JON BLAIR
Jon Blair, writer, director, and producer of Anne Frank Remembered, has
earned critical acclaim throughout his career as an independent filmmaker.
Blair garnered a British Academy Award for Best Documentary for his film
Schindler, narrated by Dirk Bogarde, that told the story of Oskar Schindler,
who was also the subject of the Thomas Keneally novel, and Steven Spielberg's
film "Schindler's List."
Blair is author of The Biko Inquest, the play based on the South African
inquest into the death in prison of the black leader Steve Biko, which Blair
directed Off Broadway starring Fritz Weaver and Philip Bosco and which was
then produced for stage and television starring Albert Finney.
He was also co-founder and co-creator of the hit British comedy series,
Spitting Image, acting as producer, and then executive producer until mid-1987.
He was Executive Producer of all Spitting Image NBC specials in the USA.
During his time at Spitting Image, as Producer or Executive Producer, the
program won two Emmys, a Banff Comedy award, and numerous other international
awards.
As a current affairs producer/director on Tonight, This Week, and TV Eye,
Blair has covered domestic and foreign stories including the first program
for British television about the Soweto uprising There Is No Crisis!; and
coverage of other issues in the Middle East, Cambodia and Angola. He has
written on these wars for most major serious British newspapers as well
as The New York Times.
In 1987, Blair set up The Jon Blair Film Company to take advantage of the
new climate for independent program makers in British broadcasting. The
company's first production was a documentary special which Blair produced,
directed, and wrote, entitled Do You Mean There Are Still Real Cowboys?
Among his many other credits, Blair wrote and produced the highly acclaimed
dramatization of the Kimberly Carlile Inquiry starring Daniel Day-Lewis,
based on an infamous case of child abuse. He also produced Two Dogs and
Freedom, a benefit concert for black children in South Africa at Sadlers
Wells, London, featuring Bob Hoskins, Janet Suzman, Richard E. Grant, Jonas
Gwangwa and others.
In 1994 Blair produced, directed, and wrote Steven Spielberg on "Schindler's
List" and Tom Hanks & The World According To Gump. Wagner vs.
Wagner featuring Richard Wagner's great grandson on the composer's
political and cultural legacy of anti-Semitism and race hatred was broadcast
on Channel Four in April ,95.
Anne Frank Remembered was completed in the summer of 1995 in commemoration
of the 50th anniversary of the Holocaust. To date, the film has received
recognition at numerous film festivals including, the Jury Prize at the
Hamptons International Film Festival, the Audience Prize at the International
Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam, and a Gold Plaque at the Chicago International
Film Festival.
Last modified 08-Feburary-1996.
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