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Adam Arkapaw is a cinematographer who worked on Julius Avery’s short JERRYCAN, which won the Cannes 2008 Jury Award, David Michôd’s ANIMAL KINGDOM and Justin Kurzel’s SNOWTOWN. In 2013 he won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography on Jane Campion’s TOP OF THE LAKE. In 2014 Arkapaw won a second Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for his work on HBO’s TRUE DETECTIVE. In 2015 he worked on Justin Kurzel’s MACBETH, as well as MCFARLAND, USA and worked on the drama THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS. He also worked as Director of Photography for Kurzel’s ASSASSIN’S CREED and as cinematographer on Casey Affleck’s LIGHT OF MY LIFE.
Darlene Johnson – see 2013.
David Michôd’s debut feature ANIMAL KINGDOM won Sundance 2010’s International Competition Grand Jury Prize and 10 AFI Awards, earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for supporting actress Jacki Weaver and was named Best First Film by the New York’s Film Critics Circle. Michôd’s second feature, THE ROVER, starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, premiered at Cannes 2014. He wrote and directed 2017 feature film, WAR MACHINE, starring Brad Pitt, for Netflix, and co-wrote (with Luke Davies) the 2019 limited-series adaptation of Joseph Heller’s CATCH-22. His fourth feature film, THE KING, starring Timothée Chalamet and Joel Edgerton, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019.
Grant Scicluna directed THE WILDING, a Screen Australia Springboard project, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, where it was a Teddy Award finalist, and won the City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award at Melbourne Queer Film Festival for Best Australian Short in 2012. His short film NEON SKIN won the NFSA Orlando Award for Best Australian Queer Short and he also directed GOLDEN GIRL, a Film Victoria-funded adaptation of the Janette Turner Hospital short story. Scicluna directed his MIFF Premiere Fund-supported feature debut DOWNRIVER, which world-premiered at MIFF 2015 and was selected for the Toronto Film Festival ahead of an Australian and USA cinema release.
Kasimir Burgess‘ shorts have screened in over 30 countries and won awards at festivals including Berlin, Raindance and Stockholm. His debut feature FELL, premiered in Competition at Sydney International film Festival and garnered critical acclaim from publications including the Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily. THE LEUNIG FRAGMENTS screened in competition at both the 2019 Sydney and Melbourne International Film Festivals before a successful theatrical release and four stars from Margaret Pomeranz. The MIFF Premiere Fund-supported FRANKLIN screened at the 70th edition of the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2022.
Kole Onile-ere made a short film called BLAME to educate youngsters on the dangers of carrying knives.
Leon Ford completed his first feature film GRIFF THE INVISIBLE, which was released in 2011. He has focused on screen acting, featuring on TV movie MABO and series OFFSPRING, PUBERTY BLUES, ANZAC GIRLS, DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND and GALLIPOLI as well as feature film RUBEN GUTHRIE.
Mark Albiston (together with co-writer/director Louis Sutherland) won an Honourable Mention at 2007’s Cannes Shorts Competition for the short RUN while the short SIX DOLLAR FIFTY MAN won 2009’s Sundance Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking, Best Short Film at Flickerfest, Aspen Shortsfest Best Drama and Special Mentions at Cannes 2009 and 2010’s Berlinale K-plus. Mark’s and Louis’ first feature SHOPPING was in competition at Sundance 2013 and won the Berlinale Generation Grand Prix.
Nash Edgerton’s first feature film THE SQAURE was completed in 2008. He has directed music videos, including two for Bob Dylan and one for Brandon Flowers starring Charlize Theron. Edgerton completed a sequel to his award-winning short SPIDER (2007) called BEAR (2011) and in 2012 co-directed a short called THE CAPTAIN. He has worked in Stunts across many films including MATRIX, ZERO DARK THIRTY, THE ROVER, and THE NICE GUYS.
Paul Andersen directed a short film for Coca Cola called HAPPY ACCIDENT, which premiered at Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. His first TV commercial, THIS IS WHAT WE AUSTRALI-ARE (made for GetUp!), won the national award at a gala event at the Sydney Opera House. Andersen also completed two shorts, IMAGINARY FRIEND and DEPARTURE LOUNGE – A BOLLYWOOD AFFAIR. His short thriller THE VISITOR premiered at MIFF and won multiple awards across the USA. Andersen directed the first season of a teen adventure series that aired on ABC.
Sean Byrne’s MIFF Premiere Fund-supported debut feature THE LOVED ONES world premiered at MIFF 2009, received the Midnight Madness Award at Toronto International Film Festival 2009 and played in local theatres in 2010. His next feature film, THE DEVIL’S CANDY, was screened at MIFF 2016, as well as other international film festivals.
Sophie Hyde’s debut feature drama 52 TUESDAYS won the Directing Award for World Cinema dramatic at 2014’s Sundance Film Festival and the Crystal Bear at 2014’s Berlinale. Hyde produced the award-winning feature documentaries SHUT UP LITTLE MAN! AN AUDIO MISADVENTURE and SAM KLEMKE’S TIME MACHINE, both of which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and 2015 respectively. She produced and co-directed the Australian Documentary Prize winning feature documentary LIFE IN MOVEMENT and produced the short MY BEST FRIEND IS STUCK ON THE CEILING. Her narrative feature film ANIMALS premiered at Sundance 2019 and the documentary IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS, which she produced, premiered at HotDocs 2019. She co-created, co-produced and directed four-part one-hour SBS-TV series THE HUNTING.
Stephen Carroll won SHOTS new director of the year for Asia Pacific.
Zia Mandviwalla was named 2009 New Zealand New Filmmaker of the year and her short film AMADI screened at MIFF 2010. Mandviwalla’s short film NIGHT SHIFT was screened in competition at Cannes 2012 and Sundance 2013.
