In 1980, I had been Director of the Sydney Film Festival for 14 years when I was approached by Bruce Gyngell, the first CEO of SBS television, which was due to be launched later that year (鈥淪BS turns big five-O鈥, June 22). Bruce asked me to program the feature films for the new network 鈥 quite a task as it was planned to screen one every day. I agreed on two conditions: one, that the films be presented in the correct aspect ratio 鈥 鈥榣etter-boxed鈥 for wide screen films 鈥 and two, that no film be censored. I was in Europe when the network started to operate 鈥 the first film screened was Elvira Madigan from Sweden. When I returned, Bruce expressed satisfaction with my selections but asked me if I would introduce the 鈥渕ovie of the week鈥 in the style of Bill Collins, who was very popular on commercial television at the time. I had never appeared on television before 鈥 the first film I 鈥渉osted鈥, in January 1981, was The Lacemaker, in which Isabelle Huppert appeared in a nude scene, setting the tone for the 鈥渟exy鈥 movies that followed.Before long, Cinema Classics was introduced, where I introduced seasons of films by great directors, like Akira Kurosawa and Francois Truffaut. My 鈥渉ostings鈥 were produced by Margaret Pomeranz, and, during this period, we devised The Movie Show, which first went to air in 1986. Eighteen years later, a new management 鈥 with apparently no commitment to feature films 鈥 caused us to jump ship to the ABC where we presented At the Movies for ten years. David Stratton, Leura
The Spit Spat
Before the 2007 NSW State Election the then transport minister, Eric Roozendaal, promised to widen The Spit Bridge (鈥淲ork to start on road choke point in city鈥檚 north鈥, June 22). However, six weeks after being returned to power, Labor premier Morris Iemma announced that the proposal had been scrapped. The promise to fix a section of Mona Vale Road with construction to start in 2028 will be welcomed by residents and motorists. However, for those who travel south to the city, The Spit will remain a bridge too far. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook
Call out for mental health
I applaud the Herald鈥檚 view agitating for the restitution of mental health services gutted by the mass resignation of NSW public hospital psychiatrists (鈥淢onths later, still no solution for state鈥檚 mental health crisis鈥, June 22). A patient鈥檚 鈥減sychological well-being鈥 is a vital organ that requires resuscitation to a healthier hue when our mindscape turns 鈥渂eyond blue鈥, requiring an urgent complete in-person mental health specialist response. As a 30-year hospital doctor, I have no qualms about hefty call-ins and after-hours on-duty rates for complete access to the specialists that unclog blocked cerebral and coronary arteries in strokes and massive heart attacks. My long tenure has regrettably yet to witness that rare event of a specialist psychiatrist being made to be present on-site or being called in after hours. If you want a 25 per cent pay rise like the critical care specialists, you need to be always willing and able. Joseph Ting, Carina (Qld)