TV dramas 'Fires', 'New Gold Mountain' and 'The Newsreader' each took home two prizes at yesterday evening's virtual AACTA Industry Awards, as did films 'Nitram', 'The Dry', 'Mortal Kombat' and 'High Ground'.
AACTA has revealed those in contention for the major film, television and short-form prizes at this year's awards, with 'High Ground' leading the charge in the film categories and 'The Newsreader' ahead in television.
Some of Australian drama's recent triumphs were used to examine the relationship between development processes and international success at Series Mania Melbourne on Thursday.
Six-part anthology series 'Fires', about the experiences of everyday people at the frontline of the 2019-2020 bushfires, will premiere on Sunday, September 26, 8.40pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
The ABC and Tony Ayres Productions' (TAP) anthology drama 'Fires' is underway in Victoria, with a stellar cast that boasts Eliza Scanlen, Sam Worthington, Richard Roxburgh, Sullivan Stapleton, Miranda Otto, Hunter Page-Lochard, Anna Torv, Kate Box, Helana Sawires, Daniel Henshall, and Noni Hazlehurst.
Following on from their collaboration on 'Stateless' and the upcoming ABC drama 'Fires', Liz Watts has signed an overall television deal with Matchbox Pictures.
Two feature films, three television dramas, one children’s series, and one online project will share in $5.9 million of production funding from Screen Australia.
So hefty is the ABC's slate in 2021, director entertainment and specialist Michael Carrington is positive audiences won't even realise that many of the broadcaster's shows faced shutdowns and delays during the pandemic.