Al Clark

Al Clark is an Australian film producer. He is best known for his producer role on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and his executive producer role on the film, Chopper. Clark is also the author of four books. Time Flies and Time Flies Too are Clark's memoirs, which merge the early days of punk and new wave popular music with the truncated British film renaissance of the 1980s and the world of international film finance, and later chronicle his move to Australia and his work there. provides an insight into the work of the writer of detective fiction and includes interviews with many of the Hollywood figures who were associated with Raymond Chandler and his films. His second book Making Priscilla, also titled The Lavender Bus: How a Hit Movie Was Made and Sold, is a behind-the-scenes tale outlining the follies of film-making and how The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became an international success.

Early life and education Clark was born in Huelva, Andalucia, in southern Spain, and grew up there during the time of Franco's dictatorship, a childhood Clark described as extreme and intense.

Career

UK

Clark first worked as a journalist at Time Out in London before becoming Publicity Director at Virgin Records. It was here that he represented the Sex Pistols, Phil Collins, Mike Oldfield and Tangerine Dream. Absolute Beginners directed by Julien Temple and starring David Bowie and James Fox and Gothic directed by Ken Russell and starring Gabriel Byrne, Natasha Richardson and Timothy Spall.

Australia

Clark was the executive producer for The Crossing directed by George Ogilvie and starring Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer. Producer, Red Hill, and Producer, Swinging Safari. Clark has served as Jury Member at several film festivals including: Jury President, Adelaide Film Festival, 2013, Jury Member, San Sebastian International Film Festival 2003 and Jury Member Valladolid International Film Festival, 1999.

Personal life Clark has married twice. His first marriage was to Yoli with whom he had two children - Jason and Louise.

Filmography 1984 - Secret Places (executive producer) – director Zelda Barron – with Marie-Therese Relin, Jenny Agutter 1984 - Nineteen Eighty-Four (co-producer) – director Michael Radford – with John Hurt, Richard Burton 1986 - Absolute Beginners (executive producer) – director Julien Temple – with David Bowie, James Fox 1986 - Captive (executive producer) – director Paul Mayersberg – with Oliver Reed, Irina Brook 1986 - Gothic (executive producer) – director Ken Russell – with Gabriel Byrne, Natasha Richardson, Timothy Spall 1987 - Aria (co-producer) – directors Robert Altman, Jean-Luc Godard, Nicolas Roeg, Bruce Beresford etc. – with Theresa Russell, Bridget Fonda, Tilda Swinton 1990 - The Crossing (executive producer) – director George Ogilvie – with Russell Crowe, Danielle Spencer 1994 - The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (producer) – director Stephan Elliott – with Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce 1997 - Heaven's Burning (producer) – director Craig Lahiff – with Russell Crowe, Youki Kudoh 1999 - Siam Sunset (producer) – director John Polson – with Linus Roache, Danielle Cormack 1999 - Eye of the Beholder (co-producer) – director Stephan Elliott – with Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd 2000 - Chopper (executive producer) – director Andrew Dominik – with Eric Bana, Vince Colosimo, Kate Beahan 2002 - The Hard Word (producer) – director Scott Roberts – with Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Joel Edgerton 2004 - Thunderstruck (executive producer) – director Darren Ashton – with Sam Worthington, Callan Mulvey, Stephen Curry 2006 - The Book of Revelation (producer) – director Ana Kokkinos – with Tom Long, Greta Scacchi, Colin Friels 2007 - Razzle Dazzle (executive producer) – director Darren Ashton – with Ben Miller, Kerry Armstrong, Tara Morice 2009 - Blessed (producer) – director Ana Kokkinos – with Frances O’Connor, Miranda Otto, Deborra-lee Furness 2010 - Red Hill (producer) – director Patrick Hughes – with Ryan Kwanten, Steve Bisley, Tom E. Lewis 2013 - Goddess (executive producer) – director Mark Lamprell - with Laura Michelle Kelly, Ronan Keating, Magda Szubanski 2017 - Swinging Safari aka Flammable Children (producer) - director Stephan Elliott - with Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchel

Awards

In 2013 Clark received the AACTA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Longford Lyell Award for his unwavering excellence and commitment to the film industry. Blessed, 2009 (Producer Al Clark, Director Ana Kokkinos) nominated for AFI Best Film. Chopper, 2000 (Executive Producer Al Clark, Director Andrew Dominik). The film won: Cognac Film Festival - Grand Prix and Best Film awarded by the Film Critics Circle of Australia, it was also nominated by AFI Best Film. Siam Sunset, 1999 (Producer Al Clark, Director John Polson) won: Festival de Cannes - Rail D'Or; Busan Film Festival - Best Film; Hawaii Film Festival - Golden Maile, Best Film; Oporto Film Festival - Best Film Fantasporto. The film was also nominated for AFI Best Film. In 1994 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Producer Al Clark, Director Stephan Elliott) won the following awards. Festival de Cannes - Grand Prix du Publique; San Francisco International Film Festival - Starbucks Award, Most Popular Film; Seattle Film Festival - Golden Space Needle Award, Most Popular Film. The film also won the EDI Award for Highest Grossing Limited Release Film in the US in 1994. Nominations include Golden Globes - Best Picture, Musical or Comedy, BAFTA - Best Film and AFI - Best Film. The 1987 UK anthology film, Aria was nominated for the Festival de Cannes Palme d'Or. In 1984 - 1985 the film Nineteen Eighty-Four (Director Michael Radford) won Best Film, Evening Standard British Film Awards and a Golden Tulip, Istanbul International Film Festival.