Award-winning Australian film and television producer Bruna Papandrea will headline the seventh annual AO Inspirational Series event on Thursday 27 January.
As founder and CEO of development and production company Made Up Stories, Papandrea is the woman behind many critically acclaimed and award-winning productions, including 2021’s Nine Perfect Strangers, Hulu’s most-watched original series of all time, and 2020’s most-watched series The Undoing (HBO) starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.
Papandrea produced the box office smash hit GONE GIRL, the Oscar-nominated WILD, and was executive producer on HBO’s Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series BIG LITTLE LIES, based on Liane Moriarty’s novel. Made Up Stories, founded in January 2017, tells unforgettable stories about the diversity of human experience, driven primarily by multifaceted women, both on and off the screen.
Also speaking at AO Inspirational Series 2022 is Alison Battisson who led the efforts to facilitate the rescue of the Afghanistan female soccer team from Kabul in 2021 when the Taliban took over. Battisson will be joined by several members of the team, now settled in Australia, to share their moving stories.
A highlight of the annual Australian Open calendar, the AO Inspirational Series was launched in 2016 and has showcased distinguished international guest speakers including tennis pioneer Billie Jean King, former AO champions Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki, publishing and fashion icon Anna Wintour, Hollywood star and equality advocate Rebel Wilson and former Australian Prime Minister and current Beyond Blue Chair Julia Gillard.
“Since its inception the AO Inspirational Series has established a reputation for celebrating women’s achievements in all facets of life, and for shining a light on gender equality issues,” Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said.
“I’m delighted to welcome both Bruna and Alison to this special event and look forward to learning from their experiences as leaders in their fields.”
The AO Inspirational Series will set the stage for an historic night of tennis with both women’s semifinals played in the prime-time night session at Melbourne Park for the first time.