Michael James Rowland

Michael James Rowland is an Australian writer & director who first came to prominence with his 2007 feature film 'Lucky Miles'. Given four stars and described by Paul Byrnes as 'the wizard of Oz without Dorothy or the dog', 'Lucky Miles' unexpectedly re-framed illegal immigration as a comedy, along the way winning the Sydney Film Festival's Audience Award, Abu Dhabi's Black Pearl (a 100k prize for Best Director) and bile from both Bob Ellis and Andrew Bolt. Born in Adelaide, Michael has labored variously as a community theatre director, factory worker, Adelaide Festival designer and graphic novel publisher. Michael's most recent screen-works include 'The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce', 'My Place', 'Spirited', 'Dance Academy' and 'Tangle'. His interests include alternative histories, moral philosophers of the 19th century and Australian native birds. He routinely travels between Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Tasmania (where he own 15 acres and is building a forest cabin).