on the radio, and in the many newspaper articles written about them. Charged with smuggling (after sending a copy of David Perry's film A Portait of Abigayl's Belly to the Oberhausen Festival in West Germany), the latter trial caused considerable outrage in Australia, and led later to the repeal of the archaic censorship laws that governed the importation and classification of motion pictures by Senator Don Crisp [sic] (in 1970). Later, UBU evolved into the Sydney Filmmakers Co-op and Aggy Read was one of the foundation members (as Secretary) at the same time he was working with Thoms, Brett Whitely, and Martin Sharp at the now famous artist commune the Yellow House in the Kings Cross district of Sydney. In 1973 Read moved to Adelaide to lecture at Flinders University, Read was one of the founding members of the Experimental Art Foundation (with Brook, Fleugelman, Frith and Llewelyn) and the Media Resource Centre (working there as the Finance Officer until 1978). In 1985, Read moved to Brisbane lecturing part-time at Griffith University, and working at the Heart Foundation. Along with his many advocacy roles for independent film in Australia, and his many contributions to the films of Albie Thoms, Mike Parr and Ben Elfick, Read was a keen hot air ballloonist and croquet player (winning the Australian Men’s title in 1997). Of Aggy Read's many films, he is perhaps best remembered for his outrageous classic Boobs A Lot which caused a near riot at the 1968 Sydney Film Festival when it was first screened by new Director of the Festival: David Stratton. A true Australian libertarian and larrikin, Aggy Read remained committed to fostering the development of creative film in Australia, he will be remebered by many here in this country for his infectious enthusiasm and tireless wit. Aggy Read is survived by his wife, writer and actress Judith Arthy, a stepson Luke, and his mother and brother in Sydney. Peter
Mudie Obituary courtesy of Frameworks
Archive May-August 1998 |