Samantha Rebillet

Rebillets's approach to filmmaking is influenced by the handheld and improvisational approach preferred by filmmakers such as Darren Aronofsky, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Gus Van Sant. According to an interview with Filmink in February 2014, this is still a 'developing style'. Using this improvisational approach for her film The Last Goodbye, Rebillet wrote the script in 'broad brushstrokes', allowing for the finer details to be further developed during filming itself.

Despite years as an actor, Rebillet always wanted to be a director and eventually, in her twenties, got behind the camera by working as a director's assistant to Mark Joffe (The Man Who Sued God) and Alex Proyas (Garage Days and iRobot). Since graduating from the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2006, Rebillet has written and directed prize winning short films and documentaries, alongside TV commercials, corporate videos and music clips. Her documentary 'Butterfly Man' (2004) has picked up major awards both in Australia and abroad, including the Silver Cub Award at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam(IDFA), while her short 'All Shook Up' was a finalist in the 2003 Tropfest Short Film Festival. Her drama films have featured some Australian actors such as Mia Wasikowska and Maeve Dermody. Rebillet was chosen as the Australian representative at the Artist Residency 5Sur5 in Belgium, and her work has screened regularly on television in Australia, International Broadcast and Qantas Inflight.

Rebillet attended SCEGGS Darlinghurst, an independent high school in Sydney. She grew up in the movie making world, accompanying her father, Chris Maudson and adopted father Richard Brennan around film sets. She completed a Bachelor of Drama at the University of New South Wales in 1998 and did further studies, obtaining two master's degrees - a masters in Media Arts and Production at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) in 2002, and a masters in Directing Drama at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2006. She is currently on her way to obtaining a Doctorate of Creative Arts at the UTS

Rebillet was married to Ilan Kidron from the Australian electro-house and dance music group, Potbelleez. She has two children, Remi (born 1993) and Gabe (born 2002). In 2010 she suffered from a life-threatening brain tumor, but recovered. Rebillet was an active supporter for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation in Australia and helped to organize the Wayside Chapel's Art To Heart charity fundraiser.

Rebillet first appeared on screen in the seminal Australian film Newsfront, and in Going Down in 1983.

Samantha Rebillet (born 8 January 1972 – 27 November 2017) was an Australian film director, actress, screenwriter, producer, singer and songwriter. She has had guest roles in various Australian television series and roles in several films. Rebillet has written, directed and produced several films and documentaries including the 2004 documentary Butterfly Man which won a Silver Cub Award at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.