Born in Sydney, NSW, Australia; educated at Sydney University (philosophy). Leading Australian director whose contributions to his country's film renaissance of the 1970s include the internationally praised BREAKER MORANT (1979), a powerful account of a true incident during the Boer War. Beresford's reputation for finely etched character studies made him an ideal choice for TENDER MERCIES (1983), a subtle, superbly realized drama that marked his US debut. Beresford has subsequently alternated between Australia and the US, turning out a couple of inferior Hollywood films (such as KING DAVID, 1985), but regaining his earlier form with the Oscar-winning adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play DRIVING MISS DAISY (1989), a sensitive portrait of an aging Jewish woman and her gently wise black chauffeur. Other notable credits include: (As director) CRIMES OF THE HEART (1986), LAST DANCE (1996), PARADISE ROAD (1997, also writer), DOUBLE JEOPARDY (1999), ATATURK (2000), BRIDE OF THE WIND (2001), EVELYN (2002), THE CONTRACT (2006), RHAPSODY and FEVER (both 2007), A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE and LONG TAN (also writer) (both 2008) and A DREAM OF RED MANSIONS (announced for 2009); (As writer) SIDE BY SIDE (1975) and CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS (1994, also exec. producer).  Nominated for Writing (Best Screenplay based on material from another medium) 1980: BREAKER MORANT (w. Jonathan Hardy & David Stevens)  Nominated for Directing 1983: TENDER MERCIES 2 nominations