Australasian Cinema > awards > AACTAs 2018

AACTA Awards 2018: Feature Films

Winners

Voters are still having difficulty with the meanings of some words, such as 'actor', and 'best'.

sweet countryBest Film: Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin

Best Indie Film: Jirga (Benjamin Gilmour, 2018) prod. John Maynard

Best Direction: Warwick Thornton - Sweet Country, 2017

Best Lead Actor: Hamilton Morris - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017)

Best Lead Actress: Angourie Rice - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018)

Best Supporting Actor: Simon Baker - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018)

Best Supporting Actress: Nicole Kidman - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018)

Best Original Screenplay: Steven McGregor, David Tranter - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel Edgerton - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018)

Best Cinematography: Warwick Thornton - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017)

Best Editing: Nick Meyers - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017)

Best Sound: Robert Mackenzie - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018)

Best Music Score: Christopher Gordon - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018)

Best Production Design: Roger Ford, Lisa Thompson - Peter Rabbit (Will Gluck, 2018)

Best Costume Design: Wendy Cork - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018)

Longford Lyell Award: Bryan Brown

Byron Kennedy Award: Ian Darling AO

Nominations

Best Film

Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dp Marden Dean, Rick Rifici, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Cargo (Yolanda Ramke, Ben Howling, 2017) wr. Yolanda Ramke, prod. Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings, dp Geoffrey Simpson; Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius, Kris McQuade, Natasha Wanganeen, Bruce R. Carter, Simon Landers, David Gulpilil; zombies

Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. Steven McGregor, David Tranter, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Best Indie Film

Brothers' Nest (Clayton Jacobson, 2018) wr. Jaime Browne, Chris Pahlow, dp Peter Falk; Shane Jacobson, Clayton Jacobson, Kim Gyngell, Lynette Curran, Sarah Snook; black comedy; released 10May18

Jirga (Benjamin Gilmour, 2018) wr. Benjamin Gilmour, prod. John Maynard, dp Benjamin Gilmour; Sam Smith, Mohammad Mosam, Kefayat Lag Humani; war drama, Afghanistan; 78 min.; Australian entry for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar

Second, The (Mairi Cameron, 2018) wr. Stephen Lance, dp Mark Wareham; Rachael Blake, Susie Porter, Vince Colosimo, Martin Sacks, Susan Prior, Megan Dale, Bridget Webb; thriller; release 5Jul18

Strange Colours (Alena Lodkina, 2017) wr. Alena Lodkina, Isaac Wall, dp Michael Latham; Kate Cheel, Justin Courtin, Daniel P. Jones; shot Lightning Ridge

West of Sunshine (Jason Raftopoulos, 2017) wr. Jason Raftopoulos, dp Thom Neal; Damian Hill, Ty Perham, Arthur Angel, Kat Stewart, Tony Nikolakopoulos, Kaarin Fairfax, Faye Smythe; drama; released 23Aug18

Best Direction

Joel Edgerton - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Simon Baker - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Bruce Beresford - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Warwick Thornton - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. Steven McGregor, David Tranter, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Best Lead Actor

Ryan Corr - 1% (Stephen MacCallum, 2017) wr. Matt Nable; Ryan Corr, Matt Nable, Abbey Lee, Josh McConville, Simone Kessell, Aaron Pedersen; bikies; WA; released 11Oct18

Lucas Hedges - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Damian Hill - West of Sunshine (Jason Raftopoulos, 2017) wr. Jason Raftopoulos; Damian Hill, Ty Perham, Arthur Angel, Kat Stewart, Tony Nikolakopoulos, Kaarin Fairfax, Faye Smythe; drama; released 23Aug18

Daniel Monks - Pulse (Stevie Cruz-Martin, 2017) wr. Daniel Monks; Caroline Brazier, Daniel Monks, Scott Lee; fantasy

Hamilton Morris - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. Steven McGregor, David Tranter, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Best Lead Actress

Abbey Lee - 1% (Stephen MacCallum, 2017) wr. Matt Nable; Matt Nable, Ryan Corr, Abbey Lee, Josh McConville, Simone Kessell, Aaron Pedersen; bikies; WA; released 11Oct18

Rooney Mara - Mary Magdalene (Garth Davis, 2018) wr. Helen Edmundson, Philippa Goslett, prod. Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Liz Watts, dp Greig Fraser; Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Tahar Rahim, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ariane Labed; biopic; released 16Mar18

Kate Mulvany - Merger, The (Mark Grentell, 2018) wr. Damian Callinan, prod. Anne Robinson; Damian Callinan, John Howard, Kate Mulvany, Fayssal Bazzi, Rafferty Grierson, Josh McConville, Nick Cody, Angus McLaren, Stephen Hunter, Penny Cook, Ben Knight, Harry Tseng, Sahil Saluja, Francis Kamara, Aaron Gocs, Zenia Starr, Michelle Brasier; asylum seekers and football; NSW; released 30Aug18

Julia Ormond - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Angourie Rice - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Best Supporting Actor

Simon Baker - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Fayssal Bazzi - Merger, The(Mark Grentell, 2018) wr. Damian Callinan, prod. Anne Robinson; Damian Callinan, John Howard, Kate Mulvany, Fayssal Bazzi, Rafferty Grierson, Josh McConville, Nick Cody, Angus McLaren, Stephen Hunter, Penny Cook, Ben Knight, Harry Tseng, Sahil Saluja, Francis Kamara, Aaron Gocs, Zenia Starr, Michelle Brasier; asylum seekers and football; NSW; released 30Aug18

Russell Crowe - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Joel Egerton - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Josh McConville - 1% (Stephen MacCallum, 2017) wr. Matt Nable; Ryan Corr, Matt Nable, Abbey Lee, Josh McConville, Simone Kessell, Aaron Pedersen; bikies; WA; released 11Oct18

Best Supporting Actress

Elizabeth Debicki - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Nicole Kidman - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Simone Kessell - 1% (Stephen MacCallum, 2017) wr. Matt Nable; Ryan Corr, Matt Nable, Abbey Lee, Josh McConville, Simone Kessell, Aaron Pedersen; bikies; WA; released 11Oct18

Natassia Gorey-Furber - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. Steven McGregor, David Tranter, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Noni Hazlehurst - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Best Original Screenplay

Matt Nable - 1% (Stephen MacCallum, 2017) wr. Matt Nable; Ryan Corr, Matt Nable, Abbey Lee, Josh McConville, Simone Kessell, Aaron Pedersen; bikies; WA; released 11Oct18

Jaime Browne - Brothers' Nest (Clayton Jacobson, 2018) wr. Jaime Browne, Chris Pahlow, dp Peter Falk; Shane Jacobson, Clayton Jacobson, Kim Gyngell, Lynette Curran, Sarah Snook; black comedy; released 10May18

Steven McGregor, David Tranter - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. David Tranter, Steven McGregor, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Leigh Whannell - Upgrade (Leigh Whannell, 2018) wr. Leigh Whannell, dp Stefan Duscio; Richard Anastasios, Rosco Campbell, Richard Cawthorne, Linda Cropper; scifi; release 14Jun18

Best Adapted Screenplay

Joel Edgerton - Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) wr. Joel Edgerton, prod. Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton; Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton; gay conversion; released 2Nov18

Gerard Lee, Simon Baker, Tim Winton - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Yolanda Ramke - Cargo (Yolanda Ramke, Ben Howling, 2017) wr. Yolanda Ramke, prod. Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings, dp Geoffrey Simpson; Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius, Kris McQuade, Natasha Wanganeen, Bruce R. Carter, Simon Landers, David Gulpilil; zombies

Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Best Cinematography

Marden Dean, Rick Rifici - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dp Marden Dean, Rick Rifici, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Peter James - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Warwick Thornton - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. Steven McGregor, David Tranter, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Thom Neal - West of Sunshine (Jason Raftopoulos, 2017) wr. Jason Raftopoulos, dp Thom Neal; Damian Hill, Ty Perham, Arthur Angel, Kat Stewart, Tony Nikolakopoulos, Kaarin Fairfax, Faye Smythe; drama; released 23Aug18

Best Editing

Dany Cooper - Breath (Simon Baker, 2018) wr. Gerard Lee, Tim Winton (from his novel), Peter Duncan, Simon Baker, prod. Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson, dp Marden Dean, Rick Rifici, dist. Arclight, Palace; Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence; surfing; WA; released 3May18

Mark Warner - Ladies in Black (Bruce Beresford, 2018) wr. Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford, prod. Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken, dp Peter James; Ryan Corr, Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazlehurst, Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson, Susie Porter; comedy; release 20Sep18

Nick Meyers - Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017) prod. David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, wr. Steven McGregor, David Tranter, dp Dylan River, Warwick Thornton; Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Tremayne and Trevon Doolan, Anni Finsterer, Natassia Gorey-Furber, John Gibson, Ewen Leslie, Lachlan J. Modrzynski, Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Sotiris Tzelios, Thomas M. Wright; western

Andy Canny - Upgrade (Leigh Whannell, 2018) wr. Leigh Whannell, dp Stefan Duscio; Richard Anastasios, Rosco Campbell, Richard Cawthorne, Linda Cropper; scifi; release 14Jun18

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SOUND
BREATH Robert Mackenzie – Gran Via, Windalong Films & See Pictures
CARGO Liam Egan – Causeway Films
SWEET COUNTRY David Tranter, Thom Kellar, Sam Gain-Emery, Will Sheridan – Bunya
Productions
UPGRADE P.K. Hooker, Will Files, Andrew Ramage – Goalpost Pictures and Blumhouse
Productions

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE
LADIES IN BLACK Christopher Gordon – Lumila Films
MARY MAGDALENE Hildur Guðnadóttir, Jóhann Jóhannson – See-Saw Films
PETER RABBIT™ Dominic Lewis – Animal Logic Entertainment
UPGRADE Jed Palmer – Goalpost Pictures and Blumhouse Productions

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
CARGO Jo Ford – Causeway Films
PETER RABBIT™ Roger Ford, Lisa Thompson – Animal Logic Entertainment
UPGRADE Felicity Abbott, Katie Sharrock – Goalpost Pictures and Blumhouse Productions
WINCHESTER Matthew Putland – Blacklab Entertainment Pty Ltd

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST COSTUME DESIGN
LADIES IN BLACK Wendy Cork – Lumila Films
MARY MAGDALENE Jacqueline Durran – See-Saw Films
SWEET COUNTRY Heather Wallace – Bunya Productions
WINCHESTER Wendy Cork – Blacklab Entertainment Pty Ltd

Films in competition but not nominated for a major award

BBQ, The (Stephen Amis, 2018) wr. Stephen Amis, Serge De Nardo, Tim Ferguson, David Richardson, Angelo Salamanca, prod. Tait Brady, Lynne Wilson, Stephen Amis, Deb Fryers; Shane Jacobson, Magda Szubanski, Nicholas Hammond, Frederik Simpson, Manu Feildel, John Stanton, Julia Zemiro, Lara Robinson; comedy; released 22Feb18

Birthday Adjustment Disorder (Jed Malone, 2018) wr. Jed Malone, prod. Jed Malone; Jed Malone, Michela Carattini

Dad (Robert Lobosco, 2018) wr. Robert Lobosco, prod. Robert Lobosco; Robert Lobosco, Lani Hirst, Rajat Sharma, Frank Otis

Five Provocations, The (Angie Black, 2018) wr. Angie Black, prod. Angie Black; Tony Moclair, Sapidah Kian, Blake Osborn, Rebecca Bower

Flip Side, The (Marion Pilowksy, 2018) aka The Call Back; wr. Lee Sellars, Marion Pilowsky, prod. Sue Murray, David Willing, Marion Pilowsky; Eddie Izzard, Vanessa Guide, Emily Taheny, Luke McKenzie, Hugh Sheridan, Tina Bursill, Susie Youssef, Tiriel Mora; comedy; SA; release 30Aug18

Gateway, The (John V. Soto, 2018) aka Loved You Twice; wr. John V. Soto, Michael White; prod. Deidre Kitcher, Filmscope Entertainment; Jacqueline McKenzie, Hayley McElhinney, Myles Pollard, Shannon Berry, Ben Mortley, Ryan Panizza; scifi; WA; released 3May18

Gringo (Nash Edgerton, 2018) wr. Anthony Tambakis, Matthew Stone, prod. Rebecca Yeldham, Nash Edgerton; Joel Edgerton, Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Thandie Newton; comedy; released US 9Mar18

In Like Flynn (Russel Mulcahy, 2018) wr. Corey Large, Steve Albert, Luke Flynn, Alexander Djamirze, dp Peter Holland; Thomas Cocquerel, Corey Large, William Moseley, Clive Standen, Callan Mulvey, Isabel Lucas, David Wenham, Dan Fogler; biopic; released 11Oct18

Indigo Lake (Martin Simpson, 2017) wr. Martin Simpson, prod. Brian Cobb, Jonas McLallen, dp Rodrigo Vidal-Dawson; Andrew Cutcliffe, Miranda O'Hare, Marin Mimica, Gerard Webb, Pamela Shaw, Nicole Verhoeven, Lauren Clair

Innocent Killer (Jon-Claire Lee, 2017) wr. Jon-Claire Lee, prod. Jon-Claire Lee, Asif Khan, dp Dion Wilton; Asif Khan

Just Between Us (Christopher Kay, 2018) wr. Deanna Ortuso, prod. Joanne Nguyen, Deanna Ortuso, dp Filip Laureys; Deanna Ortuso, Clayton Jacobson, John Jarratt, Matt Prodan, Andy Rhodes, Joanne Nguyen, Calista Fookes, Kaarin Fairfax, Alison Morley

Lego Ninjago Movie, The (Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, Bob Logan, 2017) wr. Bob Logan, Paul Fisher, William Wheeler, Tom Wheeler, Jared Stern, John Whittington; Jackie Chan; animation; released 30Mar17

Lost Gully Road (Donna McRae, 2017) wr. Donna McRae, Michael Vale, prod. Liz Baulch, Donna McRae; Adele Perovic, John Brumpton, Jane Clifton; horror

Me and My Left Brain (Alexandros Lykos, 2018) wr. Alexandros Lykos, prod. Alexandros Lykos; Alexandros Lykos, Rachael Beck, Mal Kennard, Chantelle Barry, Janette Patricia Lakiss Condylis, Natalia Ladyko; comedy

Occupation (Luke Sparke, 2018) wr. Luke Sparke, Felix Williamson; Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Stephanie Jacobsen; Felix Williamson, Jacqueline McKenzie, Bruce Spence; scifi; released 12Jul18

Peter Rabbit (Will Gluck, 2018) Beatrix Potter story; animation; released 22Mar18

Pretend One, The (Tony Prescott, 2017) wr. Tony Prescott, James Raue; prod. Tony Prescott, Dinusha Ratnaweera; Michael Whalley, Benedict Wall, Geraldine Hakewill, David Field, Elijah Perris, Alice Roberts, Fiona Press; drama

Rabbit (Luke Shanahan, 2017) wr. Luke Shanahan; Adelaide Clemens, Alex Russell, Veerie Baetens; thriller

Survive or Die (Daniel Okoduwa, Mike Kang, 2018) wr. Mike Kang, Daniel Okoduwa; Felino Kolloso, Hawa Barnes, Emmanuella Samuel; refugee

Swinging Safari (Stephan Elliott, 2018) aka Flammable Children; wr. Stephan Elliott, prod. Jamie Hilton, pd Colin Gibson, costume Lizzy Gardiner, music Guy Gross, ed. Sue Blainey; Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Jeremy Sims, Julian MacMahon, Asher Keddie; set in Dee Why, 1975, satire; released 18Jan18

Undertow (Miranda Nation, 2018) wr. Miranda Nation, prod. Lyn Norfor, dp Bonnie Elliott; Rob Collins, Laura Gordon, Olivia DeJonge, Josh Helman, Marianne Jade

Watch the Sunset (Tristan Barr, Michael Gosden, 2017) wr. Tristan Barr, Michael Gosden; Tristan Barr, Mitchell Booth, Catherine Dawson; Michael Gosden; bikie

Winchester (Michael & Peter Spierig, 2018) Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke, Angus Sampson; thriller; released 22Feb18

Thanks to Don Groves and IF Mag.

Awards ceremonies Sunday 2 December — and 5 December 2018, Star Event Centre, broadcast on Channel 7


I make these lists every year as a way of keeping in touch with what one might assume are the best Australian feature films at the time. I do the same with Oscar possibilities for the same reason, mutatis mutandem. But ...

In 2012, The Sapphires - about an Aboriginal singing group - won eleven PC awards. Blind Freddy could have seen that Burning Man was the best film that year.

In 2013, The Great Gatsby won best film and six craft awards, tho it has nothing to do with Australia. Leonardo DiCaprio won best actor! WTF?

In 2016, another American story, Hacksaw Ridge, won most of the awards. It's a war film set in Okinawa. There are no Australian characters in the story.

In 2017, Lion won 12 of the 14 awards, and it wasn't the best film - but at least one-third of it was actually set in Australia.


See also: Oscars 2019.


Garry Gillard | New: 21 July, 2018 | Now: 19 January, 2019