Tropfest Boss Given APRA’s Top Screen Music Honour

Filmmaker and Tropest boss John Polsen will be presented with the International Achievement Award at the Screen Music Awards in December.

High highest honour APRA and the Australian Guild Of Screen Composers can bestow on an individual, it recognised outstanding achievements to the film and television industry.

During his career he's been involved with films Swimfan and Hide & Seek as well as TV shows The Mentalist, The Good Wife and Without A Trace while he's also behind Tropfest's global drive. Polson is currently co-executive producer, and regular director, of the hit US Sherlock Holmes-reboot, crime procedural Elementary.

He said today, “It is a huge honour to accept this award. I feel truly humbled to have the APRA AMCOS Board of Publisher and Writer Directors recognise my work in this way. I'd like to thank APRA AMCOS for their ongoing support of Tropfest and of the film and television industry in general. With their support, we as an industry can continue to push boundaries, foster creativity and develop an exciting future for ourselves.”

APRA AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle added, “John Polson's life work as a director and a force for growth and innovation in the film industry has been compelling, inspiring and groundbreaking. He has in a visionary and socially enterprising way, created opportunities for emerging film-makers and therefore for screen composers and it is privilege to recognise and acknowledge his contribution with this award.”

Hosted by Andrew Hanson and Chris Taylor from The Chaser, the awards will take place at the State Theatre Monday 9 December. The general public are able to attend the awards for the first time this year, with ticket details here.

Leading the nominations this year are Custard's David McCormack and former Go-Betweens violinist Amanda Brown.