Brendan is one of Australia’s most dynamic and versatile film-makers with an award winning body of work across documentary, drama and television formats. He’s renowned as an outstanding collaborator with leading Australian creatives and a dedication to themes of social justice.
Brendan’s renewed focus on screenwriting has yielded strong results in recent years, He is the creator of AMC’s new vampire-hunter show FIREBITE, alongside iconic First Nations film-maker Warwick Thornton.
In 2020, the screenplay for Taronga written by Brendan and Devi Telfer was selected for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s prestigious accelerator program IMPACT. The movie is currently in development with international production partners.
In 2015, Brendan’s Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and The Rose - starring Mia Wasikowska, Geoffrey Rush and David Wenham – was nominated for a Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. The short animation made in collaboration with Archibald-winning artist Del Kathryn Barton was awarded Best Australian Short Film at the 2015 Melbourne International Film Festival and the AACTA for Best Short Animation.
Brendan’s collaboration with Warwick Thornton began when they co-directed a Tourism Australia TV commercial promoting Indigenous Cultural Experiences. The duo then co-wrote the feature doc We Don’t Need A Map, which scored the coveted Opening Night Film slot at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival.
Brendan’s 2011 breakout feature Mad Bastards was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, won the Independent Spirit Award at the IF Awards and garnered 5 AACTA Award nominations including Best Film and Best Original Screenplay. The cinematic father-son story from the remote Kimberley region is powered by deep, authentic performances and established Brendan on the international stage.
Brendan's dramatic work has grown out of a successful career in documentary and television over two decades. He co-directed documentaries Texas with Russell Crowe (Sundance, 2003) and Black Chicks Talking with Leah Purcell (Tribeca Film Festival, 2003). He directed the award-winning social housing documentary 900 Neighbours; the story of Kev Carmody: Songman and the portrait of one of our finest musicians Blasko … all for ABC TV.
Brendan's television work includes the AACTA nominated series Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey, The Elders with Andrew Denton and Hannah Gadsby’s Nakedy Nudes all for ABC TV; and Outback for PBS America and Ch 9 Australia.
Brendan’s work is focussed on rich, emotionally charged characters and he is passionate about collaboration and bold ideas.
See Brendan’s full filmography here.
