Bruce Beresford
- Born
- 1940-08-16 (age 85)
- Birthplace
- Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
- Occupation
- Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Opera Director, Stage Director, Writer
- Spouse
- Virginia Duigan
- Alma Mater
- University of Sydney
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Bruce Beresford was born in Paddington, New South Wales, the son of Lona (née Warr) and Leslie Beresford, who sold electrical goods. He grew up in the then outer-western suburb of Toongabbie, and went to The Meadows Public School and then The King's School, Parramatta. He made several short films in his teens including The Hunter (1959). He completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English at the University of Sydney, where he graduated in 1964. While at university he made the short film The Devil to Pay (1962) starring John Bell and Ron Blair, It Droppeth as the Gentle Rain (1963) co-directed by Albie Thoms and starring Germaine Greer, Clement Meadmore (1963) with Bell and King-size Woman (1965).
CAREER
Beresford then moved to England in search of film work. He could not break into the British film scene, so he answered an advertisement for an editing job in Nigeria, where he worked for two years, in Enugu. He then returned to England and worked for the British Film Institute as a producer of short films by first-time directors, including Magritte: The False Mirror (1970) and Paradigm (1970). Beresford directed the documentary Lichtenstein in London (1968) about Roy Lichtenstein, and Extravaganza (1968), Barbara Hepworth at the Tate (1970), The Cinema of Raymond Fark (1970), and Arts of Village India (1972). Beresford returned to Australia to make his first feature film, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), which he also wrote with Barry Humphries. The film, produced by Phillip Adams, was a box office success in England and Australia. His breakthrough came with his widely acclaimed Breaker Morant (1980), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay. He also directed Tender Mercies (1983), for which he received an Oscar nomination for best director. Perhaps his biggest success was Driving Miss Daisy (1989), winner of an Academy Award for best picture. Later works include Mister Johnson (1990), Black Robe (1991), Rich in Love (1992), Paradise Road (1997), Double Jeopardy (1999), and The Contract (2006). He later helmed Mao’s Last Dancer (2009), Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (2011), Mr. Church (2016), and Ladies in Black (2018). In addition to films, Bruce Beresford has also directed several operas and theatre productions.
PERSONAL LIFE
Beresford's second wife is novelist Virginia Duigan, sister of film director and editor John Duigan. He has five adult children and now works both in Australia and the United States. Beresford attended the University of Sydney with critic and documentary maker Clive James, art critic and aficionado Robert Hughes, activist and author Germaine Greer, journalist Bob Ellis, poet Les Murray, and writer Mungo McCallum. His contemporary and friend, actor and theatre director John Bell, shared a house and also did some film acting. Beresford was close friends with Australian comedian, satirist and character actor Barry Humphries. In August 2007, he published a memoir, Josh Hartnett Definitely Wants To Do This... True Stories From A Life in the Screen Trade.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
Weekly Top Grossing3 Cold Dishes
₦5,331,351.00
Gingerrr
₦12,727,775.00
Gingerrr
₦21,139,500.00
The Herd
₦16,977,673.00
3 Cold Dishes
₦15,261,240.00
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get the latest box office updates, trending movies, and exclusive reviews delivered straight to your inbox.
Popularity Score
Top 99% of African actors
