Elissa Down

Elissa Down ( born July 2, 1975 in Camden, New South Wales) is an Australian film director.

Elissa Down studied art at Curtin University in Perth. In 2000, she presented with Samantha Stewart, aged 14, her first short movie.

In 2008, she made ​​her feature film debut with the film The Black Balloon. The film had its world premiere at the Berlinale in 2008 as the opening film of the Generation section Plus14. The Black Balloon is about a 16 -year-old boy who grows up in a family whose life is affected by caring for his autistic older brother. The film is based on his own life experiences by Elissa Down, who grew up with two autistic brothers. Elissa Down Award for this film the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale. The film was also selected by the Australian Film Institute as the best Australian film of 2008.