Authors and guests Rachel Ward

Rachel wrote and directed two short films, BLINDMAN’S BLUFF (2000) and THE BIG HOUSE (2001) and she directed the SBS short feature film MARTHA’S NEW COAT in 2002.  

MARTHA’S NEW COAT and THE BIG HOUSE both won Film Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Short Film and THE BIG HOUSE won Best Short Film at the 2001 AFI Awards. All three of her shorts were sold commercially and screened at International Festivals and competitions including Sundance and the Clermont Ferrand.

Rachel wrote and directed the feature film BEAUTIFUL KATE which stars Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Griffiths and Bryan Brown. The film premiered at the Sydney International Film Festival screening In Competition.  It received 10 AFI Awards Nominations including Best Direction.  She co-wrote and directed PALM BEACH which premiered at Sydney Film Festival.  The film stars Greta Scacchi, Bryan Brown, Sam Neill and Jacqueline McKenzie.  Rachel’s feature length documentary RACHEL’S FARM, which she wrote, directed and produced with WildBear Entertainment had its world premiere at Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2023 and also screened at Sydney Film Festival (2023). The film won the 2024 Film Critics of Australia Award for Best Documentary Feature. She finds hope in the soil beneath her feet and embarks on a journey of discovery to regenerate the land on her farm, and herself.

Rachel’s television directing credits include HEART ATTACK (2005), an episode of the TWISTED TALES series starring Greta Saatchi for Channel 9, episodes of RAKE (2010), MY PLACE (2010), THE STRAITS (2011/12) and telemovie AN ACCIDENTAL SOLDIER (2013), all for ABC TV.  Rachel was set up director on THE RETURN TO THE DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND (2013) for Foxtel, directed on THE LAST DAYS OF THE SPACE AGE (2022) for Princess Pictures/Hulu/Star/Disney+ and season 2 of RFDS (2023) for Endemol Shine/Kindling Pictures/Channel 7

Appearing at...

Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival is supported by
the NSW Government through Create NSW