The AACTA Awards, essentially the Australian Oscars, are in their 5th year. But the "5th" business they're promoting is misleading. It's the fifth year under their new name, AACTA, but they've actually been giving out prizes since 1958 when they were called AFI Awards... not to be confused with the AFI events across the Pacific, America and Australia both starting with "A" and both having Film Institutes. But they're obviously promoting a reboot mentality since they consider the 2011 AACTAs the "inaugural" awards.
Leading the pack this year are Kate Winslet's fashionista revenge comedy The Dressmaker (still awaiting news on a US release) and the critically beloved Max Mad Fury Road with 12 and 11 nominations respectively. George Miller's action masterpiece could even win since AACTA doesn't have the genre bias Oscar does -- Australia's industry is to small to have such silly biases! -- giving Best Film to The Babadook last year. If Mad Max Fury Road could repeat this trick at the American Oscars -- 11 nominations (!) -- 95% of cinephiles would experience the rapture and never be heard from again.
The film nominees are after the jump...
BEST FILM
- The Dressmaker
- Holding the Man
- Last Cab to Darwin
- Mad Max Fury Road
- Paper Planes
BEST DIRECTOR
- Jocelyn Moorhouse, The Dressmaker
- Neil Armfield, Holding the Man
- Jeremy Sims, Last Cab to Darwin
- George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
We continue to worry for Miller's Oscar prospects. Will the directing branch rally around him or will they be too distracted by this generally strong year with lots of famous directors available to them?
BEST ACTOR
Sullivan Stapleton (Sully from "Animal Kingdom") stars in Cut Snake. It has US distribution but no release date yet
- Patrick Brammal, Ruben Guthrie
- Michael Caton, Last Cab To Darwin
- Ryan Corr, Holding the Man
- Sullivan Stapleton, Cut Snake
Remember Sullivan from 300: Rise of an Empire and, our favorite, Animal Kingdom? In the latter he was the son Jacki Weaver loved best. kiss. kiss. kiss.
BEST ACTRESS
- Robyn Butler, Now Add Honey
- Ningali Lawford-Wolf, Last Cab to Darwin
- Charlize Theron, Mad Max Fury Road
- Kate Winslet, The Dressmaker
Kate vs. Charlize. Whoa. We're not familiar with Butler but Ningali you've probably seen before. The aboriginal actress previous two Aussie features Bran Nue Dae and Rabbit Proof Fence both received international attention.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alex Dimitriades is second from left in "Ruben Guthrie" you may remember him from the erotically charged LGBT drama "Head On" when he was just 25
- Mark Coles Smith, Last Cab to Darwin
- Alex Dimitriades, Ruben Guthrie
- Anthony LaPlagia, Holding the Man
- Hugo Weaving, The Dressmaker
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Judy!
- Judy Davis, The Dressmaker
- Emma Hamilton, Last Cab to Darwin
- Deborah Mailman, Paper Planes
- Sarah Snook, The Dressmaker
Sarah Snook won lead actress at the AACTA's last year for Predestination, beating Essie Davis in The Babadook. Can she take a second consecutive acting prize?
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- Cut Snake
- Kill Me Three Times
- Mad Max Fury Road
- Paper Planes
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- Holding the Man
- Last Cab to Darwin
- Ruben Guthrie
Strange that The Dressmaker managed 12 nominations WITHOUT scoring here.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
ICYMI - Mad Max Fury Road "Best Shots"
- The Dressmaker, Donald McAlpine
- Last Cab to Darwin, Steve Arnold
- Mad Max: Fury Road, John Seale
- Oddball, Damian Wyvill
If there's one tech prize we NEED, like oxygen, for Mad Max to be nominated for come Oscar time, it's this one.
BEST EDITING
- Cut Snake - Andy Canny
- The Dressmaker - Jill Bilcock
- Holding the Man - Dany Cooper
- Mad Max: Fury Road - Margaret Sixel
BEST SOUND
- The Dressmaker
- Mad Max Fury Road
- Paper Planes
- Partisan
BEST SCORE
- The Dressmaker, David Hirschelder
- Mad Max Fury Road, Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL
- Paper Planes, Nigel Westlake
- Partisan, Daniel Lopatin
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
- Cut Snake, Jo Ford
- The Dressmaker, Roger Ford
- Mad Max Fury Road, Colin Gibson
- Partisan, Steven Jones-Evans, Sarah Cyngler
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
- Cut Snake, Cappi Ireland
- The Dressmaker, Marion Boyce & Margot Wilson
- Mad Max Fury Road, Jenny Beavan
- Partisan, Maria Pattison & Sarah Cyngler
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Mad Max Fury Road
- Pan
- Ted 2
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
- Gayby Baby
- Only the Dead
- Sherpa
- That Sugar Film
- Women He's Undressed
Sherpa and Only the Dead are the only nominees here that are also on AMPAS long list of 124 titles that will be vying for Oscar nominations this year. Alas there are only 5 nominations to pass out so it's tough competition.
TV and short film nominees available at the AACTA site