Ana Kokkinos facts for kids

Ana Kokkinos is an Australian film and television director and screenwriter. She has Greek family roots. She is well-known for her movie Head On (1998). She has also directed popular TV shows like The Secret Life of Us, The Time of Our Lives, and Ten Pound Poms.

The Guardian newspaper has said that Kokkinos's films are among the most powerful and impactful in Australian cinema.

Early Life and Learning

Ana Kokkinos was born in Melbourne, Australia. Before she started making films, she worked as a lawyer.

In 1991, she began studying film and television at the Victorian College of the Arts. This was the start of her journey into filmmaking.

Her Filmmaking Career

First Films

Ana Kokkinos began her career with a short film called Antamosi (1992). She made this film during her first year at film school. It tells the story of a family who moved to Australia, seen through the eyes of three different generations of women.

Since Ana's own family came from Greece, her films often explore ideas about who we are and the importance of family.

Her next film was a 50-minute short called Only the Brave (1994). This movie shows a character named Alex trying to help her best friend, Vicki, who is going through a tough time.

Head On: A Big Step

In 1998, Ana Kokkinos directed Head On. This film looks at how a city affects a person. Head On follows a Greek-Australian teenager named Ari as he explores Melbourne. He is trying to figure out who he is and how he fits in with his family's expectations.

Head On caused a lot of discussion in the Greek community in Australia. Ana Kokkinos explained that the film helped young Greek Australians and their parents talk more openly. She said it helped to "break down barriers" between them.

The movie was based on a book called Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas. Head On won several awards, including Best First Feature at the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. It also won Best Film at the Milan International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

Later Work and TV Shows

Her next film was The Book of Revelation (2006). This movie was also based on a book by Rupert Thomson. In the story, a character named Daniel is taken by three masked women. The film was nominated for Best Screenplay by the Australian Film Institute.

Blessed (2009) explores the connection between mothers and their children. The story takes place over just 24 hours. Blessed was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay by the Australian Film Institute in 2009.

In May 2022, Ana Kokkinos was asked to direct a TV drama called Ten Pound Poms. This show is about British people who moved to Australia after World War II. It was made for the BBC and STAN.

Personal Life

Ana Kokkinos has been in a long-term relationship with her creative partner, Mira Robertson, since the 1980s.

Selected Films and TV Shows

• Anatamosi (1992)
• Only the Brave (1994)
• Head On (1998)
• The Book of Revelation (2006)
• Blessed (2009)
• The Hunting (2019 TV mini-series)
• Here Out West (co-director, with Leah Purcell and others)

See Also

• List of female film and television directors
• List of lesbian filmmakers
• List of LGBT-related films directed by women