SELECTED PRESS

ABOUT

"Genuinely creepy, beautifully shot and atmospheric." Greg McLean, director of Wolf Creek, on Diabolic

"Impressive first contact sci-fi." The Guardian on Monolith (★★★★) (source)

"A blue color palette that gives the whole thing a cold, foreboding energy." RogerEbert.com on Monolith

SXSW 2025: Special Jury Award, Narrative Short Competition, I'm The Most Racist Person I Know

SXSW 2023: Grand Jury nominee, Cinematography, Monolith

Michael Tessari ACS is a freelance cinematographer and director of photography based in Adelaide, South Australia, working across Australia and internationally. He has shot six feature films and a Netflix original series, including Monolith (SXSW 2023 Grand Jury nominee, Cinematography), With or Without You, Diabolic and The Run, each of which have received ACS Awards. His latest feature, Lucrum, premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in 2026 and releases in 2027, and he is attached to shoot an international feature thriller overseas in 2027.

Full bio and awards