Benjamin Gilmour

Benjamin Gilmour is a German-Australian author, poet, and filmmaker whose work focuses on conflict zones and humanitarian issues. Gilmour has established a career that integrates frontline experience as an ambulance paramedic with storytelling in literature and film. Beginning as the youngest paramedic in New South Wales and publishing his first poetry book at age 21, Gilmour has worked on ambulances internationally and directed feature films in challenging environments.

Gilmour's filmmaking career began with "Son of a Lion," a documentary filmed in Pakistan while living among the Pashtun tribes of the Northwest Frontier Province. His first feature film was selected for the Berlinale. He later directed "Paramedico," a documentary released alongside his book of the same name, which was nominated for the Foxtel Best Documentary Award at the Sydney Film Festival. For "Paramedico," Gilmour worked on ambulances in 11 countries, exploring cultural differences in emergency medical services and gaining insight into resilience and humanity.

Gilmour's film "Jirga" became Australia's official entry to the 91st Academy Awards and was filmed entirely in Afghanistan. The film addresses themes of conflict, PTSD, guilt, moral injury, and restorative justice, telling the story of a former soldier returning to Afghanistan to seek forgiveness from a civilian's family. Gilmour filmed in Taliban-controlled regions, working with non-actors, including former Taliban members. "Jirga" received the AACTA Award for Best Indie Film at the 8th AACTA Awards and the CinefestOZ Film Prize. Gilmour also received the NSW Premier's Literary Award (Betty Roland Prize) for Screenwriting for the film.

As an author, Gilmour has written several books, including "Paramedico," "Warrior Poets," and "The Gap." "Warrior Poets: Guns, Movie-making and the Wild West of Pakistan" recounts the making of "Son of a Lion" and provides insight into the Pashtun people. "The Gap: A Paramedic's Summer on the Edge" is a memoir about the experiences of paramedics during a summer in Sydney. Gilmour is also the author of the illustrated children's book "The Travel Bug" and two poetry collections, "The Song of a Hundred Miles" and "Night Swim."

Gilmour holds a master's degree in public health and has worked globally in emergency care and disaster relief. He has retrained in psychedelic therapy and the treatment of veterans and first responders with PTSD. Gilmour has met with senior Taliban officials in Afghanistan for research and project development. He frequently speaks on topics such as guerrilla filmmaking, mental health, moral injury, and the human cost of war, drawing on extensive personal experience in crisis zones.