David Michôd (/ˈmɪʃoʊ/; born 30 November 1972) is an Australian award-winning film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He is best known for directing the critically acclaimed 2010 film Animal Kingdom and the 2014 film The Rover. He also co-wrote Hesher.
Education and early career
Michôd was educated at Sydney Grammar School before moving to Melbourne to study arts at the University of Melbourne. After working for the Victorian Department of Education he decided to attend film school while in his mid-20s. He later served as editor of Inside Film magazine, serving in the role between 2003 and 2006.
Career
Early career: Short films and documentaries
Michôd began his directing career in short films, with Ezra White, LL.B. in 2006 being one of the first to make an impact. In 2007 Michôd's next short film Crossbow, a coming-of-age drama was premiered at Venice Film Festival and received positive response from critics. After that the film compete at number of film festivals and earned good reviews. The film also screened at Sundance Film Festival and won Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film.
Next year, in 2008 Michod directed another short film Netherland Dwarf, which was also screened at Sundance Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival and earned positive reviews from critics. The same year, Michod co-directed Solo, a documentary film with Jennifer Peedom. It features the journey of Australian adventurer Andrew McAuley who went on a solo kayak crossing from Tasmania to New Zealand. The documentary received positive response on its release, Empire Online gave film five stars and said "As a tribute to a man â€" and man's â€" insatiable search for adventure, it's unforgettable." In 2009, Michod directed Inside the Square, a 30-minute behind-the-scene documentary on the making of 2008 film The Square directed by Nash Edgerton.
Feature films
Animal Kingdom
In 2010 his debut feature film, Animal Kingdom was released. The film received overwhelming critical acclaim and received several awards and nominations. In his review of the film for Time Out, Dave Calhoun compared him to Martin Scorsese that "He brings a big dose of Scorsese to Melbourne in telling of a fictional crime family." J.R. Jones of Chicago Reader praised him by saying that "Writer-director David Michôd creates a densely textured moral universe that makes good on his metaphoric title." While Bill Goodykoontz in his review for The Arizona Republic said that "The naturalistic style Michod employs adds to the sense of dread. Is there no way out of this existence? To whom would it appeal?"
The film became the third highest grossing Australian film at the Australian box office for 2010, with a worldwide box office gross of US$5,775,563.
The Rover
Michod's next film, a futuristic Western entitled The Rover with Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson. Filming began on 29 January 2013 in Southern Flinders Ranges, Australia and ended on 16 March 2013 in Marree, north of Adelaide, Australia. The film had its premiere out of competition in Midnight screening at 2014 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2014. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter, said that "David Michod’s follow-up to his internationally successful debut with the Melbourne gangster saga Animal Kingdom is equally murderous but more pared down to basics, as desperate men enact a survival-of-the-meanest scenario in an economically gutted world reduced to Old West outlaw behavior."
The film had a limited release on 13 June 2014 in New York City and Los Angeles before expanding wide on 20 June 2014 in the United States.
The Operators
On 14 April 2014, it was announced that Michôd will write and direct The Operators, based on the 2011 best seller of the same name by Michael Hastings. The film will be jointly produced by Plan B Productions, New Regency and RatPac Entertainment, with Brad Pitt attached to star.
Influences
In the 2012 Sight & Sound Poll of the greatest films of all time Michôd chose Apocalypse Now, Alien, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Funny Games, Magnolia, Network, Sunset Blvd., The Thin Red Line, Taxi Driver and Werckmeister Harmonies as his top ten picks.
Filmography
Director
- 2006: Ezra White, LL.B. (Short film)
- 2007: Crossbow (Short film)
- 2008: Netherland Dwarf (Short film)
- 2008: Solo (Documentary)
- 2009: Inside the Square (Documentary)
- 2010: Animal Kingdom
- 2013: Enlightened Episode: "No Doubt" (TV Series)
- 2014: The Rover
Screenwriter
- 2000: Noise (Short film)
- 2005: The IF Thing (Short film)
- 2006: Ezra White, LL.B.
- 2007: Dangerous Episode-5 (TV Series)
- 2007: Crossbow
- 2007: Spider (Short film)
- 2008: I Love Sarah Jane (Short film)
- 2008: Netherland Dwarf
- 2010: Animal Kingdom
- 2010: Hesher
- 2011: Bear (Short film)
- 2014: The Rover
Actor
- 2000: Noise as Dave
- 2000: Eugénie Sandler P.I. Episode-10 as Trevor
- 2005: The IF Thing as Editor â€" IF Magazine
- 2006: Kenny as Nurse
- 2007: Crossbow as Narrator/lounge
- 2007: Spider as Hit Driver
- 2007: Little Deaths as Nathan
- 2008: Hammer Bay as Missing Persons Detective
- 2008: The List as Detective
- 2010: Animal Kingdom as Reporter
Producer
- 2012: Dumpy Goes to the Big Smoke (Short film)
- 2014: The Rover
Recurring collaborators
This chart lists every actor who has appeared in more than one film directed by Michod. Mirrah Foulkes is Michod's most prolific collaborator, having appeared in four of his films.
Awards
- David Michôd was honored along with Joel Edgerton and Teresa Palmer for their work in international roles with the coveted 2011 Australians in Film Breakthrough Award.
References
External links
- David Michôd at the Internet Movie Database
- IONCINEMA.com IonCinephile of the Month Profile
- IONCINEMA.com David Michôd's Top Ten Films List
- IONCINEMA.com interview with David Michôd for Animal Kingdom