NADIA TASS

Nadia Tass started her career as an actress in the acclaimed TV series "Prisoner," which ran for an unprecedented 692 episodes, while simultaneously directing in Australian theatre. Her 1986 debut feature Malcolm was a worldwide smash, winning 21 international awards and 8 AFI Awards. It starred Colin Friels and John Hargreaves with a soundtrack by the renowned Penguin Cafe Orchestra. It went on to win an unprecedented eight Australian Film Institute Awards (including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress). The film is considered today an enduring Australian comedy classic, an Aussie ode to Ealing Studios. The film vied with Crocodile Dundee and Aliens for the top spot at the Australian box office that year. "This film is a real winner, a true surprise"- Gene Siskel, Siskel & Ebert.
The third feature by Ms. Tass was 1990's The Big Steal, is considered an Australian Classic. It introduced the American film-going public to Ben Mendelsohn, most recently seen in Animal Kingdom (Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress) and Killer Elite. The film was an Aussie twist on Hollywood's teen romantic comedy genre; blokes, cars and Sheilas. Once again, Ms. Tass swept the Australian Film Institute Awards winning three and being nominated for six more. The film was such an international success for Ms. Tass that Hollywood came calling once again and she went on to direct Pure Luck with comedian Martin Short and Danny Glover which opened on 1,600 screens; and, the acclaimed three-episode TV series "Stark" for BBC UK that was so successful it was edited into a feature and theatrically released.
Ms. Tass continued on her acclaimed trajectory by next directing Mr. Reliable starring the charming Colin Friels which was nominated for three Australian Film Institute Awards. Amy, starring Rachel Griffiths and Ben Mendelsohn was Ms. Tass' next international critical and box office success. An eight year old girl, deaf and mute since witnessing the horrible death of her beloved father, a rock musician, who can only communicate through music, struggles with her mother (an extraordinary performance by Rachel Griffiths) to overcome their grief with the help of a bemused songwriter (Ben Mendelsohn). The film won 28 international awards, including two at the Cannes Film Festival. Once again Ms.Tass was nominated for two Australian Film Institute Awards.