The winners of the first ever Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) International Awards have been announced, acknowledging international talent over five categories.
The stylishly black-and-white French comedy-drama, The Artist, picked up three awards on the night: Best Actor to Jean Dujardin's portrayal of a silent-film star whose career is on the decline as the ‘talkies’ are introduced to Hollywood; Best Film to producer Thomas Langmann; and the award for Best Direction was given to French director Michel Hazanavicius.
Meryl Streep was present at the ceremony to receive the Best Actress award for her portrayal of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, in The Iron Lady.
The award for Best Screenplay was presented to joint winners following a tied vote from the jury – the adapted screenplay from The Ides of March by George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon; and writer-director J.C. Chandor’s debut screenplay from Margin Call.
Guests at the awards ceremony, held in Los Angeles, included Harvey Weinstein, Kathy Bates, Frances O’Connor, and Keith Urban. A number of celebrated Australians presented awards at the ceremony, including Nicole Kidman, Liam Hemsworth, and newly-crowned Australian of the Year (and AACTA president) Geoffrey Rush.
In a statement, Rush said: “The Australian Academy’s newly launched International Awards are dedicated to identifying and awarding the pinnacle of screen excellence and success regardless of geography… As our industry becomes a truly global entity, with screen performers and practitioners crossing borders to bring us the best of the big and small screens, it is fitting that the new Australian Academy recognises the industry’s best, both at home and abroad.”
Clips from the AACTA International Awards Ceremony will be shown at the inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards Ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on January 31, which will also be broadcast on the Nine Network at 9:30pm AEST.
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS NOMINEES AND WINNERS
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY
* The Ides Of March. George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon – JOINT WINNER
* Margin Call. J.C. Chandor – JOINT WINNER* The Artist. Michel Hazanavicius
* The Descendants. Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
* Melancholia. Lars von Trier
* Midnight In Paris. Woody Allen
* Moneyball. Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin
* We Need To Talk About Kevin. Lynne Ramsay, Rory Kinnear
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION
* The Artist. Michel Hazanavicius – WINNER
* Drive. Nicolas Winding Refn
* Hugo. Martin Scorsese
* Margin Call. J.C. Chandor
* Melancholia. Lars von Trier
* Midnight In Paris. Woody Allen
* The Tree Of Life. Terrence Malick
* We Need To Talk About Kevin. Lynne Ramsay
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR
* Jean Dujardin. The Artist – WINNER
* George Clooney. The Descendants
* Leonardo DiCaprio. J. Edgar
* Michael Fassbender. Shame
* Ryan Gosling. The Ides Of March
* Brad Pitt. Moneyball
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
* Meryl Streep. The Iron Lady – WINNER
* Glenn Close. Albert Nobbs
* Kirsten Dunst. Melancholia
* Tilda Swinton. We Need To Talk About Kevin
* Mia Wasikowska. Jane Eyre
* Michelle Williams. My Week With Marilyn
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST FILM
* The Artist – WINNER
* The Descendants
* Hugo
* The Ides Of March
* Margin Call
* Melancholia
* Midnight In Paris
* Moneyball
* The Tree Of Life
* We Need To Talk About Kevin