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Bruce Beresford

Bruce Beresford

Director, writer and producer, also actor · Born August 16, 1940 (86) · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Bruce Beresford (/ˈbɛrɪsfərd/; born 16 August 1940) is an Australian film director, opera director, screenwriter, and producer. He began his career during the Australian New Wave, and has made more than 30 feature films over a 50-year career, both locally and internationally in the United States. He is a two-time Academy Award nominee and a four-time AACTA/AFI Awards winner out of 10 total nominations. Beresford's films include Breaker Morant (1980), Tender Mercies (1983), Crimes of the Heart (1986), Driving Miss Daisy (1989) – which won four Oscars including Best Picture, Black Robe (1991), Silent Fall (1994), Double Jeopardy (1999), Mao's Last Dancer (2009), and Ladies in Black (2018). He was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay for Breaker Morant and Best Director for Tender Mercies. He won AACTA/AFI Awards – Best Direction (2) for Don's Party (1976) and Breaker Morant, and Best Screenplay (2) for Breaker Morant and The Fringe Dwellers (1986). In addition, four of Beresford's films have been nominated for the Palme d'Or, and four have been nominated for the Golden Bear. He has also been nominated for two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Directors Guild of America Award, and won a Genie Award. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bruce Beresford, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 16, 1940 (86)
From
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Works as
Director, writer and producer, also actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 51 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 15% in 30 days

What are Bruce Beresford's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
25%
Self
21%
Morality
19%
Power
11%
Society
10%
Survival
9%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 9 · Dark 12

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 28 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 17 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 19 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 14 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 7 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 11

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Melancholic
18
Hopeful
11
Bittersweet
9
Warm
5
Other
22

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Bruce Beresford's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bruce Beresford's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

51 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Travellers(2025)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • At the Coliseum Deluxe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Narrator

  • Ladies in Black(2018)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Flint(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Barracuda(2017)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Mr. Church(2016)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Roots(2016)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Surprise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Executive Producer

  • Bonnie & Clyde(2013)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Peace, Love & Misunderstanding(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Telegram Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Creative Consultant

  • Mao's Last Dancer(2009)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Canvas(2006)

    Co-Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Contract(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Orpheus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself(2003)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Evelyn(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bride of the Wind(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Double Jeopardy(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Sydney: A Story of a City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Paradise Road(1997)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Last Dance(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Silent Fall(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Curse of the Starving Class(1994)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Good Man in Africa(1994)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Rich in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Black Robe(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Mister Johnson(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Driving Miss Daisy(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Her Alibi(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Aria(1987)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Crimes of the Heart(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Fringe Dwellers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Screenplay

  • King David(1985)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Tender Mercies(1983)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Puberty Blues(1981)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Breaker Morant(1980)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Money Movers(1978)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Getting of Wisdom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Don's Party(1976)

    Director · as Shop Attendant

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Side by Side (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Foureyes Fenton (voice) (uncredited)

  • The Adventures of Barry McKenzie(1972)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Magritte: The False Mirror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Cinematographer

  • Barbara Hepworth at the Tate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • Film For Guitar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • King-Size Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director

  • It Droppeth as the Gentle Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Director

  • Clear Lake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • The Place I Belong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 51 titles, 49 of them dated from 1963 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Double Jeopardy (1999)

$178M worldwide

Highest rated

Breaker Morant (1980)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Double Jeopardy (1999)

Film career

  • 1976Screen debut· Don's Party

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 51: 1 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting44 of 51: 33 only directing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thWriting10 of 51: 0 only writing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thProducing6 of 51: 3 only producing, 3 with another roleCinematography1 of 51: 1 only cinematography, 0 with another roleOther crew1 of 51: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

51 titles, 12 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1960s4 · crew1970s7 · 2 acting · 7 crew1980s10 · crew1990s10 · crew2000s7 · crew2010s10 · 1 acting · 9 crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

14 major nominations and no wins, 1977–1995.

  1. 1995
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  2. 1991
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Direction
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Berlinale award, nominated
  3. 1990
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  4. 1987
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 1986
    • Cannes award, nominated
  6. 1984
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Director
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
  7. 1983
    • Cannes award, nominated
  8. 1981
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Show 2 earlier years
  1. 1980
    • Cannes award, nominated
  2. 1977
    • Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Bruce Beresford's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · writer, producer

Curse of the Starving Class (1994)

92nd percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Breaker Morant (1980)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 65/100 and the pacing 47/100 in their films, across 31 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Bruce Beresford's work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles8–60 · median 13 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles6–65 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles18–64 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles9–50 · median 21 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Bruce Beresford work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bruce Beresford's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Peter James shares the most, 11.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles