Bruce Beresford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Beresford
Beresford in 2016
Born	(1940-08-16) 16 August 1940 (age 84) Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
Alma mater	University of Sydney (BA)
Occupation	Film director screenwriter producer
Years active	1970–present
Spouse(s)	Virginia Duigan

Bruce Beresford (born 16 August 1940) is a famous Australian film director, opera director, screenwriter, and producer. He started his career during a special time in Australian filmmaking called the Australian New Wave. Over 50 years, he has made more than 30 feature films, both in Australia and in the United States.

Beresford has been nominated for two Academy Awards (Oscars) and has won four AACTA/AFI Awards in Australia. Some of his well-known films include Breaker Morant (1980), Tender Mercies (1983), and Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Driving Miss Daisy won four Oscars, including Best Picture.

He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Breaker Morant and for Best Director for Tender Mercies. He also won AACTA Awards for Best Direction for Don's Party (1976) and Breaker Morant, and for Best Screenplay for Breaker Morant and The Fringe Dwellers (1986).

Many of Beresford's films have been recognized at major film festivals. Four of his films were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and four were nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He has also received nominations for BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award.

Early Life and Education

Bruce Beresford was born in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. His father, Leslie Beresford, sold electrical goods. Bruce grew up in Toongabbie and went to The Meadows Public School and then The King's School. As a teenager, he made several short films, including The Hunter (1959).

He studied English at the University of Sydney and graduated in 1964. While at university, he made more short films like The Devil to Pay (1962) and It Droppeth as the Gentle Rain (1963).

Career in Film

Starting in Nigeria and England

After university, Beresford moved to England to find work in film. When he couldn't find a job there, he took an editing position in Nigeria, where he worked for two years in Enugu.

He then returned to England and worked for the British Film Institute. Here, he helped produce short films for new directors. He also directed several documentaries about artists, such as Lichtenstein in London (1968) about Roy Lichtenstein.

First Feature Films in Australia

Beresford came back to Australia to make his first feature film, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972). He also helped write this film. It was a success in England and Australia. However, Beresford later said the film received such bad reviews that it was hard for him to find other work.

He directed a TV documentary called The Wreck of the Batavia (1973) and other TV films. These projects helped him get funding for his second feature film, Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974), which was a sequel to his first movie.

After directing a comedy called Side by Side (1975) in London, Beresford returned to Australia. There, he directed the well-known film Don's Party (1976). Soon after, he directed The Getting of Wisdom (1977).

Working with SAFC

Beresford then worked with the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC). He wrote and directed a thriller called Money Movers (1979). He also helped direct Blue Fin (1978) without being credited.

His film Breaker Morant (1980) was a big success and earned him an Oscar nomination. This film was seen by many in Hollywood, and Beresford started getting offers from the United States. He also directed The Club (1980) and Puberty Blues (1981).

Early Films in the United States

Beresford was offered a chance to direct Tender Mercies (1983) in the US. The star of the film, Robert Duvall, won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Beresford was nominated for Best Director.

He then directed King David (1985), which did not do well at the box office. Beresford returned to Australia to direct The Fringe Dwellers (1986). In the US, he directed Crimes of the Heart (1986) and the comedy thriller Her Alibi (1989).

Driving Miss Daisy Success

In 1989, Beresford directed Driving Miss Daisy, starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy. This film was a huge success with both critics and audiences. It won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Even though the film won Best Picture, Beresford was not nominated for Best Director. He later said he didn't mind because he felt the writing was so good that his job was mainly to film it well.

He continued to direct many films, including Mister Johnson (1990), Black Robe (1991), and Silent Fall (1994). He also directed Paradise Road (1997) in Australia and the successful thriller Double Jeopardy (1999).

Recent Films

Beresford has continued to direct films into the 2000s. These include Evelyn (2002) with Pierce Brosnan and And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003) with Antonio Banderas.

He directed The Contract (2006) and returned to Australia to make Mao's Last Dancer (2009). His more recent works include Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (2011) with Jane Fonda, the mini-series Bonnie & Clyde (2013), Mr. Church (2016) with Eddie Murphy, and the Australian film Ladies in Black (2018).

Opera and Other Work

Besides films, Bruce Beresford has also directed several operas and theater shows. In 1996, he directed a production of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

In 2016, he directed the opera Albert Herring for the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. He also directed Die tote Stadt for Opera Australia in 2012 and Otello for Melbourne Opera in 2018.

Personal Life

Bruce Beresford's second wife is the novelist Virginia Duigan. He has five adult children and works in both Australia and the United States.

Friends and Colleagues

Beresford went to the University of Sydney with many famous people. These included writer Clive James, art critic Robert Hughes, author Germaine Greer, and poet Les Murray. He was also close friends with the Australian comedian Barry Humphries, who was famous for his character Dame Edna Everage.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Bruce Beresford has received many awards and nominations for his work.

Actors Who Won Awards Under His Direction

Several actors have won or been nominated for Academy Awards for their performances in films directed by Bruce Beresford.

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Beresford para niños