Craig Pearce.
One of Australia’s most successful screenwriters, Craig Pearce, has been presented the Australian Writers' Guild's 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Over the course of his 30 year career, Pearce has worked extensively with director Baz Luhrmann. Together they pair have co-written some of Australia’s most iconic films, such as Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge.
Pearce said it was a great honour to win such a prestigious award.
"I'm humbled and it is a huge honour particularly to be getting this award from fellow writers," he said.
Pearce will be officially presented the Lifetime Achievement Award tonight at the AWGIE Awards in Sydney.
It will sit alongside Pearce's many other accolades, including an AFI award for best screenplay (Strictly Ballroom), a BAFTA award for best adapted screenplay (Romeo + Juliet), a WGA nomination for best original screenplay (Moulin Rouge) and eight Academy Award nominations, including best film (Moulin Rouge).
Most recently, Pearce collaborated with Luhrmann on The Great Gatsby, and Universal Studios released Pearce's adaptation of Charlie St. Cloud.
AWG president Jan Sardi said Pearce received the award in recognition of his integral role creating some of Australia's most critically and commercially successful movies.
"Now he is blazing his own trail internationally with the major miniseries Will, based on the life of William Shakespeare, which he has written and is now in production in Wales,'' Sardi said.
"Craig stands alone as one of Australia's most distinctive voices and successful screenwriters.”
Commencing in 2015, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognises writers who have made a significant contribution to the Australian screen industry. It celebrates the achievements of Australia's most revered and admired writers, those who have achieved critical and commercial success throughout their career and made significant contributions to national film culture.
The Award is decided by a unanimous vote of the 13-members of the Australian Writers' Guild National Executive Committee, all professional writers.