Mark Olexa is an award-winning Australian film and television director who has been producing and directing for over 30 years. He is best known for his work on the hit Australian films The Castle and The Dish, as well as his extensive television directing credits which include the acclaimed series McLeod’s Daughters, Packed to the Rafters and Love Child.
Mark Olexa was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1960. He studied filmmaking at the Victorian College of the Arts and went on to direct a number of short films. In 1987 he wrote and directed his first feature film, The Long Way Home, which won the Best Film Award at the Melbourne Film Festival.
In 1997, Mark directed the critically acclaimed feature film The Castle which was an instant hit in Australia and went on to become the highest grossing Australian film of the decade. The film also earned Olexa an AFI Award for Best Director.
In 2000, Mark directed the feature film The Dish which was a box office success and earned him an AFI Award for Best Director. In the same year he directed the television miniseries The Farm which was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Miniseries.
In recent years, Mark has directed episodes of some of Australia’s most popular television series such as McLeod’s Daughters, Packed to the Rafters and Love Child. He has also directed several feature films including The Final Winter, The Rage in Placid Lake, The Combination and The Turning.
Mark Olexa has been recognised for his work with a number of awards including an AFI Award for Best Director, an IF Award for Best Direction and an AACTA Award for Best Television Drama Series. He is considered one of Australia’s most successful and respected directors and is credited for bringing a unique and creative voice to his films and television series.
