Nigel Buesst Explained

Nigel Buesst (born 30 April 1938) is an Australian filmmaker from Melbourne.^[1] After graduating B.Com in 1960 from Melbourne University he headed overseas to London and worked as an assistant editor at Shepperton Studios.^[2]

On returning to Melbourne in 1962 he worked for some months at the ABC's Ripponlea newsroom, and freelanced as a cameraman on various productions. He also started directing his own films, beginning with “Fun Radio” in 1963.

After the success of his film "Rise and Fall of Squizzy Taylor" ^[3] he began teaching at the Swinburne University of Technology (1970-1984) while continuing to make films on a diverse range of subjects.

He was also a co-founder and the artistic director of the St Kilda Film Festival from 1986 to 1990.^[4]

Buesst has been described as "a living legend of Melbourne's film scene" ^[5] and was a figure in the "Carlton wave" of Australian filmmaking.^[6]

Select credits

DIRECTOR on all titles, unless otherwise noted.

• Fun Radio (1963)
• Dancing Class (Dir: Tom Cowan 1964) – photography
• The Twentieth (1966)
• The Making of a Gallery, NGV (1967) – photography
• The Rise and Fall of Squizzy Taylor (1969)
• Nothing Like Experience (1970) – photography
• Bonjour Balwyn (1970)
• Dead Easy (1970)
• Destruction of St Patrick's College (1971)
• Come Out Fighting (1973)
• Jacka VC (Dir: Ross Cooper 1977) – photography
• Glenn's Story (Dir: Arnold Zable 1979) – photography
• Jazz Scrapbook (1983) ^[7]
• Compo (1989)
• Benny Featherstone (Prince Good Fellows) (1996) ^[8]
• Black Sheep Gather No Moss (1997)
• The Loved One - Gerry Humphrys (2000)
• Talking With Ade (2000) ^[9]
• Carlton + Godard = Cinema (2003) ^[10]
• Darwin Harbour (2010)
• Ballarat Jazz Convention (2015)
• Point Lonsdale Plaque Unveiling (2018) – editor

External links

• • 2003 Interview at Senses of Cinema
• Nigel Buesst profile at Inner Sense
• Tribute to Nigel Buesst
• Nigel Buesst at Australian Screen Online
• Nigel Buesst at Screen Australia
• Nigel Buesst at AustLit
• Nigel Buesst at Letterbox DVD
• Nigel Buesst at BFI

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nigel Buesst. Melbourne Independent Filmmakers.
2. News: 1 July 1983. Filmnews (Sydney NSW: 1975-1995). 13. 8. Filmnews. 7. New South Wales, Australia. National Library of Australia. 1 October 2020.
3. Web site: Darkest Before the Dawn: Australian films of the 1960s. Ozflicks.
4. Web site: The St. Kilda Film Festival: Looking Back. Senses of Cinema.
5. Web site: Carlton + Godard = Cinema. Adrian. Martin. May 2003. Film Critic.
6. http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/23/carlton-australian-revival.html Bruce Hodson, 'The Carlton Ripple and the Australian Film Revival', Screening the Past
7. News: JAZZ Scrapbook . . 13 . 7 . New South Wales, Australia . 1 July 1983 . 1 October 2020 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
8. Web site: BENNY FEATHERSTONE: PRINCE OF GOOD FELLOWS.
9. Web site: Talking with Ade.
10. Web site: Wilson. Jake. Carlton + Godard = Cinema: An Interview with Nigel Buesst. Senses of Cinema.