Bronwen Hughes

Born: Toronto, Canada

The director attracted international attention with the South African police thriller Stander.

She originally planned to become a journalist before but was put off by the cold weather where her intended college was.

Hughes made her big screen debut with the Lucky One segment of 1994 music documentary Amy Grant: Building The House of Love featuring the singing star.

Two years later, she made her feature debut proper with the children's film Harriet The Spy with Michelle Trachtenberg.

It was then that Steven Spielberg took an interest in her career and contracted her to DreamWorks, where she directed the 1999 rom-com Forces of Nature.

In 2003, she made Stander, which told the story of a South African policeman-turned-lunchtime bankrobber and starred Thomas Jane.