Justin Kurzel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Justin Kurzel
Kurzel, 2024.
Born	Gawler, South Australia, Australia
Occupation	Film director film producer
Years active	2001–present
Spouse(s)	Essie Davis ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	2

Justin Dallas Kurzel is an Australian film director. He is known for directing movies like Snowtown (2011), Macbeth (2015), and Assassin's Creed (2016). His other notable films include True History of the Kelly Gang (2018), Nitram (2021), and The Order (2024).

Early Life and Training

Justin Kurzel was born around 1974 in Gawler, South Australia. His father was from Poland and his mother was from Malta. Justin's younger brother, Jed Kurzel, is a musician. Jed has created the music for all of Justin's feature films.

Justin first studied design at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He graduated in 1995. Later, he continued his studies at the Victorian College of the Arts School of Film and Television.

Directing Career Highlights

In 1999, Justin Kurzel received a special award called a Mike Walsh Fellowship. His short film Blue Tongue (2004) was shown at many international film festivals. It also won the Best Short Film award at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

First Feature Films

Kurzel's first full-length movie was Snowtown (2011). For this film, he won the AACTA Award for Best Direction. Critics generally praised the movie. It was seen as a very powerful film. This movie was his first time working with writer Shaun Grant.

In 2015, Kurzel directed a film version of William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. This movie was chosen to compete for a major award, the Palme d'Or, at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2016, Kurzel directed Assassin's Creed. This film was based on the popular video game series.

Recent Projects

Kurzel directed True History of the Kelly Gang in 2018. This movie was based on a book by Peter Carey. The story is about the famous Australian bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly. The film first showed at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. It was released in Australian cinemas in 2020.

In 2020, it was announced that Kurzel would direct Nitram. This film shows the events leading up to a tragic event in Australian history. The film was also nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2019, plans were made for Kurzel to adapt a book called The Narrow Road to the Deep North for television. He worked on this project with Shaun Grant again. The TV series started being made in 2023. Actors Jacob Elordi and Ciarán Hinds are in the main roles. The series is expected to be released in 2025.

Ellis Park, a documentary directed by Kurzel, premiered in August 2024. It is about musician Warren Ellis and an animal sanctuary he helped start.

Personal Life

Justin Kurzel is married to actress Essie Davis. They have two twin daughters.

Filmography

Short Films

Feature Films

Documentaries

Television Series

Awards and Nominations

Justin Kurzel has won several awards for his directing.

AACTA Awards

Cannes Film Festival

His films have been nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

See also

In Spanish: Justin Kurzel para niños