Sophie Hyde

Sophie Hyde (born 1977) is an Australian film director, writer, and producer based in Adelaide, South Australia. She is co-founder of Closer Productions and known for her award-winning debut fiction film, 52 Tuesdays, as well as the comedy drama Animals (2019); the sex comedy drama Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022), starring Emma Thompson; and her semi-autobiographical film Jimpa, starring Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. She has also made several documentaries, including Life in Movement (2011), a documentary about dancer and choreographer Tanja Liedtke, and television series, such as The Hunting (2019).

Early life and education Sophie Hyde was born in Adelaide in 1977, the daughter of Patricia and Jim Hyde.

Hyde's next project was a six-part TV series called Fucking Adelaide (aka F*!#ing Adelaide), commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Screen Australia, aired on national TV from 15 July 2018 and ABC iview after debuting at the Adelaide Film Festival in 2017. A dark comedy about "home, family, identity and the 'small town-ness' of Adelaide", each episode was a part of a story told from a different character’s perspective, including a character played by Hyde's child Audrey and also starring Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Brendan Maclean and Kate Box as three siblings who respond to their mother's (played by Pamela Rabe) request to return to the family home in Adelaide. Co-written by Matthew Cormack and Matt Vesely and produced by Rebecca Summerton, It was an Irish-Australian co-production and although not initiated by Hyde, it was a Closer Productions film.

2020s Starting to work as an international freelance director, starring Emma Thompson, called Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. Written by Katy Brand, the film was made by Genesius Pictures in the UK. This was her first film in a long time as an independent director, without Closer Productions and without acting as producer as well. It was released on Hulu in the US on 17 June 2022, in UK cinemas on the same date, and in Australian cinemas from 18 August 2022.

In May 2024 it was announced that Olivia Colman would be starring alongside John Lithgow in Hyde's new film Jimpa, "an inter-generational queer family drama". The film also stars Hyde's child Aud Mason-Hyde, Daniel Henshall, Kate Box, and Tilda Cobham-Hervey. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2025, and has its Australian premiere as the opening gala film at the Adelaide Film Festival on 15 October 2025. The film is partly based on Hyde's life, with Colman's role as Hannah playing a fictionalised version of Hyde. The family and the actors talked about the making of the film in an episode of the documentary series Australian Story on ABC Television on 16 February 2026, shortly before its release in Australian cinemas.

Closer Productions

Hyde is co-founder, along with Mason, of the film production company Closer Productions, which is based in the Adelaide suburb of Glenside. Other members of the Closer team are Mason (editor, DOP, producer, director); Matthew Bate (writer, director); Rebecca Summerton (producer); Matthew Cormack (writer, sales/delivery); Raynor Pettge (visual effects, editor); and Matt Vesely (development manager, writer, director).

Recognition and awards

A 2024 homage to her work as a filmmaker published in FilmInk'''s Unsung Auteurs series noted her "strong visual sense and taste for the daring and unusual", but said that her "sensitivity towards actors... really gives Sophie Hyde her directorial power", and that she is "nothing short of a national treasure". 2009: Melbourne International Film Festival — Best Experimental Short Film — Winner (with Kat Worth) — Necessary Games 2012: AACTA Awards — Best Feature Length Documentary — Nominee (shared with Bryan Mason) — Life in Movement (2011) 2012: AACTA Awards — Best Feature Length Documentary — Nominee (shared with Matthew Bate) — Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure (2011) 2012: AACTA Awards — Best Direction in a Documentary — Nominee (shared with Bryan Mason) — Life in Movement (2011) 2018: Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Awards - Online Series Production of the Year – Winner (Closer Productions) – Fucking Adelaide (2017)

Personal life Hyde's husband and professional partner is Bryan Mason, and they have a child, Aud Mason-Hyde.

Mason-Hyde is non-binary, and gave a TEDx talk on the subject in Adelaide Town Hall to around 1000 people when they were 12. They also appeared on ABC Television's Four Corners when they were 14. Growing up around films, they performed in many school musicals, as well as some of Hyde's films and TV series. Mason-Hyde co-founded an arts organisation led by trans people called Transmedium with friend and filmmaker Claud Bailey, and produces a regular zine for trans youth.

On 16 February 2026, the family, including Sophie's elder sister Alice, were featured in Australian Story on ABC Television, talking about their lives and, along with lead actors Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, about the making of Jimpa, a very personal film based on their own lives.

Partial filmography Film As directorOk, Let's Talk About Me (2005) - short documentary. Producer, director. The Road to Wallaroo (2006) - short documentary biography. Producer, director. My Last Ten Hours with you (2007) - short drama/ romance LGBT-themed film, included in the Boys on Film DVD series (6: Pacific Rim). Director. Necessary Games (2009) - short drama/fantasy. Producer, co-director (with Kat Worth). Elephantiasis (2010) - short film. Producer, director. Winner, Best Director, World of Women Film Festival. Life in Movement (2011) - documentary about dancer and choreographer Tanja Liedtke. Producer/director/writer. 52 Tuesdays (2014) - drama. Producer, director, co-writer with Matthew Cormack. Animals (2019) - comedy/drama. Producer/director. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022) Jimpa (2025) An Ideal Wife (TBA)

As producer

Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure (2011) - documentary/comedy/drama (written and directed by Matthew Bate). Producer. Sam Klemke's Time Machine (2015) - feature length documentary (written and directed by Matthew Bate). Producer. My Best Friend is Stuck on the Ceiling (2015) - short comic film (written and directed by Matt Vesely). Co-producer. In My Blood It Runs (formerly Kids) (2019) - documentary (directed by Maya Newell and others). Producer.

Television Fucking Adelaide (2017) - TV comedy drama mini-series (6 short episodes) for ABC TV. Producer/director. AKA F*!#ing Adelaide and F**king Adelaide. The Hunting (2019) - four-part drama miniseries screening on SBS in August 2019. Producer/director.

VideoBeyond Beliefs: Muslims & Non-Muslims in Australia (2007) - documentary. Producer, writer.

OthersWastelander Panda (2012), a three-part webseries (executive producer);