Philippe Mora Australian film director of French origin. Country: Australia

Biography of Philippe Mora

Philippe Mora is an Australian film director of French descent. He began making films as a child, with his first film "Back Alley" being released at the age of 15 in 1964. His early films, including "Dreams in a Grey Afternoon", were notable for their unique style and lack of dialogue. In 1967, Mora moved to "The Pheasantry", a legendary house on King's Road in Chelsea, London, which served as a gathering place for various local subcultures and influential figures such as Martin Sharp, Eric Clapton, and Germaine Greer. During this time, Mora also collaborated with the magazine "Oz" and continued to pursue his passion for comics.

Upon arriving in London, Mora developed an interest in painting and held his first exhibition at Clytie Jessop's gallery, who was a well-known actress and director. His work gained attention, and one of his paintings was even purchased by Eric Clapton. Mora's art exhibitions continued to attract attention, including one at Sigi Krauss's gallery, which featured a live grey rat alongside his black and white canvases.

In 1970, Mora released his first feature film, "Trouble in Molopolis", which gained significant attention due to its sponsorship by Arthur Boyd and Eric Clapton. The film starred Jenny Kee, Germaine Greer, and Martin Sharp, further establishing Mora's unique and eclectic style. He continued his filmmaking career, directing the documentary "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" based on his own script in 1975. In 1976, his film "Mad Dog Morgan", starring Dennis Hopper and Jack Thompson, became the first Australian project to have a limited release in American cinemas.

Mora continues to create new works, and in 2005, he released the film "When We Were Modern", which explores the history and complex relationships of influential figures in the global underground art scene, including Sidney Nolan, Joy Hester, Albert Tucker, John Reed, and Sunday Reed.