Benjamin Mair

Biography

Benjamin Mair is an award-winning writer and director based in Sydney, Australia, whose films have screened at over 30 festivals worldwide. He began his career in theatre, writing and directing stage plays for Q Theatre and the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre before transitioning to film. After graduating from film school, he relocated to Japan, where he created educational content and short-form media. Mair has written, directed, and produced four independent shorts—Dark Echoes, Old Hand, Bump-Out, and Room 419. He has spent three years as a Film Tutor for Bus Stop Films’ Accessible Filmmaking Program, mentoring people living with disabilities in storytelling and production. During this time, he wrote and directed three projects: 'Smoke & Mirrors' (2023), a comic and video game-inspired adventure starring Kimie Tsukakoshi (Netflix's 'Bureau of Magical Things'); 'The Tide Turns' (2024), a dark reimagining of The Little Mermaid that premiered at ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) as part of the 'New Voices in Australian Cinema' program, and finally 'Life Support' (2025), an intense sci-fi drama with a twist. A passionate screenwriter, Mair's work has been recognized in top-tier competitions, earning finalist placements in contests judged by industry veterans such as Roger Avary (Pulp Fiction) and Don Murphy (Transformers). This success led to mentorships with writers from Dark Horse Entertainment (The Mask) and Red Hour Films (Zoolander). He is currently developing 'Moonlight Drive', a character-driven horror television series that blends psychological suspense, mystery, and supernatural folklore.