It seems AACTA voters couldn’t help falling in love with the craft behind Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, with the film picking up seven out of a possible 10 gongs at the Industry Awards this afternoon.
The film’s cinematographer Mandy Walker made history as the first woman to have ever won Best Cinematography at either the AACTAs or the AFIs – receiving a standing ovation from the room.
The film also took home both Best Production Design and Costume Design for the work of Catherine Martin, who will be celebrated on Wednesday’s ceremony with the Longford Lyell Award. CM shares the production design award with Karen Murphy and Beverley Dunn.
Also honoured in the film’s sweep were Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond for editing, ans David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller for sound. Elvis also won the visual effects (Tom Wood, Fiona Crawford, Julian Hutchens, Joshua Simmonds, Adam Hammond) and hair and make up awards (Shane Thomas, Louise Coulston, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird).
Elvis was upset in the Best Screenplay category, which went instead to M. Wright’s The Stranger. Both films are also up for Best Film and Best Direction on Wednesday.
Some 31 prizes were presented during the Industry Awards at Sydney’s Hordern today, the first held in person since 2019. Rove McManus hosted proceedings, with other presenters including Australian screen legends such as actor Jack Thompson and DOP Don McAlpine, as well as AACTA nominees such as M. Wright, Leah Purcell, Kane Senes and Hannah Barlow.
Sasha Hadden’s A Stitch In TIme beat out Genna Chanelle Hayes’ Akoni, Scott Major’s Darklands, Craig Boreham’s Lonesome, Martin Wilson’s Pieces and Michael Joy’s Smoke Between Trees to win Best Indie Film, which honours independent and low budget filmmaking (under $2 million).
Other film honourees included Falling for Figaro, with composer Cezary Skubiszewski winning Best Original Score.
In television drama, Mystery Road: Origin was the big winner, with Dylan River honoured for direction, Tyson Perkins for cinematography, Nicholas Holmes for editing, and Luke Mynott, Wes Chew, Trevor Hope and Dylan Barfield for sound.
Heartbreak High‘s Rita Carmody won for costume design, while The Tourist‘s Scott Bird took home the production design prize. Bryony Marks was awarded best score for Savage River.
The AACTA for Best Documentary or Factual Program went to Southern Pictures’ Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked, while Bluey won Best Children’s Program for the fourth consecutive year.
Best Casting went to Kirsty McGregor for The Twelve, beating out Elvis, Heartbreak High, The Stranger and Love Me.
Jen Peedom’s cinematic and musical odyssey River won the AACTA Award for Best Documentary, also picking up Best Original Score for the work of Richard Tognetti, William Barton and Piers Burbrook de Vere.
Facing Monsters took home two prizes, cinematography for surf DOP Rick Rifici and sound for Jeremy Ashton, Ric Curtin and Xoe Baird. Shannon Swan won the editing award for We Were Once Kids.
Tanith Glynn-Maloney’s debut directorial outing, Finding Jedda, won the prize for Best Short Film. The Best Digital Series or Channel award went to SBS and Screen Australia Digital Original A Beginner’s Guide to Grief.
The AACTA Awards continue on Wednesday at the Hordern. The ceremony will be broadcast on 10 at 7.30pm and encored on Fox Docos, Saturday, December 10 at 7:30pm. The broadcast will also be available to stream on-demand via Foxtel, Binge, and AACTA TV.
The full list of winners:
TELEVISION
• AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program: Bluey – Charlie Aspinwall, Sam Moor, Daley Pearson – Ludo Studio (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Tyson Perkins
• AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television: Heartbreak High (Episode 1) – Rita Carmody
• AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Dylan River
• AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television: You Can’t Ask That (Episode 1) – Kirk Docker
• AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program: Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked – Laurie Critchley, Bethan Arwel-Lewis – Southern Pictures (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Nicholas Holmes
• AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program: Gardening Australia – Gill Lomas – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television: Savage River (Episode 1) – Bryony Marks
• AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television: The Tourist (Episode 1) – Scott Bird
• AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Luke Mynott, Wes Chew, Trevor Hope, Dylan Barfield
• AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special: Ronny Chieng: Speakeasy – Ronny Chieng – All Things Comedy and Netflix (Netflix)
FILM
• AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film: Elvis – Mandy Walker
• AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film: Elvis – Catherine Martin
• AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film presented by Spectrum Films: Elvis – Matt Villa, Jonathan Redmond
• AACTA Award for Best Indie Film: A Stitch In Time – Sasha Hadden (Dir.) – Hadden Motion Pictures
• AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film: Falling For Figaro – Cezary Skubiszewski
• AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film: Elvis – Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Beverley Dunn
• AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film: The Stranger – Thomas M. Wright
• AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film: Elvis – David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, Michael Keller
SHORT FILM
• AACTA Award for Best Short Film: Finding Jedda – Tanith Glynn-Maloney – Since1788 Productions, Unless Pictures, Orange Entertainment Co
DOCUMENTARY
• AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary: Facing Monsters – Rick Rifici
• AACTA Award for Best Documentary: River – Jennifer Peedom (Dir.), Joseph Nizeti, Jo-anne McGowan, John Smithson – Stranger Than Fiction Films
• AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary: We Were Once Kids – Shannon Swan
• AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary: River – Richard Tognetti, William Barton, Piers Burbrook de Vere
• AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary: Facing Monsters – Jeremy Ashton, Ric Curtin, Xoe Baird
DIGITAL
• AACTA Award for Best Digital Series or Channel: A Beginner’s Guide to Grief – Anna Lindner, Renee Mao, Linda Ujuk, Kate Butler, Julie Byrne
• AACTA Award for Best Digital Short Video: Daddy Long Legs – Dr. Karl
OTHER
• AACTA Award for Best Casting Presented by Casting Networks: The Twelve – Kirsty McGregor
• AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup presented by HASK: Elvis – Shane Thomas, Louise Coulston, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird
• AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation: Elvis – Tom Wood, Fiona Crawford, Julian Hutchens, Joshua Simmonds, Adam Hammond – Warner Bros.
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