'THE YOUNG ONES: Australia's new breed of filmmakers speak out'

Tuesday, March 13, 2012
ED GIBBS

For someone who excelled at sport, representing her country in indoor soccer in both Europe and North America, Gracie Otto admits she still isn't sure how she wound up in an industry that's notoriously fickle and, for women, ageist and sexist. "I'd seen what it's like to be in the film industry and not work, as an actor, from my family," she says, of her parents Barry Otto and Susan Hill, and older half-sister Miranda. "I didn't really know what I wanted to do when I was playing soccer. I wanted to travel – which we didn't do as a family – but that was about it."

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THREE TO WATCH IN 2012

Alexandra Schepisi

Daughter of legendary filmmaker Fred Schepisi, the Melbourne-based actor, who gave an AACTA-nominated performance in her father's THE EYE OF THE STORM, also directs. Her second short film, LOIS, starring Jacki Weaver, is currently in post-production.

Alice Englert

The actor daughter of Oscar-winning director Jane Campion is now shooting the Sally Potter film BOMB with Elle Fanning in London. She has three other films in the pipeline, including BEAUTIFUL CREATURES – the first adaptation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Caster Chronicles books.

Leila George

The Australian-born, English-raised daughter of actor Greta Scaachi and LAW & ORDER star Vincent D'Onofrio heads to New York in May to try her hand at acting, having studied filmmaking in Sydney in 2011. Mum and Dad are, she says, "really excited".