Yoram Gross

Yoram Gross was a Polishborn Australian film producer director and screenwriter renowned for his contributions to childrens animation Born in Kraków Poland he survived the Holocaust by frequently changing hiding places during World War II After the war Gross studied music and musicology at Jagiellonian University and began his film career in 1947 He initially worked as an assistant to Polish directors and later moved to Israel in 1950 where he produced and directed documentaries and feature films In 1968 Gross emigrated to Australia where he founded Yoram Gross Film Studios later known as Flying Bark Productions He gained international acclaim for animated films such as Dot and the Kangaroo 1977 and Blinky Bill The Mischievous Koala 1992 which adapted beloved childrens characters into animation Grosss storytelling was characterized by its nonviolent themes and universal appeal earning him over 80 international awards In 1995 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the film industry