Born in Australia, writer/director Michael Petroni is a 1996 graduate of the American Film Institute. While at AFI, Michael wrote TILL HUMAN VOICES WAKE US, which won both the AFI Screenplay of the Year and the WGA/Scenario Magazine Award for Best New Screenplay of 1996.

TILL HUMAN VOICES WAKE US also became Michael’s directorial debut, starring Guy Pearce and Helena Bonham Carter. Paramount Classics acquired the film and it was released in Australia in September 2002 to rave reviews and solid business, and then in the U.S. in February 2003.

Michael’s other produced credits include his adaptation of Chris Fuhrman’s DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTER BOYS, MIRACLES, a one hour drama series which debuted on ABC in January 2003 (starring Skeet Ulrich), and Anne Rice’s QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, a Warner Brothers film (sequel to Interview with a Vampire) which opened No. 1 at the U.S. Box Office. DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTER BOYS starred Jodie Foster (produced by her company, Egg Pictures), Vincent D’Onofrio, Kieran Culkin, Emile Hirsch, and Jena Malone, and was released in June 2002 by Think Films.

Michael recently wrote ADDICTED for Intermedia, which is now scheduled to go before the cameras this summer starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Bob Yari is financing. Michael also just completed work on PRESCIENCE, a feature for Sony, which is currently out to directors, and continues to work on what will be Russell Crowe’s directorial debut, an adaptation of the classic World War II novel by John Hepworth, THE LONG GREEN SHORE. Other credits include REVELATIONS for Warner Brothers and FURTHER DOWN THE LINE for Revolution.

From 1989 to 1991, Michael wrote and performed for the Australian Broadcast Commission on various shows, including THE BIG GIG and D.A.A.S. KAPITAL.