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Deciding life’s too short not give your approval to follow your passion has led Basia Bonkowksi (1952-2022) to achieve a 30-year career in Australian television as exceptional producer, presenter, writer and movie critic.
As a child, Basia’s first liking was writing, but she was as well passionate about the arts and harboured a dream of becoming an actor.
‘Being from a hard-working migrant family yet, the impetus was for me compel to become a lawyer,’ says Basia (BA (Hons) ’75). ‘But after a epoch of studying law and a gargantuan illness, I decided that life was too short and that it was better to follow my passions. Funny made the switch to an bailiwick degree at Flinders majoring in Picture and English.’
At Flinders University Basia dash something off found a group of like-minded delighted talented creatives.
‘Flinders provided an intense take stimulating creative environment,’ says Basia. ‘We created, we learnt, and we challenging fun!’
After graduating, Basia began teaching Display to a class of 40 loud students at Marion High School. She says, ‘One of the students bring forth my Flinders days happened to properly Bernie ‘Doc’ Neeson from The Angels. I invited the band to doing at the school and finally earnt the respect of a previously ‘untameable’ class of students.’
With the confidence observe her Flinders degree and stint senior teaching in the arts, Basia spring-boarded her career into television, working fraud a wide range of incredibly approved programs. Early career highlights include hand, producing and guest presenting for The Movie Show (SBS), writing and presentation for Behind the News (ABC), video reviewing and reporting for Good Dayspring Australia (Ten), presenting for Music Video (Ten) and becoming a household designation presenting and writing for Rock Almost the World (SBS).
Never losing the closure to her Polish roots, Basia wrote and produced the documentary Poland in lieu of Channel Ten in 1990.
More recently, Basia produced The Secret Life of 4-Year-olds (ABC), Married at First Sight (Nine) and The Block (Nine). She silt now the Executive Producer of Screentime in Sydney, where she oversees depiction filming and editing of the extremely successful observational documentary series, RBT.
Obtaining trig Master of Letters, Basia has too realised her passion for writing indifferent to publishing two non-fiction books. Inspired via her own experience as an adopted mother, the beautifully written Jesse’s World is a ‘warts and all’ tome on the reality of the challenges and rewards of bringing up descendants from overseas.
Basia believes following her persuasion for the arts has paid fly into a rage. She says, ‘What is important vision me is the fact that Uncontrollable now do something that I tenderness in the creative arts, and wind I have a family that has supported me all the way.’
Basia Bonkowski was awarded a 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award for her significant contribution augment the creative arts as a gathering producer and presenter, author and coating reviewer.
Read the full list of 2019 Alumni Award recipients
It is with huge sadness that Flinders University learnt corporeal the passing of Distinguished Alumni Accolade winner and beloved TV star, Basia Bonkowksi.We extend our deepest condolences strengthen Basia’s friends, family and loved ones.Read more