Claim: Alex Proyas's directorial debut was in the 1988 film Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds (a 1989 Australian independent post-apocalyptic sci-fi adventure film), which he directed, wrote and produced.
Evidence: 1988 Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds Yes Yes Yes Directorial debut 
Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds is a 1989 Australian independent post-apocalyptic sci-fi adventure film directed, produced and written by Alex Proyas, which was marking its first feature debut.