Biscuit Filmworks has added filmmaker Justin Kurzel to its directorial roster in the U.S. and U.K. for commercials and branded content A recognized talent across both features and commercials, Kurzel is behind the viral 2018 PSA “Stop the Horror” for Go Gentle Australia, which chronicled the brutal last days of a terminally ill man in a successful effort to change the country’s laws on voluntary assisted death. “Stop the Horror” was a lauded campaign, earning various awards including a Cannes Film Craft Gold Lion for directing.
Kurzel is currently wrapping postproduction on his feature film The True History of the Kelly Gang, a biopic of infamous Australian outlaw Ned Kelly starring Russell Crowe, Nicholas Hoult, Charlie Hunnam, and Essie Davis, based on the book by Peter Carey. His previous features include the box office hit Assassin’s Creed starring Michael Fassbender and Jeremy Irons; and the award-winning festival favorites Macbeth starring Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, The Turning, and Snowtown.
Kurzel is originally from Australia and a graduate of Sydney’s respected NIDA Design program and the Victorian College of the Arts. “As a filmmaker I’ve always appreciated the medium of commercials but it wasn’t until I did ‘Stop the Horror’ that I truly realized the impact commercials can have,” shared Kurzel. “That project was a turning point that made me really want to focus more on my commercial career, and I’m thrilled to be partnering with Biscuit to enter this new chapter.”
Shawn Lacy, co-founder and managing director at Biscuit, said, “Justin is the real deal – he brings his own touch to any and all types of projects, and raises the bar in the process. It’s hard to overstate the importance of his work with ‘Stop the Horror,’ but he is equally skilled at various commercial styles as well as longform filmmaking. We are very much looking forward to working with Justin in this next phase of his career.”
Prior to joining Biscuit, Kurzel was repped by Superprime in the U.S. ad market. Kurzel continues to be represented by Revolver for commercial work in Australia and New Zealand.
