Writer/Director Ben Hackworth completed his Bachelors and Masters at VCA Film School, teaching there before moving to Brisbane and lecturing at Griffith Film School and the University of Southern Queensland.

His films have screened in official selection at Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, BFI London, Edinburgh, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Edinburgh. He has been selected for the Cannes Cinéf Competition, Residence and Atelier, and remains the only Australian filmmaker selected across all three. His second feature film "Celeste" opened the Brisbane International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Feature Film at the Screen Producers Australia Awards. He is completing a PhD at the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on the making of "Napalm", a feature documentary about the memories of those who knew his late father. His third fiction feature film "Modern Lovers" with Unicorn Films is currently financing and was selected as best pitch at Melbourne Film Festival 37 South and is a finalist in upcoming 2026 Mallorca International Film Festival script competition.