7th AACTA Award winners announced in Sydney
Stars of the big and small screen came together to celebrate Australia’s top screen achievements at
the 7th AACTA Awards Ceremony presented by Foxtel, held at The Star Event Centre in Sydney.
The cast and crew of Lion pose with an AACTA Award for Best Film Presented By Foxtel during the 7th AACTA Awards Presented by Foxtel
Continuing an impressive awards season, LION won all five of its nominated categories, including Best Film
presented by Foxtel, Best Direction for Garth Davis and Best Supporting Actor for BAFTA Award winner Dev
Patel, who received the AACTA International Award for his role earlier this year. It marks a clean sweep for
the Oscar®-nominated film, which won all twelve of the categories it was nominated for.
The film’s nine-year-old star, Sunny Pawar, received the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor, becoming the
youngest winner in the category. The title had previously been held for 41 years by THE DEVIL’S
PLAYGROUND star Simon Burke, who was 15 when he received the Award.
Oscar®, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Nicole Kidman continued her stellar year by winning both of
her nominated categories – Best Supporting Actress for LION, which she won the AACTA International Award
for earlier this year; and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for Jane Campion’s TOP
OF THE LAKE: CHINA GIRL.
Ten years after receiving her first AACTA Award, Emma Booth tonight took home the remaining feature film
Award for Best Lead Actress for her gripping turn as serial killer Evelyn White in HOUNDS OF LOVE.
Hugo Weaving received his first AACTA Award in a television category, winning Best Lead Actor in a
Television Drama for SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY. The Award marks Hugo’s third consecutive AACTA
Award, having received Best Supporting Actor at both the 5th and 6th AACTA Awards.
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Celia Pacquola
Also receiving her third consecutive AACTA Award was Celia Pacquola, whose performance in
ROSEHAVEN saw her take home the Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy.
TOP OF THE LAKE: CHINA GIRL swept the television categories this evening, receiving four Awards
including Best Television Drama Series. Joining their Award winning co-star Nicole Kidman, Emmy and
Golden Globe winner Elisabeth Moss and Ewen Leslie took home the AACTA Awards for Best Lead Actress
in a Television Drama and Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama, respectively.
Other television awards went to: SUNSHINE for Best Telefeature or Mini Series, AUSTRALIAN NINJA
WARRIOR for Best Light Entertainment Series, SELLING HOUSES AUSTRALIA for Best Lifestyle Television
Series, SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY for Best Screenplay in Television and MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA,
which won Best Reality Television Series for the third consecutive year.
Russell Crowe
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 06: Danielle Cormack and Emma Booth announce the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Danielle Cormack; Emma Booth
The inaugural AACTA Award for Best Asian Film presented by PR Asia was awarded to Indian sports drama
DANGAL, presented on stage by Best Asian Film Grand Jury President and Oscar® winner Russell Crowe
and Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths.
Rachel Griffiths and Gillian Armstrong
Sakshi Tanwar
Australia’s highest screen accolade, the Longford Lyell Award, was presented to Australian film director
Phillip Noyce by Sam Neill and Tianna Sainsbury, with touching tributes from Harrison Ford, Michael
Caine, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Armstrong, David Stratton, Liev Schrieber, Thora Birch and Chris Haywood
among others.
Simon Baker
Simon Baker accepted the AACTA Trailblazer Award, which recognises the achievements of an Australian
screen practitioner whose body of work has served as an inspiration to others. Among those who paid tribute
to the Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor were Bryan Brown, Ben Mendelsohn, Rachael Blake,
Marcus Graham and THE GUARDIAN co-stars Dabney Coleman and Alan Rosenberg.
Bryan Brown
Other highlights of the Ceremony included the presentation of the Byron Kennedy Award to filmmakers Martin
Butler and Bentley Dean, Guy Sebastian’s opening performance of Bloodstone, a medley of hits from
Aussie-rock legends The Angels and a touching In Memoriam tribute from Anthony Callea.
Guy Sebastian
Some of Australia’s top film and television stars took to the stage to present Awards, including Gillian
Armstrong, Shane Jacobson, Paul Hogan, Pamela Rabe, Danielle Cormack, Stephen Curry, Noni
Hazlehurst, Marta Dusseldorp, Tom Gleeson, Melina Vidler, Angourie Rice, Nicholas Hamilton and Best
Asian Film Grand Juror Anupam Kher.
Jack Thompson |
Guests and nominees attending included: Margaret Pomeranz, Radha Mitchell, Best Asian Film Grand
Jurors Shabana Azmi and Ye Liu, David Berry, Jessica McNamee, Samara Weaving, Debra Lawrance,
Jack Thompson, Jacqueline McKenzie, Lincoln Lewis, Shaynna Blaze, Abby Earl and Adam Liaw.
Congratulating this year’s Award recipients, AFI | AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said, “In a year that saw
our industry deliver some of the strongest and most diverse stories we’ve ever seen, we are delighted to see
such a varied slate of productions, people and performances recognised.
Shane Jacobson and Paul Hogan
“Tonight’s recipients serve as an inspiration to the industry and audiences alike. In particular, I’d like to
congratulate our inaugural Best Asian Film Award winner, Dangal, and our individual Award recipients: Phillip
Noyce, Simon Baker, Martin Butler and Bentley Dean.”
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Natalie Bassingthwaighte
NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the AACTA Awards are supported by the NSW Government via
its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. “Film and television are part of our national culture
and identity, and the AACTAs take this to the world by promoting our best screen productions and creative
talent. The depth of our screen talent is extraordinary, as this year’s winners have shown, with our creative
individuals rightly taking their place alongside the very best in the world.”
(Photo by Cole Bennetts/Getty Images for AFI)
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images for AFI) Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images for AFI
