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ABOUT

Michael Tessari is a distinguished Australian Cinematographer and Director of Photography born in Adelaide, South Australia. With a career spanning over a decade, he has established himself as a leading figure in the Australian film industry, known for his exceptional and nuanced visual storytelling and narrative longform expertise.

Tessari graduated with honours in cinematography in 2012. His first recognition came in 2013 when he was awarded the Cliff Ellis Award by the Australian Cinematographers Society - ACS for demonstrating the most potential as a young cinematographer. This accolade set the stage for a flourishing career that is still growing today.

Throughout his career Tessari has lensed a wide array of projects, including films, television series, music videos, and commercials. Some of his notable works include:

• Monolith: This science fiction thriller, directed by Matt Vesely, features compelling cinematography. The film earned an ACS National Award of Distinction and a Grand Jury Nomination for Best Cinematography at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival in Austin.

• Awoken: A horror film directed by Daniel J. Phillips, Awoken was released theatrically across North America and internationally. Michael's work on this film earned a Gold Award from the Australian Cinematographers Society.

• Gymnastics Academy, A Second Chance: This Netflix Original Series trended number one across multiple countries and was a great opportunity for Tessari to show prowess in delivering faced paced, episodic story telling for a large brand like Netflix  

• Yet to be released: But equally as exciting are the latest feature projects Tessari has helmed. The Australian road movie With or Without You is released theatrically on Mothers Day 2025. The unnerving horror Diabolic marks a second collaboration with director, Daniel J Phillips and the post apocalyptic action film, The Run directed by Stephen De Villiers will both be released mid to late 2025.
  

Tessari’s dedication to his craft has been acknowledged through numerous awards and honours. Some of these include:

• IF Magazine’s 2024 Rising Talent List: This honour highlights a growing influence and contribution to the Australian film industry.

• Milton Ingerson Award 2017: Presented by the Australian Cinematographers Society, this prestigious award was for the best overall entry of the year for SA and WA.

• ACS Awards of Distinction: Tessari has received a Gold ACS Award for every feature film he has shot along with numerous other Gold, Silver and Bronze for his advertising work, both local and national.  Additionally Monolith was awarded a National Award of Distinction; an incredible honour for the sub $1 million film.