Veteran Les Twentyman’s gravelly voice and unassuming nature belie what he’s been through. He’s seen it all. In the course of his mission he’s been stabbed, kidnapped by the IRA, chased by gangs in LA, even haunted by a violent stalker, but still he doesn’t give up.
Dedicated to keeping kids in class rooms and out of jail, he’s worked his entire life pounding the footpaths helping disadvantaged and at-risk youth. He knows nothing but helping kids that live on the wrong side of town – kids disenfranchised because of social disconnection – young refugees who feel they just ‘don’t fit’. The youth society often gives up on.
He’ s brought a team together that have his passion and dedication. And he’s on a global mission. Keep disenfranchised youth off the streets, away from violent gangs, and out of jail. Keep them out of gangs – in class rooms, not court rooms. He knows what works. And he needs to spread the word. Taking their skills from Melbourne to work with youth internationally Les and his team show the world their successful model for helping young people become part of resilient communities, recover from their trauma and reclaim their Right to Belong…
Rod Hardy is a widely accomplished and talented director who has forged his keen instincts and trademark visual sense of story through extensive experience. His collaborative efforts are but a gleaning of his problem-solving techniques. He has a great ability to bring the best out in people, whether it is an actor’s performance or a DP’s best shot
He currently shares his time between Melbourne and Los Angeles and is developing a number of projects to be shot in Australia.
Hardy has garnered many awards across his career, including both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his work on movies of the week and mini-series, and has worked with many high profile Hollywood actors.
Among Hardy’s many directorial credits is Lies and Lullabies, the traumatic life story of pregnant cocaine addicts, which was awarded the Scott Newman Award, presented annually to the production that best illustrates the degradation of and triumph over drug addiction.
His Movies Of The Week range from Grounds for Murder, to the re-creation of the classic The Yearling, and his directorial range runs the gamut of contemporary drama and science fiction to portraits of important historic moments, to the re-telling of such adventure classics as Robinson Crusoe with Pierce Brosnan and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Michael Caine.
Rod also directed the successful adventure-drama Two For Texas, garnering the prestigious Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Award and the critically acclaimed cable movie re make of HIGH NOON.
After completing X-Files series 8, and directing JAG series 7, Hardy has gone on to direct episodes of Robbery Homicide Division, The Practice, Touching Evil and Battlestar Gallactica. Also included in his repertoire are The Mentalist, Doll House, Covert Affairs, Burn Notice, Make It Or Break It, Mental (shot in Bogota, Colombia) and Persons Unknown (shot in Mexico City).
His theatrical feature DECEMBER BOYS which starred Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame, was winner of the Giffoni Film Festival Award 2008.
Rod has a long standing working relationship with producers Jan Bladier and David Lee.
