Michael Bentham

Michael is an award-winning filmmaker, researcher and educator. His feature drama, DISCLOSURE (2020), explores the social fallout following an allegation of child-on-child abuse. The film premiered at Palm Springs International Film Festival, and was nominated for an Australian Academy Award (Best Indie Film) and an Australian Directors' Guild Award (Best Direction in a Feature Film), and won the ATOM Award for Best Fiction Feature Film. Michael is a graduate of the UK's National Film and Television School, and holds a Doctorate from the University of Melbourne where he received the Margaret Lawrence Social Justice Award in recognition of the social impact of his narrative fiction work. Michael's current practice-led research explores the articulation and application of moving image narratives as methodology, with reference to subject areas including social justice, biography, ethnography, masculinity and trauma. As an educator, Michael has a 15-year track record designing and delivering filmmaking courses in fiction directing and screenwriting, including two years as Head of Directing at the UK's Northern Film School. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Practice-led research exploring the articulation and application of moving image narratives as methodology, with reference to subject areas including social justice, biography, ethnography, masculinity and trauma. Teaching Strengths: Fiction Directing, Screenwriting, mise-en-scène workshops

[2025] Bentham, M. (2025). Screenwriting the Contemporary Biopic: A Reflexive Case Study. Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-97892-0