Michael Rubbo
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- December 31, 1938
- Birthplace
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Michael Rubbo is an Australian documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, and director known for his innovative and personal approach to nonfiction storytelling. A longtime contributor to the National Film Board of Canada, Rubbo crafted documentaries that blended observation with subjective narration, often inserting himself into the narrative—a style that influenced later generations of documentary filmmakers. His notable works include Sad Song of Yellow Skin (1970), which explored the impact of the Vietnam War on civilians, and Waiting for Fidel (1974), a unique take on political documentary. Beyond documentaries, Rubbo also directed children’s films such as The Peanut Butter Solution (1985) and later pursued a career as an author and painter, continuing his creative exploration across different mediums.
Filmography
- I Am an Old Tree
I Am an Old Tree TBA
Director, Writer, Editor, Producer
- Log House
Log House TBA
Director
- Murder on the Shanghai
Murder on the Shanghai 2012
Director
Much Ado About Something 2001
as Himself, Director
- Maverick on a Mobile
Maverick on a Mobile 1997
Executive Producer
The Return of Tommy Tricker 1994
Director, Writer
Vincent and Me 1990
Director, Writer
Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller 1988
Director, Writer
Courage to Change 1986
Producer
The Peanut Butter Solution 1985
Director, Writer
Atwood and Family 1985
Director, Screenplay
Margaret Atwood: Once in August 1984
as Himself, Director
Daisy: The Story of a Facelift 1982
Director
Unfinished Diary 1982
as The husband
Challenger: An Industrial Romance 1980
Co-Director, Associate Producer
- River (Planet Earth)
River (Planet Earth) 1977
Writer, Editor
- Temiscaming, Québec
Temiscaming, Québec 1976
Editor
Waiting for Fidel 1975
as Self, Editor, Producer, Director
- Bate's Car: Sweet as a Nut
Bate's Car: Sweet as a Nut 1974
Producer
Cold Pizza 1972
Producer
- Persistent and Finagling
Persistent and Finagling 1971
Director, Writer, Editor
Wet Earth and Warm People 1971
Writer, Editor, Director
Sad Song of Yellow Skin 1970
as Narrator, Editor, Director
- Sir! Sir!
Sir! Sir! 1968
Director
Adventures 1968
Director, Editor, Writer
- That Mouse
That Mouse 1967
Director, Screenplay
- The Bear and the Mouse
The Bear and the Mouse 1966
Writer, Editor
Credits from TMDB.