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David Lightfoot, an Australian producer behind such films as Wolf Creek, Rogue and Never Too Late, died Sunday in a hospital in Adelaide after a heart attack, his production company announced. He was 61.
With more than 30 years in the industry, Lightfoot was one of the most experienced and widely regarded production executives in his country. He launched his company, Ultrafilms, in 1997.
Lightfoot began his career at the South Australian Film Corp. in 1982 and worked as an associate producer on Bad Boy Bubby (1993), as a location manager on Babe (1995), as a co-producer on The Sound of One Hand Clapping (1998) and as a line producer on Japanese Story (2003).
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The horror thriller Wolf Creek (2005) premiered at Sundance, played in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and earned more than seven times its budget in sales, and Rogue (2007) was distributed by The Weinstein Co. Both films were written and directed by Greg McLean.
More recently, Lightfoot and Tony Ginnane produced Never Too Late (2020), starring Jack Thomson, Jacki Weaver, James Cromwell, Shane Jacobson and Dennis Waterman.
His other producing credits included Blame (2010), John Doe: Vigilante (2014), Love Is Now (2014), Pinch (2015) and Bad Blood (2017).
He was founding director of the nationwide SHORTS Film Festival.
Said producer and former Roadshow head of production Seph McKenna: “David’s depth of knowledge was extraordinary. Those smarts married to that legendary charisma — it was all very formidable. I know, as many of us who knew him know, how passionately and how deeply David felt things. That depth of feeling can be both a blessing and a curse for those whose reservoirs go as deep and who have seen so many things. I hope his rest is peaceful and the regard for which so many held him is a balm to his family and all those many who loved him.”
Ultrafilms will continue under the direction of Lightfoot business partner and co-producer Sabella Sugar, the company said.
Survivors include his son, Joshua.
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