Josh Farmelo has been presented with the 2015 NFSA-ACS John Leake Award for Emerging Cinematographer.
The announcement was made at the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) national awards held on Saturday in Hobart.
A partnership between the ACS and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, the award carries a cash prize of $3,000.
Farmelo said, "The recognition really means a lot – it is very encouraging and validating for a young cinematographer to be acknowledged with such an award, and it reaffirms I’m on the right track. It is really an honour to be chosen by the ACS and NFSA to receive the award and I look forward to the opportunities it will present.”
Last year he won the Gold Award in the ACS Student Cinematography category for his work on the short film Twenty Forty Three. His other works include Cigarettes Burn Faster in the Sun and Small Hands.
ACS national president Ron Johanson said: "The collaboration between the ACS and the NFSA is a testament to the award itself and the possibilities for those emerging cinematographers, like Josh Farmelo, to progress their careers."
Farmelo plans to use the prize money to attend the American Society of Cinematographers masterclass in Los Angeles. "I’d be learning from the best," he said. "The ASC masterclass is taught by some of the most pre-eminent and inspiring cinematographers in the industry, and to be able to tap into their wealth of knowledge and experience would be absolutely invaluable."’
The award honours ACS co- founder John Leake (1927-2009), who began his career as a 15-year-old with Movietone News in 1944 before moving on to Supreme Sound Studios. He served as NSW president and federal president of the ACS and was its oficial historian until his passing.
The previous recipients are:
2014 Thom Neal
2013 Dale Alexander Bremner
2012 Jimmy Ennett
2011 Edward Goldner
2010 Kirsty Stark