Rolf de Heer (b. 1951) was born in Heemskerk, Holland, and migrated to Australia with his family in 1959. He spent seven years working for the ABC before gaining entry to Australia's Film, Television and Radio School, where he studied Producing and Directing. His first film as writer/director was the children's picture Tail of a Tiger (1984). He later scored a cult hit with Bad Boy Bubby (1993), which won four AFI awards as well as a Grand Special Jury Prize and International Film Critics Prize at the 1993 Venice Film Festival. His next two films, The Quiet Room (1996) and Dance Me to My Song (1998), were both selected for official competition at Cannes. His subsequent movies have included The Old Man Who Read Love Stories (2001), featuring Richard Dreyfuss, and The Tracker (2002), starring David Gulpilil and Gary Sweet. In 2003 Rolf de Heer released his 10th film as director, the acclaimed Alexandra's Project.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2005
© John Elliott
John Elliott (19 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
John Elliott talks about his photographic portrait practice, including his iconic image of Slim Dusty arm-in-arm with Dame Edna Everage.
Thousand mile stare provides a unique portrait of people of rural Australia
