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Robert Connolly (born 1967) is an Australian film director, film producer, and screenwriter based in Melbourne, Victoria. He is best known as the director and writer of the feature films Balibo, Three Dollars, The Bank and The Dry and , as well as the producer of Romulus, My Father and The Boys. He is head of the film distribution company, Footprint Films, owned by Arenafilms.
In 2007 Connolly and Maynard together produced the period immigration drama Romulus, My Father, directed by Richard Roxburgh, starring Eric Bana and Franka Potente.
By 2013, he had written and directed four and film producer around 12 others, as well as doing work for television.
He directed and produced Paper Planes (2014), The Dry (2020), Blueback (2022) and (2024) and has been nominated for or won numerous Australian and international awards (see lists below).
Indonesia continues to maintain that the Balibo Five died accidentally in crossfire as its troops battled East Timorese Fretilin rebels, a version of events accepted by successive Australian governments. But the film depicts the young journalists, who were working for Australian TV networks and presumed their nationality afforded them protection, being slaughtered on the orders of Indonesian military chiefs to prevent news of the invasion reaching the world.
Connolly refuses to apologise for his film's hardline stance, stating that an Australian coroner found in 2007 that the journalists were executed as they tried to surrender to Indonesian forces. He said: "It's quite clear the journalists were murdered... The current Indonesian and Australian (Government) point of view that they were killed in crossfire is quite frankly absurd. I'd imagine the film will be confronting because it represents something contrary to the official view." He points out that the East Timorese Truth and Reconciliation Commission found that up to 183,000 East Timorese people died as a result of the conflict, when the total population was only around 600,000, while both the Australian Government under the Liberals and the opposition Labor Party were focused on oil and gas resources and regional influence.
In 2008, Connolly published a white paper outlining his views on all that could be improved about the Australian film industry, which includes a ten-step plan for reducing production costs.
Footprint Films is the film distribution company owned by Arenafilm. Maynard had earlier had a production company called Footstep Films. In December 2007, Film Victoria provided of funding to be shared among Footprint and two other companies.
In 2009, Footprint Films was the Australasian distributor for Balibo and Sarah Watt's My Year Without Sex (both made by Arenafilm), and in the same year, it expanded its operations to acquire and release third-party films. Its first two distribution-only films were Warwick Thornton's Samson and Delilah, and Kriv Stenders' Lucky Country (film). The physical work of distributing is handled by Transmission Films, headed by Richard Payten and Andrew Mackie and backed by Paramount Pictures Australia. Connolly believes that it is healthy for filmmakers to become involved in distribution.
Connolly has screened his films at over 30 international film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival and San Sebastian Film Festival. He received a Centenary Medal for services to the Australian Film Industry in 2001.
Romulus, My Father won four Australian Film Institute Awards (AFI) including Best Film, and Connolly has also garnered AFI Awards for writing The Bank and Three Dollars.
Matthew Campora, head of screen studies at AFTRS, wrote in 2013 that Connolly was "a director who could be considered amongst the most successful contemporary filmmakers working in Australia today", and "Connolly’s films combine characteristics of the Hollywood thriller with archetypal Australian character types and narrative arcs to create a body of films that continue a particular style of filmmaking identified by [Graeme Turner]] in the 1990s".
Connolly was announced as the recipient of the 2025 Don Dunstan Award by Adelaide Film Festival in September 2025. The festival has also commissioned an essay by Sandy George on his contribution to Australian filmmaking.
He also served on the boards of the New South Wales Film and Television Office (FTO, predecessor to Screen NSW) and the Australian Directors Guild, as well as the University of New South Wales Dean's Council.
In 2011 Connolly worked on and influenced the development of the unreleased video game Warco, that could be used to train journalists to work and report in war-torn regions.
Balibo
In 2009, Connolly directed Balibo, which he co-wrote with David Williamson. The film examines the politically fraught deaths of Australian-based journalists the Balibo Five and Roger East during the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975. Maynard produced the film, which starred Anthony LaPaglia in the lead role of East. Balibo was the first feature to be shot in East Timor.<
Themes and views
Connolly has been definitive about his political approach to filmmaking, saying "Without a doubt, in recent times, the political agenda of the work is what drives us. We feel a responsibility to use cinema to put a blow torch to contemporary Australia and contribute to some discussion or debate about where we're headed. That's what I find most rewarding about it." Three Dollars (2005), The Bank (2001) and The Boys (1998) all have a strong political agenda, and have been released in Australia as a DVD box set along with the documentary The Political Arena, which explores the social and political strands of the films.
Arenafilm and Footprint Films
Arenafilm was first incorporated in 1987 by film producer John Maynard and produced (1988) and Jane Campion's film s Sweetie (1989) and An Angel at My Table (1990) (with Maynard's partner Bridget Ikin). The company went on to produce The Boys (1998) and several other of Connolly's films, including Balibo. Its history is not clear, but Connolly and Maynard became directors of the company during the 2000s. Connolly relocated to set up the Arenafilm Melbourne office in late 2006 (including Arenamedia) and subsidiary companies.
Recognition and awards
The Boys was nominated for 13 AFI Awards including Best Film, and won awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. In 1998, Connolly was named by Variety as one of the 10 best emerging producers in the world.
Other roles
In 2008 Connolly was appointed to the inaugural board of Screen Australia. His term ended on 30 June 2011.
Filmography
Feature films
1998 The Boys 2000 The Monkey's Mask 2001 The Bank 2005 Three Dollars 2007 Romulus, My Father Also second unit director 2009 Balibo 2013 The Turning Segment: "Aquifer" 2015 Paper Planes 2021 The Dry 2022 Blueback 2024 2025 Magic Beach
Executive producer only
Associate producer only
Consulting producer only
Consultant only
Short films
1995 Roses Are Red>Roses Are Red 1997 Rust Bucket>Rust Bucket 2015 These Final Hours>These Final Hours
Television
2010 Rush 1 episode; series 3 episode 18 2011 The Slap 2 episodes 2012 Television film 2015 Gallipoli Miniseries 2016 Barracuda 2017 The Warriors Also executive producer 2018 Deep State 4 episodes
Awards and nominations
1995 All Men Are Liars Cinequest Film Festival – Best First Feature tied with Le secret de Jérôme Cinequest Film Festival Maverick Spirit Award
AACTA Award for Best Film
AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
AACTA Award for Best Production Design
AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role1998 The Boys FCCA Award for Best Film AACTA Award for Best Film 2001 The Bank AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
Newport Beach Film Festival Jury Award for Best Director
Newport Beach Film Festival Jury Award for Best Screenplay
Palm Springs International Film Festival - Best Director Award
Portland International Film Festival - Audience AwardAACTA Award for Best Direction
BAFICI Award for Best Film
FCCA Award for Best Director
FCCA Award for Best Original Screenplay
Inside Film Award for Best Direction Inside Film Award for Best Script2005 Three Dollars AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Montreal World Film Festival - Special Mention
Montreal World Film Festival - Grand Prix des AmériquesFCCA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2007 Romulus, My Father AACTA Award for Best Film FCCA Award for Best Film 2009 Balibo AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
ADG Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film
São Paulo International Film Festival - Audience Award for Best Foreign Feature FilmAACTA Award for Best Direction
FCCA Award for Best Director
FCCA Award for Best Screenplay Inside Film Award for Best Feature Film2012 AWGIE Awards for Best Telemovie Adaptation 2013 The Turning AACTA Award for Best Film
AACTA Award for Best Direction
AFCA Award for Best Film
Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Film2015 Paper Planes AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
FCCA Award for Best Children's Film
Jerusalem Film Festival - Cinematheque Young Critics Club Award for Best Children's FilmAACTA Award for Best Film
AACTA People's Choice Award for Favourite Australian Film ADG Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film
AWGIE Awards for Best Writing in a Feature Film - Original
Berlin International Film Festival - Crystal Bear
FCCA Award for Best Film
FCCA Award for Best Script/Screenplay
Seattle International Film Festival - Films4Families Youth Jury Award2021 The Dry AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay AACTA Award for Best Film
AACTA Award for Best Direction
Footnotes
External links
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