This year’s AACTA Award winners in creative excellence were announced today in Sydney at the 2019 AACTA Awards Industry Luncheon presented by Foxtel, held at The Star Event Centre. Thirty-two Awards were presented, primarily honouring outstanding screen craft and technical achievement across industry sectors.
In television, Foxtel’s LAMBS OF GOD led the way, sweeping seven out of a potential nine Awards with Jeffery Walker taking home Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy for the provocative series, marking his second AACTA Award win. Additional Awards received by LAMBS OF GOD included Best Cinematography in Television, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Production Design in Television, Best Original Score in Television, Best Sound in Television and Best Costume Design in Television. LAMBS OF GOD is still vying for a potential five Awards at the upcoming Ceremony, including the AACTA Award for Best Telefeature or Mini Series.
The inaugural AACTA Awards for Best Sports Entertainment Program and Best Sports Coverage went to THE FRONT BAR from Seven Network and Foxtel’s TEST CRICKET – LIVE ON FOX, respectively. Other inaugural Awards included the AACTA Award for Best Online Entertainment which went to WENGIE who has accumulated over 1.5 billion views on her YouTube channel alone and the AACTA Award for Best Short Documentary which went to HOME FRONT – FACING AUSTRALIA’S CLIMATE EMERGENCY.
In film, the AACTA Award for Best Indie Film Presented by Event Cinemas went to BUOYANCY, the debut feature film from director Rodd Rathjen and Australia’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 2020 Oscars®.
David Michôd’s THE KING took home four Awards including previous Byron Kennedy recipient Adam Arkapaw taking home the AACTA Award for Best Cinematography, Primetime Emmy Award winner Jane Petrie receiving Best Costume Design, and BAFTA Award winners Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton receiving the Best Production Design. Four time AFI | AACTA Award winner Joel Edgerton – who is also nominated for Best Film Presented by Foxtel and Best Screenplay for THE KING at Wednesday night’s Awards Ceremony – received the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Twelve time AACTA nominated feature film, THE NIGHTINGALE saw Nikki Barrett receive the AACTA Award for Best Casting presented by Casting Networks and Magnolia Maymuru receive the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her debut performance.
Both THE KING and THE NIGHTINGALE will compete for the Best Film Presented by Foxtel at Wednesday night’s Awards Ceremony, alongside JUDY & PUNCH who took home the AACTA Award for Best Original Score at the luncheon today and HOTEL MUMBAI who received the AACTA Award for Best Editing.
Documentary category winners were well-rounded with 2040 receiving the AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary, 100 DAYS TO VICTROY for Best Sound in a Documentary, THE FINAL QUARTER for Best Editing in a Documentary and MAGICAL LAND OF OZ for Best Cinematography in a Documentary.
The final two Awards presented today included Luma Pictures’ SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME which received the AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation and International Emmy® nominee BLUEY which took home the AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program.
Additional Awards presented included DANGER CLOSE: THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN which received the AACTA Award for Best Sound, DESTINATION FLAVOUR CHINA which received the AACTA Award for Best Direction in nonfiction Television, THE HUNTING which received the AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television and THE CRY Best Editing in Television. Short form content saw PINCHPOT receive the AACTA Award for Best Short Animation and THE EGG received the AACTA Award for Best Short Film. The AACTA Subscription Television Awards for Best Female Presenter and Best Male Presenter went to Yvonne Sampson and Andrew Winter respectively.
The luncheon was hosted by previous AACTA nominees and Australian comedians, Mel Buttle and Matt Okine, who were joined on stage by presenters including Damon Herriman, Jessica De Gouw, Darren McMullen, Danielle Cormack and Shaynna Blaze.
