Baz Luhrmann | Film Director | Miami Beach Photographer Jeffery Salter
Baz Luhrmann, film director was photographed on Miami Beach, South Beach, Florida by Miami based advertising and commercial photographer Jeffery Salter. Jeffrey is an award winning photographer who also does fitness and celebrity portraiture. He does location photography in Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, NYC , Los Angeles and Dallas.
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann (/ˈbæz ˈlʊərmən/;[2] born 17 September 1962) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, comprising his romantic comedy film Strictly Ballroom (1992), the romantic drama Romeo + Juliet (1996), and the pastiche-jukebox musical Moulin Rouge! (2001). His 2008 film Australia is an epic historical romantic drama film starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. His 2013 drama The Great Gatsby, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel of the same name, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.[3]
Luhrmann was born in Sydney. His mother, Barbara Carmel (née Brennan), was a ballroom dance teacher and dress shop owner, and his father, Leonard Luhrmann, ran a petrol station and a movie theatre.[4][5][6] He was raised in Herons Creek, a tiny rural settlement in northern New South Wales. He attended St Joseph's Hastings Regional School, Port Macquarie (1975–1978); St Paul's College, Manly, performing in the school's version of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, and Narrabeen High School, where he met future collaborator Craig Pearce.[citation needed]
Luhrmann received the nickname "Baz" from his father Leonard.[7] He officially changed his given name from Mark to Baz sometime around 1979.[8] In 1983, he commenced an acting course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He graduated in 1985 alongside Sonia Todd, Catherine McClements and Justin Monjo.[9] On 26 January 1997, he married Catherine Martin, a production designer; the couple have two children.
The modern film interpretation Romeo + Juliet starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes defeated Titanic at the BAFTAs for best direction, music and screenplay. The film was celebrated at the Berlin Film Festival where it was recognised with the Gold Bear award for direction and Silver Bear for DiCaprio's performance. Luhrmann also produced the successful soundtrack albums for the film which collectively went on to sell more than eight million copies worldwide.[citation needed]
Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! (2001) was named one of the AFI's top ten films of 2001[10] and in 2010 was chosen as the top film of the 2000s decade in a poll of 150,000 respondents in the United Kingdom.[11] The film also gave birth to a successful soundtrack album, selling more than seven million copies, led by the Grammy-winning number one hit single "Lady Marmalade".[12]
Luhrmann's 2008 romantic epic Australia starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. While achieving modest box office success in the United States, the film was very successful in Europe, maintaining the #1 slot at the box office for many weeks in France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Scandinavian countries.[13] It is the second-highest grossing Australian film of all time, next to "Crocodile" Dundee and ahead of Happy Feet.[14]
Luhrmann's first three films are marketed as The Red Curtain Trilogy. His latest film is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, shot in 3D,[15] starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Amitabh Bachchan as Meyer Wolfsheim,[16] Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan[17] and Australian newcomer Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker.