Cezary Skubiszewski will receive the distinguished services to the Australian screen award later this month, the top honor at the annual Screen Music Awards.
The legendary Polish Australian screen music composer will be lauded for his “extraordinary body of work” across 30-plus years on the Australian screen, according to organizers APRA AMCOS, from Neighbours, to the beloved feature films Two Hands and Red Dog and much more.
Born in Warsaw, Poland in 1948, Skubiszewski was a prodigious talent. He played piano and studied classical music under the choir director of the Warsaw Opera, before moving to Paris, London and then Sydney in the 1970s. After a time training as a veterinarian, Skubiszewski returned to his calling and joined the jazz-rock group Corroboree before the decade was done. Skubiszewski had a knack for jingle writing, and would expand his music palate into orchestral and theater work throughout the 1980s, and he’d land television commissions, including the popular series Sky Trackers and Neighbours.
He made the leap to the silver screen with the score for Lilian’s Story in 1996, which landed him the Asia-Pacific Film Festival award for best music.
Skubiszewski go on to compose scores for some of Australia’s most iconic brands and films, including Two Hands (1999) and Red Dog (2011), in addition to compositions for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
“Thank you very much for this wonderful honor, it came as a big surprise to me and I am deeply grateful to APRA for recognizing my work with this distinguished service award,” remarks Skubiszewski in a statement. “This achievement belongs just as much to the incredible colleagues, mentors and family members who supported and inspired me along the way. I feel most fortunate indeed.”
A former music director and 12-time winner at the Screen Music Awards, Skubiszewski’s collection of trophies include four AACTA Awards, four AGSC Awards, the Centenary Medal in 2003 for service to Australian society and film production, and the Film Critics Circle of Australia’s Life Achievement Award in 2010 for his contribution to Australian cinema.
Later in his career, Skubiszewski formed a formidable creative partnership with his own son, Jan, which has included award-winning work for Serangoon Road (2014), Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018), and High Country (2024).
Presented by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), the Screen Music Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in screen composition across 16 categories, praising outstanding contributions in short film, television series, documentaries, children’s programming, feature films and more.
Previous recipients of the distinguished services trophy include Nerida Tyson-Chew, Nigel Westlake, Rachel Perkins, Bruce Beresford and last year’s recipient, Christopher Gordon.
The 2026 Screen Music Awards will be presented Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, in what is APRA’s centenary anniversary. Leading the way is Antony Partos, Josh Hogan and Ned Beckley, each with four nods. Visit apraamcos.com.au for the full list of nominations.
