Australian film director Justin Kurzel has adopted fresh perspectives on directing after undertaking two recent documentary films. Kurzel directed Ellis Park, a documentary about musician Warren Ellis and the animal sanctuary he co-founded in Indonesia. He has also worked on the thriller The Order.
Kurzel found the experience of filming Ellis Park to be profoundly impactful. “Going there changed me, I was not the same person when I left,” he said afterward. Observing the sanctuary required Kurzel to adapt his methods. Rather than following a strict plan, he learned to let the people and animals guide the story organically. “I had to be open to what emerged,” Kurzel noted.
This experience shaped Kurzel’s approach to The Order. The film tells the true story of bank robberies in 1980s America. Though the settings contrasted drastically, Kurzel applied the same flexibility. He collaborated more with actors to allow scripts to freely evolve throughout production. “I once thought everything had to be completely controlled, but now see the value of spontaneity,” Kurzel remarked.
Kurzel is known for grappling with difficult human subjects in past films like Snowtown and Macbeth. However, making Ellis Park encouraged a new focus on partnership between directors and performers. Kurzel now aims to direct a series of interconnected films over five years, developing stories and characters cooperatively with actors from the beginning.
The documentaries also prompted self-reflection on his past large-scale work. “After Assassin’s Creed, I regretted decisions and felt unready,” Kurzel admitted. He has since embraced filmmaking’s unpredictable nature and his own artistic vision. Upcoming projects like The Order and The Narrow Road will showcase how Kurzel’s evolution now balances creative control with open collaboration. “Films exploring human instincts, like Ellis Park and Nitram, are what I want to keep making,” he said.
