Phillip Noyce

Phillip Noyce is an acclaimed Australian film director. He recently directed the 1989 thriller 'Dead Calm', starring Sam Neill and Nicole Kidman. Noyce has been in the news for directing a feature film for Saudi Arabia titled 'The Watchful Eyes'. This film is reportedly being made for the Saudi regime and is described as a dramatic depiction of the "heroism of security men in combating drugs," based on a real narcotics case. The project has drawn attention given Saudi Arabia's human rights record, including its high execution rates. Noyce himself has been remembered by colleagues, with director Sam Neill's passing prompting tributes, including one from Noyce who described Neill as "perhaps the most gentlemanly actor" he ever encountered.