Warwick Thornton (b. 1970) is a Kaytetye man, writer, director and cinematographer. He is best known for his first feature film Samson and Delilah (2009), which not only won the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009, but Best Film at the Amazonas Film Festival, Brazil, Dublin Film Festival, Ireland and Asia Pacific Screen Awards; and six AFI awards. Thornton was born and raised in Alice Springs. His mother co-founded and directed the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) and as a teenager he worked night shifts on CAAMA radio, playing requests from prisoners. Having begun his career as a cameraman in 1990, in 1997 he graduated in cinematography from the Australian Film Television and Radio School. That year, his short film Payback screened at the Telluride Film Festival. In 1998 he was cinematographer on the acclaimed film Radiance. His short drama Green Bush won Best Short Film at the Berlinale of 2005, Best Overall at the Sydney Film Festival Dendy Awards and was screened at Sundance. Nana won the Crystal Bear for Best Short Film in the Generation Kplus at the 2008 Berlinale; it screened on the opening night of Sydney Film Festival, at which Thornton received the Emerging Filmmaker Award. His many cinematography credits include the television documentary series First Australians (2008), A Bit of Black Business (2008), Art and Soul (2010) and the feature film The Sapphires (2012). His recent directing projects include the film Sweet Country (2017) and the second series of the television show Mystery Road (2020).
Gift of the artist 2022
© Susan Stitt ACS
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