Australians in Film (AIF) hosted its annual AiF Awards and Benefit Gala at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Presenter Carrie Bickmore was the master of ceremonies at this year’s awards, which celebrated the achievements of Australians working in Hollywood and also recognised the contribution of individuals to the Australian film industry.
Award recipients included producer Bruna Papandrea (Oscar winning Milk, Wild, Gone Girl), who received the Virgin Australia Orry-Kelly International Award, Foxtel Breakthrough Award recipient Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, The Man from U.N.C.L.E , Everest, Macbeth), cinematographer Dion Beebe (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, Edge of Tomorrow) who received the Fox Studio Australia International Award and in absentia, Bill Mechanic (Oscar nominated Coraline, upcoming Hacksaw Ridge), Chairman and CEO of Pandemonium Films who was honoured with the Ausfilm International Award.
Award presenters were Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde, Walk The Line, Wild), producer Lionel Wigram (Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, The Man from U.N.C.L.E), director Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon) and in absentia actor and director Mel Gibson (Braveheart, Passion of The Christ, Lethal Weapon).
Attendees included Armie Hammer (The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Social Network) Hugh Laurie (Veep, House M.D), Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers, The Great Gatsby), Alex Russell (Chronicle, Unbroken), Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road), Jonathan LaPaglia (The Slap, Love Child), Damon Herriman (J. Edgar, The Water Diviner), Matt Passmore (Glades, Satisfaction), Brett Tucker (Mistresses, Thor: The Dark World), Felicity Price (Wish You Were Here), Gia Carides (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Grant Bowler (Defiance, Outrageous Fortune), Gus Murray (The Great Gatsby), Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals, The Vampire Diaries), Nash Edgerton (Matrix, The Great Gatsby), Trilby Glover (Righteous Kill), comedian Josh Thomas, Morgan O'Neill (Drift), Natasha Bassett (Mental), Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Finding Neverland),Peta Sergeant (Iron Sky), Sam Clark (Mental, Neighbours), Thomas Cocquerel (Kidnapping Mr. Heinken, upcoming Blue Dog), VFX artist Zareh Nalbandian (The Matrix), director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek), writer/director Ben Lewin (The Sessions), producer Judi Levine (The Sessions) and director John Polson (Elementary, The Mentalist).