
Director
Warwick Thornton
Born July 23, 1970 in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia23 films
Warwick Thornton (born 23 July, 1970; Alice Springs) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film Samson and Delilah won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and the award for Best Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. He also won the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Film in 2017 for Sweet Country.
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Thornton is a Kaytetye man born and raised in Alice Springs. His mother Freda Glynn co-founded and was the first director of the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) and was the director of Imparja Television for its first 10 years. At 13, Thornton was sent to school in Australia's only monastic town, New Norcia, Western Australia, although he later declared he became angry with Christianity and did not consider himself religious. He graduated in cinematography from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
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The best way into Warwick Thornton's work
First watchSweet Country20186.6In 1929, an Australian Aboriginal stockman kills a white station owner in self-defense and goes on the lam, pursued by a posse.View filmEssential films
Ranked by acclaim and reachFilmography
23 films as director- TBAFirst WarriorDirector
- 2026WolframDirector
- 2023The New BoyDirector
- 2020Meth KellyDirector
- 2018Sweet CountryDirector
- 2017We Don't Need a MapDirector
- 2017Ancient EyeDirector
- 2015The Way of the NgangkariDirector
- 2014Words with GodsDirector
- 2013The DarksideDirector
- 2013The TurningDirector
- 2011StrandedDirector
- 2009Samson and DelilahDirector
- 2008Dark ScienceDirector
- 2007NanaDirector
- 2007Tnorala - Baby FallingDirector
- 2007Burning DaylightDirector
- 2005The Old Man and the Inland SeaDirector
- 2005Green BushDirector
- 2003Rosalie's JourneyDirector
- 2002MimiDirector
- 2000Willigan's FitzroyDirector
- 1996From Sand to Celluloid: PaybackDirector
