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Aaron Wilson’s shorts – including AHMAD’S GARDEN, which premiered at MIFF 2008 – won numerous awards and travelled to 100+ film festivals worldwide. His debut feature CANOPY debuted at 2013’s Toronto International Film Festival and played at Busan, Abu Dhabi (where it was awarded Special Jury Mention), Stockholm, Rotterdam, Taipei and New Horizons Poland. His sophomore feature film was the Premiere Fund-supported LITTLE TORNADOES (MIFF 2021). He is signed as a TVC director with Airbag.
Anthony Chen’s acclaimed shorts include AH MA (Special Mention, 60th Cannes Film Festival) and HAZE (58th Berlinale Short Film Golden Bear, Nominee). He won Singapore’s National Arts Council 2009 Young Artist Award and completed a Film Directing MA at the UK’s National Film & TV School in 2010. His debut feature film ILO ILO premiered in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes 2013 and won the prestigious Camera d’Or for Best Debut Film, garnering over 40 awards internationally. Working between London and Singapore, his second feature came with 2019’s WET SEASON. MIFF-2023 included two new Chen features: THE BREAKING ICE and his English-language debut DRIFT.
Callum Cooper completed his Master’s degree at London’s Royal College of Art. His short LITTLE BROTHER screened at Sundance 2011 and VICTORIA, GEORGE, EDWARD and THATCHER at Toronto 2010. His fine art commission was “the constant and the flux” for Toronto International Film Festival (2012) and short film MINE KAFON won a jury prize at the Focus Forward program presented at Sundance 2013.
Dustin Feneley is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Film School whose short films as writer and director (NIGHT, SNOW, HAWKER, ESKIMO KISS) have won numerous awards and screened at over 100 festivals, including official selections at Cannes, London, Sydney and Melbourne. His student film SNOW premiered at Cannes 2006’s Cinéfondation selection, and in 2011 he was awarded the Filmmaker Grand Prix at the Sapporo International Short Film Festival for his body of work in short films. His debut feature STRAY was released in 2018, for which he won the ADG Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget under 1M).
Hugh Sullivan – see 2011.
Jason Stutter’s short film CAREFUL WITH THAT AXE won the Golden Spike Award for Best Short Film at the 53rd Valladolid International Film Festival 2008. Next came CAREFUL WITH THAT POWER TOOL in 2009 and CAREFUL WITH THAT CROSSBOW in 2010. Since then, he directed two shorts, PREDICAMENT and ROUNDS. He wrote and directed feature EDWIN: MY LIFE AS A KOONT, which was screened at Los Angeles Comedy Festival 2013. He has since written and directed horror/thriller THE DEAD ROOM.
Jeremy Cumpston’s 2011 short film THE LAST RACE screened at several film festivals, while as an actor he appeared in Jeremy Sims’ LAST CAB TO DARWIN.
John Alsop’s 15-minute short HE, SHE, IT., developed during his 2007 Asialink Manila residency and filmed the following year, has toured festivals in Australia and internationally.
John Evagora won Best Short Film at MIFF 2008 for 296 SMITH STREET, which also received the CRC Award at 2008’s Sydney Film Festival.
Jonathan auf der Heide won the MIFF 2008 Emerging Australian Filmmaker Award for his short HELL’S GATES that he later made into feature film VAN DIEMEN’S LAND (MIFF 2009). He since co-directed and produced web series COP HARD and directed a chapter of MIFF Premiere Fund-supported THE TURNING (MIFF 2013). Shortly after, he produced (alongside Kitty Green & Michael Latham) the AACTA Award winning feature documentary UKRAINE IS NOT A BROTHEL that premiered at Venice International Film Festival. He edited Paul Cox’s MIFF 2015 Opening Night Film FORCE OF DESTINY and was 2nd Unit Director on THE SECRET RIVER for the ABC.
Julius Avery won the Jury Prize at Cannes 2008 for his short JERRYCAN, which was also awarded Honourable Mention at Sundance 2009 and a Special Mention at that year’s Berlinale. In 2013, he shot his debut feature SON OF A GUN.
Katie Wolfe‘s second short REDEMPTION screened at Sundance 2011. She also directed a telemovie KAWA (based on Witi Ihimaera’s book Nights In the Gardens In Spain) which premiered at the Hawaiian International Film Festival.
Leo Woodhead’s short ZERO, starring Emily Barclay, premiered at Berlin 2010. He has also been shooting commercials for boutique agency Thick As Thieves. His short COLD SNAP screened at Venice 2013.
Michelle Savill – See 2018.
Steph Green’s short NEW BOY was nominated for an Oscar in 2009 and received a Special Mention at 2008’s Berlinale. Green’s feature debut RUN & JUMP premiered in 2013.
