Rivka Hartman began her career as an actor and playwright at La Mama, in Melbourne in the 1970s. She was part of the inaugural year of the Screenwriting Course at the Australian Film Television and Radio School after which she worked as a film and television writer, and film director.
Her plays include ‘Dream Girl’, ‘The Psychiatrist’, ‘The Trapped Projectionist’ and ‘Daughters’. And most recently, ‘After Paradise’, 'Wanting', My Mother and Other Catastrophes' and 'Let's Talk about You'. Her radio play ‘Mother Knows Best’ was broadcast on ABC radio and performed at the Sydney Carnivale.
Her film credits include ‘Consolation Prize’ (finalist, Greater Union Awards), ‘A Most Attractive Man’ (AFI Award Best Short Fiction), ‘Bachelor Girl’ (telemovie broadcast on ABC) and ‘The Miniskirted Dynamo’ (Gold AWGIE winner) and most recently, co-writer and co-producer on 'The Ballad of Betty & Joe'.