AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR 5TH AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD and CAROL lead the way, with two AACTA International Awards each

Some of the world’s biggest names in film joined their Australian peers in Hollywood tonight to honour big-screen excellence from the last year at the 5th AACTA International Awards.
Rachel Griffiths and Daniel MacPherson opened the show, which will broadcast exclusively in Australia on Foxtel tomorrow night. Abbie Cornish, Miranda Otto, Angus Sampson, Jonathan LaPaglia, Radha Mitchell, Luke Bracey, Anna Torv and Phillip Noyce were among those who presented at the star- studded event, held at the historic Avalon Hollywood.
George Miller’s dystopian Road War MAD MAX: FURY ROAD stepped up its Oscars campaign, taking home two AACTA International Awards – Best Film and Best Direction. Competition was strong, with THE
BIG SHORT and CAROL also competing in both categories, alongside last year’s Best Film and Best Direction recipient, Alejandro González Iñárritu (BIRDMAN), who was this year nominated for THE REVENANT.
These wins follow an outstanding run for MAD MAX: FURY ROAD at AACTA’s domestic Awards in Sydney last month, where the film received a total of eight Awards, including Best Film and Best Direction.
Set in sumptuous 1950s New York, CAROL also received two AACTA International Awards tonight, with Rooney Mara awarded for Best Supporting Actress, and Cate Blanchett awarded for Best Lead Actress; performances which see both nominated for tomorrow night’s SAG Awards, and next month’s BAFTAs and Oscars. This marks Blanchett’s seventh AFI or AACTA Award over the past 19 years, including an AACTA International Award for her performance in BLUE JASMINE.
BRIDGE OF SPIES, THE REVENANT and SPOTLIGHT received one award each tonight, seeing a total of five films awarded across seven categories – Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Competition in the Best Lead Actor category was fierce, with Leonardo DiCaprio (THE REVENANT) taking home the award over Matt Damon (THE MARTIAN), past AACTA International Award nominees Steve Carell (THE BIG SHORT) and Eddie Redmayne (THE DANISH GIRL), and past winner Michael Fassbender (STEVE JOBS).
The win marks Leonardo DiCaprio’s second award from the Australian Academy, following a Best Lead Actor Award for The GREAT GATSBY in 2014, and adds to an outstanding awards season for the powerhouse performer, including a Golden Globe Award, as well as Oscar, BAFTA and SAG Award nominations.
The AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor went to Mark Rylance for his portrayal of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War thriller BRIDGE OF SPIES; a performance which also sees Rylance nominated for an Oscar, BAFTA and SAG Award.
SPOTLIGHT, the true story of The Boston Globe’s role in uncovering the massive scandal of child abuse and cover up by the Catholic Church, won the AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay, following strong competition from CAROL, EX MACHINA, THE MARTIAN and STEVE JOBS.
AFI | AACTA CEO, Damian Trewhella, said:
5th AACTA International Awards Nominees and Winners
Winners are highlighted below.
AACTA International Award for Best Film
THE BIG SHORT
CAROL
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
THE REVENANT
SPOTLIGHT
AACTA International Award for Best Direction
THE BIG SHORT – Adam McKay CAROL – Todd Haynes
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD – George Miller
THE MARTIAN – Ridley Scott
THE REVENANT – Alejandro González Iñárritu
AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay
CAROL – Phyllis Nagy
EX MACHINA – Alex Garland THE MARTIAN – Drew Goddard
SPOTLIGHT – Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
STEVE JOBS – Aaron Sorkin

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor
Steve Carell – THE BIG SHORT
Matt Damon – THE MARTIAN
Leonardo DiCaprio – THE REVENANT
Michael Fassbender – STEVE JOBS
Eddie Redmayne – THE DANISH GIRL
AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress
Cate Blanchett – CAROL
Emily Blunt – SICARIO
Brie Larson – ROOM
Saoirse Ronan – BROOKLYN
Charlize Theron – MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale – THE BIG SHORT Paul Dano –
LOVE AND MERCY Benicio del Toro – SICARIO
Joel Edgerton – BLACK MASS
Mark Rylance – BRIDGE OF SPIES
AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress
Judy Davis – THE DRESSMAKER
Jennifer Jason Leigh – THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Rooney Mara – CAROL
Alicia Vikander – THE DANISH GIRL
Kate Winslet – STEVE JOBS
