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Jocelyn Moorhouse
Jocelyn Moorhouse at the premiere of 2015 film, The Dressmaker, at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, September 2015
Moorhouse at the premiere of The Dressmaker at TIFF, September 2015
Born (1960-09-04) 4 September 1960 (age 64)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation Film director, screenwriter
Spouse(s) P.J. Hogan
Children 4
Awards Australian Film Institute Award for Best Direction
1991 Proof
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay
1991 Proof
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film
1994 Muriel's Wedding

Jocelyn Denise Moorhouse, born on September 4, 1960, is a talented Australian filmmaker. She is known for writing and directing movies. You might know her best for films like Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, A Thousand Acres, and The Dressmaker.

Jocelyn often works with her husband, P. J. Hogan, who is also a film director. They have teamed up on movies such as Muriel's Wedding (1994) and Mental (2012).

Jocelyn's Early Life

Jocelyn Moorhouse was born in Melbourne, a big city in Victoria, Australia.

She finished her high school studies in 1978 at Vermont High School. Her mother taught art at this school. Interestingly, another famous director, Gillian Armstrong, also went to the same high school a few years before Jocelyn. After high school, Jocelyn went on to study at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS). This is a special place where people learn how to make movies and TV shows.

Her Film Career

While studying at AFTRS, Jocelyn made her first short film called Pavane in 1983. She finished her studies in 1984 and began working as a script editor for television. This means she helped improve the stories for TV shows.

In 1988, she created a 12-part TV series for ABC Television called c/o The Bartons. This series was based on one of her earlier short films. She also worked on other TV shows like The Flying Doctors, Out of the Blue, A Place to Call Home, and The Humpty Dumpty Man.

Directing Feature Films

Jocelyn made her first full-length movie, called a feature film, in 1991. It was titled Proof. The idea for this film came from her interest in blindness and photography. She first thought it would be a short film. However, she couldn't get enough money for a short film, so she decided to make it a feature film instead. It took five years for the movie to start filming. When it did, it was shot in Melbourne during the winter of 1990.

The movie Proof was a success! This success opened doors for Jocelyn to work on bigger projects. Her next film was a "Hollywood blockbuster" called How to Make an American Quilt in 1995. Many famous actors starred in this movie, including Anne Bancroft, Winona Ryder, Kate Nelligan, Dermot Mulroney, and Alfre Woodard.

Her next feature film was A Thousand Acres in 1997. This movie was based on a famous book that won a Pulitzer Prize. The story is about a father and his three daughters, and how their lives change when something sad happens. It starred Jessica Lange, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jason Robards. In 1999, Jocelyn and her husband, P.J. Hogan, started their own company called Hogan Moorhouse Pictures.

The Dressmaker (2015) is another one of Jocelyn's films. It stars well-known actors like Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth, and Hugo Weaving. The movie is based on a book and tells the story of a dressmaker who returns to her home in Australia. She goes back to care for her mother, who is not well.

In 2021, Jocelyn directed Troppo, an eight-part TV crime drama series. This show is set in North Queensland and was made for ABC Television. It first aired in February 2022.

Working with Her Husband

Jocelyn Moorhouse has often worked with her husband, P. J. Hogan. She was a producer for his films Muriel's Wedding in 1994 and Mental in 2012. Being a producer means she helped manage the making of the film. She also wrote the story for his 2002 film Unconditional Love.

Jocelyn's Personal Life

Jocelyn Moorhouse is married to fellow film director P. J. Hogan. They have four children together. Two of their children have autism.

In April 2019, Jocelyn shared her story on an ABC Television program called Australian Story. She talked about how her relationship with P.J. developed and how having children changed their lives, both personally and professionally. This included their decision to move back to Australia from the United States.

Jocelyn also wrote a book about her life. It's called Unconditional Love: A Memoir of Filmmaking and Motherhood. In this book, she writes about her career as a filmmaker and her experiences as a mother. It was published in April 2019.

Filmography

Jocelyn Moorhouse has worked on many films and TV shows. Here's a list of some of them:

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Pavane Writer, Director
1986 The Siege of Barton's Bathroom Writer, Director
1991 Proof Writer, Director
1994 Muriel's Wedding Producer
1995 How to Make an American Quilt Director
1997 A Thousand Acres Director
2002 Unconditional Love Writer, Producer
2012 Mental Producer
2015 The Dressmaker Writer, Director
2024 The Fabulous Four Writer, Director

Awards And Nominations

Jocelyn Moorhouse has won many awards for her amazing work in film. Here are some of them:

Year Award Category Title Result Notes
2015 Mill Valley Film Festival Audience Award The Dressmaker
FCCA Award Best Director Nominated
AFCA Award Best Director Nominated
AFCA Award Best Screenplay
AACTA Awards People's Choice Award for Favourite Australian Film
AACTA Awards Best Direction Nominated
1994 AACTA Awards Best Film Muriel's Wedding Won
1991 São Paulo International Film Festival Critics Award Proof Won
Tokyo International Film Festival Bronze Award Won
Chicago International Film Festival Silver Hugo Won
Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera Won
British Film Institute Sutherland Trophy Won
AACTA Awards Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted Won
Best Direction Won

Books

  • Unconditional Love: A Memoir of Filmmaking and Motherhood (2019)
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