Gregory Erdstein is an Australian film director and writer, best known for the indie comedy That's Not Me.
Erdstein is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, School of Film & TV, Melbourne, Australia.
Erdstein has collaborated with his wife, actress/writer Alice Foulcher, on several films including the controversial short film Picking up at Auschwitz,[1] the Tropfest finalist short A Bit Rich[2] and Paris Syndrome.[3] They spent most of 2014 as artists in residence at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, France, where they made Paris Syndrome, and co-wrote the screenplay for their first feature film, That's Not Me.[4]
In 2014 also co-wrote and co-directed the short film Two Devils, with Van Diemen's Land director Jonathan auf der Heide. It premiered at the 2014 Melbourne International Film Festival.[5]
In 2015 Erdstein commenced production on his debut feature, That's Not Me, which filmed in Melbourne, Australia and Los Angeles, USA.[6] The film will had its World Premiere in February 2017 at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival,[7] and Australian Premiere in June 2017 at the Sydney Film Festival[8] - where it came Fourth at the Foxtel Movies Audience Awards.[9] That's Not Me has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews and a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 87%. The Guardian ranked it #5 of the Top 10 Australian Films of 2017,[10] with critic Luke Buckmaster giving it a 4 star review.[11] Andy Howell of Ain't It Cool praised Foulcher's lead performance, writing: "[Alice Foulcher] shoulders all the drama and gives one of the best twin performances I’ve ever seen... Having nuanced drama embedded in a comedy is a tightrope walk, but she’s got the skills to land it."[12] The film was also flagged by the Santa Barbara Independent as a Must-See movie of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival,[13] and sold out a number of sessions at the festival.[14] Junkee Media called the film "An emotionally resonant and comedic quarter life crisis… It’s a simple set-up delivered endlessly in comedy, but managed so well in That's Not Me that you remember how rare it is that balance is achieved in Australian films."[15] The Sydney Arts Guide praised the film and performances, writing: "There’s not a dud note in That's Not Me thanks to a solid foundation in a script by Alice Foulcher and Gregory Erdstein, and anchored by a winning lead performance by Foulcher and helmed with an assured hand by Erdstein. The support casting is impeccable…Isabel Lucas is ferociously good".[16] Jake Watt of Switch called the film "a marvel of indie ingenuity, with dollops of charm and confident direction."[17] Karl Quinn writing for The Age said the film is "bursting with comedy, humanity and interesting ideas",[18] the Huffington Post called it "a stunning exploration of identity, the industry and the thirst for fame…the perfect blend of comedy and tragedy",[19] whilst Concrete Playground praised it as "earnest, astute, insightful and thoroughly amusing. This is a movie that is both universal and unmistakably Australian – and that’s just one of many delicate balancing acts that That’s Not Me achieves".[20] That's Not Me won the award for Best Film Under $200k at the inaugural 2018 Ozflix Independent Film Awards.[21]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | That's Not Me | Director / Co-writer | ||
2015 | Paris Syndrome | Director / Co-writer | short film | |
2014 | Two Devils | Co-director / Co-writer | short film | |
2014 | A Bit Rich | Director / Co-writer | short film | |
2013 | Why Ryan is on Detention | Co-writer | short film | |
2012 | Picking up at Auschwitz | Director / Co-writer | short film | |
2009 | Facing Rupert | Director / Writer | short film | |
2008 | The Device | Director / Writer | short film | |
2008 | Work to Rule | Director / Writer | short film | |
2007 | Radius of Action | Director / Writer | short film | |
2001 | The Masterplan | Director / Writer | short film |