MY BRILLIANT CAREER
(Presented By: Judge Catherine O'Malley)

Director: Gillian Armstrong

Cast: Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Wendy Hughes, Robert Grubb, Max Cullen, Aileen Britton

Country: Australia
Year: 1979
Running Time: 100 min
Format: 35mm

In 1979, before anyone in America had heard much about the Australian film industry, Gillian Armstrong and an almost all-female company set out to make a movie about a woman trying to balance career and personal life. Based on a 19th century tale that had been captured in a book of the same name, My Brilliant Career tells the story of a young rural woman (Judy Davis) who turns down the obvious choice of marrying a good man (Sam Neill) to pursue her writing career. While timely when it came out, it addresses issues very much alive today. It is fueled by Judy Davis' fresh energy and by the fluidity of the storytelling.

Having won a number of awards from the Australian Film Institute, including Best Picture, My Brilliant Career was nominated for many other awards around the world. This picture launched the American careers of Judy Davis (won an Emmy last year for her portrayal of Judy Garland) and Sam Neill (of the Jurassic Park pictures), but does not exist on DVD and is barely available on VHS.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Catherine O'Malley has a degree in international studies from Towson University and a law degree from the University of Baltimore. She was admitted to the bar in 1991, and has been a securities dealer and manager for Allfirst Bank. Before appointment to the District Court, she had extensive experience in the Baltimore County State's Attorney Office, where she served for ten years. Katie is on the Board of Directors of the House of Ruth, Port Discovery, the Baltimore Zoo, Notre Dame Preparatory School, and the Caroline Center. She is married and has three children.