Talented Australian actresses Deborra-lee Furness (Jindabyne), Sibylla Budd (The Bet) and Marny Kennedy, (recipient of the 2006 L’Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award) joined James Hewison, CEO of the Australian Film Institute, at the Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay to announce this year’s nominations for the L’Oréal Paris 2007 AFI Awards, Australia’s most prestigious awards.
The highly anticipated announcement of nominees for the L’Oreal Paris AFI Award for Best Film revealed The Home Song Stories, Lucky Miles, Noise and Romulus, My Father as the contenders to take out the coveted award this year.
The Home Song Stories revolves around the life of Rose, a glamorous nightclub singer. Set in 1990s Western Australia, Lucky Miles follows the plight of Iraqi and Cambodian refugees abandoned by an Indonesian fishing boat. Noise is the tale of a young cop beset with doubt and afflicted with tinnitus and Romulus, My Father is the film adaptation of Raimond Gaita’s critically acclaimed memoir.
These nominees will join Academy Award winner and host Geoffrey Rush and a cavalcade of Australian screen stars and industry heavyweights at the L’Oréal Paris 2007 AFI Awards, which will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre over two glittering nights on 5 & 6 December. The L’Oréal Paris 2007 AFI Awards will be broadcast nationally on the Nine Network at 9.30pm on Thursday 6 December and for the third consecutive year will be produced by Dainty Consolidated Entertainment (DCE).
Hewison congratulated this year’s nominees saying; ‘There’s no doubt that the yields this year across film and television production are proof of considerable diversity of subject and concerns. The palette features a range of styles, plus fundamentally a series of snapshots of contemporary Australia in all its colours.’
In the television categories, critically-acclaimed ABC series Bastard Boys, the story of the 1998 battle for Australia’s waterfront, received a stunning six nominations across television categories including Best Telefeature or Mini-Series, Best Direction in Television, Best Screenplay in Television, Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama (Daniel Frederiksen), Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama (Justin Smith) and Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama (Jack Thompson).
The love affair with Love My Way continues with the hit series receiving five nominations. The Circuit, the SBS series starring Gary Sweet also received five nominations. The King (TV1), Call Me Mum (SBS), All Saints (Seven Network), Dangerous (Fox 8) and Stepfather of the Bride (ABC) all received nominations in the television drama categories.
In the television comedy category, SBS series Wilfred received four nominations, while Supernova (UKTV) and David Tench Tonight (Network Ten) each received two nominations and the ABC’s The Chaser’s War on Everything received one nomination.
The children’s drama series Lockie Leonard (Nine Network) was a standout in the children’s television category, receiving four nominations.
The New Inventors (ABC), RocKwiz (SBS), The Sideshow with Paul McDermott (ABC) and Spicks and Specks (ABC) were all nominated for the AFI Award for Best Light Entertainment Television Series.
Eight documentaries received various nominations with Words From The City, Forbidden Lie$, Global Haywire and 4 all vying for top honours in the Best Documentary category.
Nominees for the AFI International Award for Best Actor are: Eric Bana for his role as Huck Seed, a professional poker player in Lucky You, Julian McMahon who stars as plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy in the hit Nine Network series Nip/Tuck, Hugh Jackman for his portrayal of magician and charismatic showman Robert Angier in The Prestige and the star of the Seven Network’s Prison Break, Dominic Purcell, who plays inmate Lincoln Burrows in the series.
AFI International Award for Best Actress nominees are: Rachel Griffiths, who stars as the eldest sister Sarah Walker in the Seven Network drama series Brothers & Sisters, Rose Byrne who plays an ambitious lawyer in the Nine Network’s new series Damages, Jacinda Barrett for her role in the feature film The Last Kiss and Toni Collette for her portrayal of Sheryl, matriarch of the fractured Hoover family in the film Little Miss Sunshine.
Aspiring young actors, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Irene Chen, Corey McKernan and Joel Lok were all nominated for the L’Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award. These talented newcomers delivered outstanding performances in their respective roles. Irene was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Kodi for Best Lead Actor, making each of them dual AFI Award nominees.
The AFI also announced Melbourne based actor and writer Nick Barkla (Em4Jay) as the recipient of the Australian Film Institute Fellowship. The AFI Fellowship, which was launched in May this year, aims to enrich the cultural environment of the Australian filmmaking community by supporting an Australian film practitioner striving for excellence.
Details of The Global Achievement Award were also outlined by Hewison, who said, ‘This year the Australian Film Institute will recognise the achievement of a particular Australian; an achievement that has reached truly global proportions.’ This Award will be presented at the AFI’s discretion, to acknowledge achievement on a global scale by an Australian or Australians working within the film and television industries internationally.
Tickets to the L’Oréal Paris 2007 AFI Awards, including the Industry Awards, Members’ Lounge and Awards Dinner will go on sale exclusively to AFI members and nominees on 2 November. The general public will be able to purchase tickets from 19 November (subject to availability) by calling Undertow Media on 03 9429 6339.
* L’Oréal Paris 2007 AFI Awards Nominees
AFI International Award for Best Actor
Eric Bana – Lucky You
Julian McMahon – Nip/Tuck (Nine Network)
Hugh Jackman – The Prestige
Dominic Purcell – Prison Break (Seven Network)
AFI International Award for Best Actress
Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters (Seven Network)
Rose Byrne – Damages (Nine Network)
Jacinda Barrett – The Last Kiss
Toni Collette – Little Miss Sunshine
L’Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award
Irene Chen – The Home Song Stories
Joel Lok – The Home Song Stories
Corey McKernan – Lockie Leonard (Nine Network)
Kodi Smit-McPhee – Romulus, My Father
AFI Visual Effects Award
Air Australia: Canvas & Sticks – David Rutherford, Reigy Skwarko, Paul Siciliano & Delon Govender
Crocodile Dreaming – Kirsty Millar & Chad Malbon
Rogue – Andrew Hellen, Dave Morley & Jason Bath
Spider – Mike Seymour
TELEVISION NOMINEES
AFI Award for Best Children’s Television Drama
The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill – Jacqueline Chan & Noel Price (ABC)
I Got a Rocket – Suzanne Ryan (Network Ten)
Lockie Leonard – Kylie du Fresne (Nine Network)
The Sleepover Club – Susie Campbell (Nine Network)
AFI Award for Best Television Comedy Series
The Chaser’s War on Everything – Andy Nehl, Julian Morrow & Jo Wathen (ABC)
David Tench Tonight – Todd Abbott (Network Ten)
Supernova – David Maher & David Taylor (UKTV)
Wilfred – Jenny Livingston (SBS)
AFI Award for Best Television Drama Series
All Saints – Bill Hughes & MaryAnne Carroll(SevenNetwork)
Dangerous – John Edwards & Imogen Banks (Fox 8)
Love My Way – John Edwards & Claudia Karvan (Showtime)
AFI Award for Best Light Entertainment Television Series
The New Inventors – Anita Jorgensen & Jo Wathen (ABC)
RocKwiz – Brian Nankervis, Ken Connor, Peter Bain-Hogg & Joe Connor (SBS)
The Sideshow with Paul McDermott – Ted Robinson, Pam Swain & Megan Harding (ABC)
Spicks and Specks – Anthony Watt & Bruce Kane (ABC)
AFI Award for Best Telefeature or Mini Series
Bastard Boys – Brett Popplewell & Ray Quint (ABC)
The Circuit – Ross Hutchens & Colin South (SBS)
The King – Jason Stephens (TV1)
AFI Award for Best Direction in Television
Bastard Boys – Ray Quint (ABC)
The Circuit: Home Is Where the Past Is – Richard Frankland (SBS)
The King – Matthew Saville (TV1)
Lockie Leonard: Cyril – Tony Tilse (Nine Network)
Wilfred of War – Tony Rogers (SBS)
AFI Award for Best Screenplay in Television
Bastard Boys – Sue Smith (ABC)
The Circuit: Home Is Where the Past Is – Kelly Lefever (SBS)
Lockie Leonard: The Ladder of Love – Keith Thompson (Nine Network)
Love My Way: Cars Without Brakes – Tony McNamara (Showtime)
AFI Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama
Daniel Frederiksen – Bastard Boys (ABC)
Khan Chittenden – Dangerous (Fox 8)
Stephen Curry – The King (TV1)
Ben Mendelsohn – Love My Way (Showtime)
AFI Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
Catherine McClements – Call Me Mum (SBS)
Tammy Clarkson – The Circuit (SBS)
Claudia Karvan – Love My Way (Showtime)
Noni Hazlehurst – Stepfather of the Bride (ABC)
AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama
Mark Priestley – All Saints (Seven Network)
Justin Smith – Bastard Boys (ABC)
Jack Thompson – Bastard Boys (ABC)
David Ngoombujarra – The Circuit (SBS)
AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama
Lynette Curran – Call Me Mum (SBS)
Vicki Saylor – Call Me Mum (SBS)
Monica Maughan – The King (TV1)
Justine Clarke – Love My Way (Showtime)
AFI Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy
Drew Forsythe – David Tench Tonight (Network Ten)
Peter Kowitz – Supernova (UKTV)
Jason Gann – Wilfred (SBS)
Adam Zwar – Wilfred (SBS)
NON-FEATURE NOMINEES
AFI Award for Best Documentary
4 – Joanna Buggy, Tim Slade
Forbidden Lie$ – Sally Regan & Anna Broinowski
Global Haywire – Claude Gonzalez
Words from the City – Philippa Campey
AFI Award for Best Direction in a Documentary
Crude – Richard Smith
Forbidden Lie$ – Anna Broinowski
Global Haywire – Bruce Petty
Words from the City – Rhys Graham & Natasha Gadd
AFI Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary
4 – Pieter de Vries ACS
Cuttlefish – The Brainy Bunch – Malcom Ludgate ACS, Joel Peterson & Scott Carrithers
Thunderheads – Klaus Toft, Cameron Davies & Mark Lamble ACS
Words from the City – Rhys Graham & Natasha Gadd
AFI Award for Best Editing in a Documentary
Cuttlefish– The Brainy Bunch – Carsten Orlt
Forbidden Lie$ - Vanessa Milton & Alison Croft
Global Haywire – Sam Petty
Words from the City – Paul Williams
AFI Award for Best Sound in a Documentary
Cuttlefish- The Brainy Bunch – Sam Hayward
Forbidden Lie$ – Peter Smith & Craig Carter
Global Haywire – Sam Petty
Words from the City – Peter Smith & Emma Bortignon
AFI Award for Best Short Animation
An Imaginary Life – Steve Baker
The Bat and the Butterfly (Dust Echoes 2) – Michael Wagner & Dave Jones
The Girl Who Swallowed Bees – Justine Kerrigan & Paul McDermott
The Goat That Ate Time – Lucinda Schreiber
AFI Award for Best Short Fiction Film
Boy’s Own Story – Michael Petroni & Jamie Hilton
Dugong – Melanie Brunt & Erin White
Spike Up – Anthony Maras & Kent Smith
Swing – Louise Pascale & Christopher Houghton
AFI Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film
Boy’s Own Story – Michael Petroni
Crossbow – David Michod
Dugong – Erin White
Katoomba – Leon Ford
FEATURE FILM NOMINEES
L’Oréal Paris AFI Award for Best Film
The Home Song Stories – Liz Watts & Michael McMahon
Lucky Miles – Jo Dyer & Lesley Dyer
Noise – Trevor Blainey
Romulus, My Father – Robert Connolly & John Maynard
AFI Award for Best Direction
Clubland – Cherie Nowlan
The Home Song Stories – Tony Ayres
Noise – Matthew Saville
Romulus, My Father – Richard Roxburgh
Macquarie Private Wealth AFI Award for Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)
Clubland – Keith Thompson
The Home Song Stories – Tony Ayres
Lucky Miles – Helen Barnes & Michael James Rowland
Noise – Matthew Saville
Romulus, My Father – Nick Drake
AFI Award for Best Cinematography
Clubland – Mark Wareham ACS
The Home Song Stories – Nigel Bluck
Noise – Laszlo Baranyai ACS
Romulus, My Father – Geoffrey Simpson ACS
AFI Award for Best Editing
Clubland – Scott Gray
The Home Song Stories – Denise Haratzis ASE
Noise – Geoff Hitchins
Romulus, My Father – Suresh Ayyar ASE
AFI Award for Best Sound
Clubland – Andrew Neil, Ian McLoughlin CAS, Liam Egan & Stephen Jackson-Vaughan
The Home Song Stories – Craig Carter, James Harvey, Andrew Neil & John Wilkinson
Noise – Emma Bortignon, Doron Kipen & Philippe Decrausaz
Romulus, My Father – Sam Petty, Gary Wilkins CAS & Phil Heywood
AFI Award for Best Original Music Score
The Home Song Stories – Antony Partos
Noise – Bryony Marks
Razzle Dazzle – Roger Mason & Green Dragon
Romulus, My Father – Basil Hogios
AFI Award for Best Production Design
Clubland – Nell Hanson
The Home Song Stories – Melinda Doring
Noise – Paddy Reardon
Romulus, My Father – Robert Cousins
AFI Award for Best Costume Design
Clubland – Emily Seresin
The Home Song Stories – Cappi Ireland
Razzle Dazzle – Ariane Weiss
Romulus, My Father – Jodie Fried
AFI Award for Best Lead Actor
Qi Yuwu – The Home Song Stories
Brendan Cowell – Noise
Eric Bana – Romulus, My Father
Kodi Smit-McPhee – Romulus, My Father
AFI Award for Best Lead Actress
Brenda Blethyn – Clubland
Joan Chen – The Home Song Stories
Kerry Armstrong – Razzle Dazzle
Franka Potente – Romulus, My Father
AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor
Frankie J. Holden – Clubland
Richard Wilson – Clubland
Marton Csokas – Romulus, My Father
Russell Dykstra – Romulus, My Father
AFI Award for Best Supporting Actress
Sibylla Budd – The Bet
Emma Booth – Clubland
Irene Chen – The Home Song Stories
Esme Melville – Romulus, My Father
[release from Mango Communications]