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Bruce Beresford

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description Bruce Beresford Overview

Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director whose work includes historical dramas, literary adaptations, comedies, and character-centered films made in Australia and abroad. His early features included The Adventures of Barry McKenzie and Breaker Morant, while Tender Mercies received an Academy Award nomination for directing. He also directed Driving Miss Daisy, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

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What historical case is Breaker Morant based on?

Breaker Morant, released in 1980, dramatizes the court-martial of Australian soldiers during the Second Boer War in South Africa. The story examines military orders, imperial politics, and the execution of Harry Morant and Peter Handcock. ([ACMI](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/79360--breaker-morant))

Who is Mac Sledge in Tender Mercies?

Mac Sledge is the alcoholic country singer played by Robert Duvall in Tender Mercies, released in 1983. The film follows him as he tries to rebuild his life while working at a Texas motel. ([AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/58144-TENDER-MERCIES))

What is Driving Miss Daisy about, and who stars in it?

Driving Miss Daisy, released in 1989, follows the changing relationship between an elderly Jewish woman in Atlanta and her Black chauffeur, Hoke Colburn. Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd star in Bruce Beresford's adaptation of Alfred Uhry's play. ([AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57977-driving-missdaisy))

What source material inspired Mao's Last Dancer?

Mao's Last Dancer, released in 2009, is based on Li Cunxin's 2003 autobiography. It follows his path from a poor childhood in China to international success as a ballet dancer. ([Australian Screen Online](https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/maos-last-dancer/notes/))