The Great Gatsby has been nominated in 14 categories and The Rocket is in contention for 12 at the third annual Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Arts Awards.
In TV, Top of the Lake top scored with 10 nominations ahead of eight apiece for Mrs Biggs, Power Games: The Packer- Murdoch Story and Redfern Now series 2.
Gatsby and The Rocket are vying for best film with Dead Europe, Mystery Road, Satellite Boy and Tim Winton’s The Turning.
A total of 50 productions has been nominated across 39 awards categories. The NSW Government announced today it would renew its partnership agreement for a further three years, from 2015-2017.
AACTA has signed a three-year deal with Foxtel which entails pay-TV rights and further collaborations. AACTA/AFI CEO Damian Trewhella tells IF that in future years this may take the form of deeper coverage on Foxtel before or after the awards, spotlighting creative talent.
The Gatsby remake is in the running for Baz Luhrmann’s direction, Simon Duggan’s cinematography, editing, sound, adapted screenplay, original score, costume design, production design, lead actor Leo DiCaprio, lead actress Carey Mulligan, supporting actor Joel Edgerton and supporting actresses Elizabeth Debicki and Isla Fisher.
The Rocket is up for Kim Mordaunt’s direction and screenplay, DoP Andrew Commis, editing, sound, original score, production design, costume design, lead actor Sittiphon Disamoe, supporting actor Thep Phongam and actress Alice Keohavong.
Mystery Road is also nominated for Ivan Sen's direction, original screenplay and editing, sound and lead actress Tasma Walton.
Given the multiple creatives involved in The Turning, the AACTA solved the problem by nominating as ensembles the directors, writers and editors, and there were mentions for Hugo Weaving as lead actor, Rose Byrne as lead actress and Mirrah Foulkes as supporting actress.
Top of the Lake, Mrs Biggs and Power Games are competing with An Accidental Soldier for best telefeature or miniseries. Redfern Now is up for best TV drama series against Offspring season 4, Serangoon Road and Wentworth.
Nominated for best children’s series are Dance Academy series 3, Nowhere Boys, Peleda and You’re Skitting Me series 2.
The Agony of Life, Gruen Nation series 2, Please Like Me, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell and Upper Middle Bogan are in the running for best TV comedy or light entertainment series.
Australia’s Got Talent series 7, MasterChef: The Professionals and series 4 of My Kitchen Rules The X Factor are vying for best reality TV series.
Up for best feature length documentary are I Am a Girl, Once My Mother, Red Obsession and Shadow of Doubt.
In contention for best TV documentary program are Desert War, First Footprints, Jabbed: Love, Fear and Vaccines, and Redesign My Brain.
The nominees for best animated short are A Cautionary Tale, Butterflies, The Dukes of Broxstonia-Mojo and Woody.
Competing for best short fiction film are The Last Time I Saw Richard, Perception, Record and Tau Seru (Small Yellow Field).
The awards will be presented at the AACTA Awards lunch on January 28 and at the awards ceremony on January 30 at the Star Event Centre in Sydney, hosted by Patrick Brammall and telecast on Network Ten. The Star will be the venue for the next four years.
For the full list of nominees go to: http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/3rd-aacta-awards-nominees.aspx