Christine Jeffs

Born: 1963
Where: Lower Hutt, New Zealand

The director made her international breakthrough with the biopic Sylvia starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig.

The American actress played the lead role with Craig playing her husband, poet laureate Ted Hughes.

Jeffs was handed the reins for Sylvia after writing and directing the screen adaptation of Kirsty Dunn's Rain.

The movie was based on the tragic story of a 13-year-old girl facing the heartache of her parents going through a divorce.

It took the film five years to get funding and be released, but received critical acclaim when it was finally shown in 2001.

Jeffs, who trained as an editor at film school in Sydney and went on to work as an assistant editor, was then named one of "10 directors to watch" by Variety.