Gillian Armstrong is an Australian director born in Melbourne, celebrated as a pioneering figure of the Australian New Wave and one of the first women to direct a major internationally released feature film in decades. My Brilliant Career, following a headstrong young woman in rural Australia determined to become a writer rather than marry, launched both her career and Judy Davis's international breakthrough, establishing her focus on independently minded female protagonists. Mrs. Soffel and Oscar and Lucinda extended her interest in women navigating constrained historical circumstances, while Little Women, adapting Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, became one of her most beloved and widely seen films. Armstrong's historic role in the Australian New Wave and her sustained focus on independent female protagonists have made her one of the most significant women directors in Australian cinema history. Read more