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Significant seven: best directors

Over the next few days, we are publishing highlights from this year’s Mumbrella Annual.

1. Jonathan Teplitzky
With editor Martin Connor in Burning Man, Teplitzky proved he could not only handle heavy, dramatic themes, but create them with a fresh take. His bold, non-linear approach and dark perspective won’t win a lot of Australian audiences. But his tempered commitment to creating his vision will keep those willing interested.

2. Justin Kurzel
It’s hard to ignore the gruesome crime thriller Snowtown and its debut feature director Justin Kurzel. Whether in long form, music videos for The Vines and The Mess Hall or in TV ads for NAB, Earth Hour and The British Council, Kurzel’s skewed look at the world whether in drama or comedy makes him an exciting filmmaker to watch.

3. George Miller
Miller is one of Australia’s finest commercial filmmakers. With Happy Feet 2 released stateside he’ll shift gears into Mad Max: Fury Road to reignite the post-apocalyptic world.

4. Garth Davis
From torching skateboarders to getting deer laid, Davis’ branded work is crisp yet surreal and playful. His co-director title on Jane Campion’s 2012 TV series Top of the Lake, produced by Emile Sherman, has us intrigued.

5. Kriv Stenders
After heavy dramas like Lucky Country and Boxing Day, Stenders revealed a lighter touch with Red Dog. But he still got to strut his filmic stuff through beautiful scenery, ocker caricatures and tear-jerking moments.

6. Paul Middleditch
With an over-the top approach, Middleditch has made his mark in TV commercials with Carlton’s Big Ad and more recently Slo Mo. In 2012 we’re confident he’ll bring that to American comedy Rapturepalooza, about two teens battling the Antichrist.

7. Adam Blaiklock
Blaiklock’s low-budget thriller Caught Inside was set entirely on a yacht. With resourceful direction, he executed an efficient, tense script to prove no matter the budget, content is king.

 

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