Australian Film Institute Awards
Encyclopedia
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award (previously the Australian Film Institute Awards or AFI Awards), is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
(AACTA). The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry
and television industry, including directors, actors and writers. It is the most prestigious awards ceremony for the Australian film and television industry.
The awards began in 1958, and involved 30 nominations across six categories; the awards expanded in 1986 to cover television as well as film.
The AFI Awards will be replaced with the new name of the newly formed Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts from January 2012.
(AFI) "to recognise and honour outstanding achievement in the Australian film and television industry." The award was instituted in 1958
and, until 1972, was part of the Melbourne International Film Festival
(known then as the Melbourne Film Festival) "as a way to improve the impoverished state of Australian cinema". The first AFI Awards ceremony consisted of seven categories: Documentary, Educational, Advertising, Experimental Film, Public Relations and Teaching, and an Open category for other films which didn't fit in the aforementioned categories.. Between 1958-1980, submitted films were presented with a gold, silver or bronze prize, and in some circumstances, a Grand Prix award, which was the highest honour a film could receive. Additionally, films were also presented with a gold or silver medallion for technical achievements, and films which didn't receive a prize was given a certificate of honourable mention. From the awards inception to 1968, documentary and educational films were the only films submitted for awards due to few feature films produced in Australia, but in 1969, Jack and Jill: A Postscript became the first feature film to receive an award from the AFI, with a silver prize in the "Open" category, and is considered a winner in the Best Film category of the current awards. From 1971, special achievement awards were presented to actors, directors, screenwriters, musicians, editors and cinematographers in feature films, and from 1975, an additional cash prize was given per achievement. In 1977 feature film categories became competitive, while non-feature films continued to be awarded the gold, silver and bronze prizes until 1981, when they also became competitive. In 1976 the awards were broadcast live on television for the first time on the Nine Network
at the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne. In 1986 television categories were introduced, presenting awards for mini-series and telefeatures before expanding to dramas, comedies and documentaries in the 1990's.
In June 2011, the AFI announced an industry consultation for an "Australian Academy". The aim of the Academy is to create awareness for Australian film in local and international markets and to improve the way the AFI rewards practitioners with the formation of an "Honorary Council". Of the announcement Damian Trewhella, CEO of the AFI said, "We thought a better way to engage with the industry would be to try and improve our professional membership structure[...] It's quite a big improvement on the way the AFI does things." The consultation period ended in July 2011 and on July 20 it was announced that the AFI would go ahead with the Australian Academy with Trewhella stating that "[The AFI] envisage that this will lead to greater opportunities for those working in the industry, as well as greater audience recognition and connection with Australian screen content." The name of the new Academy was revealed on 18 August 2011 as the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
(AACTA), with the awards renamed to the AACTA Awards. Prior to this announcement, the awards date and location was changed to January, 2012 at the Sydney Opera House
in Sydney as opposed to Melbourne where it was held for the majority of the AFI Awards history. The date change was made to align the awards with the international awards season. When the Academy announced the dates for the inaugural awards season, they introduced awards which “recognise international excellence within the categories of best film, acting, writing and direction”. On 23 November 2011, it was announced that the first award to be handed out since the Academy's inception is the Raymond Longford Award, which will be presented to Don McAlpine for his contribution to cinematography, at the inaugural awards luncheon.
The Academy also present awards to recognise special achievements of Australians in the local entertainment industry. The Byron Kennedy Award
, established in 1984, is awarded to a film maker for achievements in their early career accompanied by a cash prize of A$
10,000, and the Raymond Longford Award, awarded for contribution to Australia's screen environment and culture and the highest honour the AFI can bestow.
or video
formats; for a feature film, it must have been publicly exhibited for seven consecutive days in at least two Australian states; for television and documentaries, the prodcution must have been broadcast on television between the elgibility period. The submission of a production is accompanied by an entry fee in Australian dollars, of up to A$
1680 for feature films, $400 for documentaries, $330 for short film and animation and $1125 for television categories.
At the time of the awards inception, a jury of five judges, composed of film critics and filmmakers, determined the winner of a production. In 1976, the jury system was replaced by a peer voting process for feature films which would allow public members the right to vote in the Best Film
category. The nominees and winners were later peer-voted by a jury which was made up of representatives from all industry crafts, including members of guilds, who have a "professional membership" with the AFI.
When the AFI announced the launch of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, it introduced the Chapters who vote through a two step voting process. The fifteen Chapters comprise of professionals from industry guilds and organisations including actors, producers, directors and screenwriters. In round one of feature film voting, each chapter determines the nominees for their own respective category; in round two all members of the Academy can vote for the shortlisted nominees in each category to determine the winner. Members of the Australian Film Institute are eligible to vote in the Best Short Fiction Film, Best Short Animation and Audience Choice award categories only. The votes will be audited by accounting firm Ernst and Young from 2011.
.
A medal was used between 1958 and 1975 as a gold, silver or bronze prize and depicted "three leaping jesters. Around left side, film strip
with leaping jester in each frame
. Around right side: THE KODAK FILM AWARD". The medal, which was designed by Andor Mészáros, represents two elements of film-making: the leaping jesters represent what the audience sees on screen; the roll
of film on the right symbolises the individual frames which capture the motion depicted. It was designed in Melbourne
, Victoria
and minted by[John Pinchas in London
, in 1958.
The statuette used between 1979 and 2010 is made of "four clear acrylic rectangular prisms on a silver metal base, green felt on bottom"; a plaque, which is attached to the base, has the "afi" insignia, with the words "Australian Film Institute" beneath it; a description of the award category, the recipient of the award, and the film title cascade below each other. The statuette stands at 295mm in height, 70mm in width and 70mm in depth.
When the Australian Film Institute
launched the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
, it set out to create a new gold cast statuette. The statuette, which will be handed out from 2012, for the inaugural AACTA Awards, had to "reflect the prestige and heritage of the Awards[...] but which was above all distinctly Australian", while incorporating the Southern Cross constellation and the human spirit. After receiving submissions from Australian artists, with their interpretations of the design brief, a statuette designed by sculptor Ron Gomboc became the winning design. The statuette, which has a 22 karat gold body, whose human form takes on the shape of the Southern Cross, on a tiger iron gemstone base, was designed over three months at Gomboc's home in Western Australia
, before it was presented to the AFI board in June of 2011. Gomboc worked with stone artist, Richard Williamson, who cut and polished each individual gemstone base for the statuette, with each base representing "[...] the unique talent and contribution to the industry of every AACTA Award recipient." When the statuette was unveiled at the launch of the Academy by Geoffrey Rush
, he announced that a competition to name the award would commence, where people could log onto the Academy's Facebook
page and post potential names on its wall. In the media it was well received, with Gary Maddox from the Sydney Morning Herald comparing it to the previous statuette, stating that it, “looks less like a lethal doorstop and more like a stylised Oscar, possibly Oscar's flamboyant brother waving 'hi'”.
Feature film
Television
International film awards
Non-feature film
Special awards
Retired awards
The awards have been televised on the Nine Network
every year since 2005.
In 2005 with the appointment of Susan MacKinnion of the Australian government’s Film Financing Agency (FFC) as jury member, the AFI was accused of again breaking its own rule, which states that jurors "should have no vested interest in any of the entries they will be voting on, and will be required to sign a statutory declaration confirming this fact."
AFIA has also been castigated for narrow selection of artists for award nominations and an unfair judging process.
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts is a professional organisation of film and television practitioners in Australia. The Academy's aim is "to identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television."It was established in August 2011 with...
(AACTA). The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
and television industry, including directors, actors and writers. It is the most prestigious awards ceremony for the Australian film and television industry.
The awards began in 1958, and involved 30 nominations across six categories; the awards expanded in 1986 to cover television as well as film.
The AFI Awards will be replaced with the new name of the newly formed Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts from January 2012.
History
The AACTA Awards, previously known as the "AFI Awards", were presented annually by the Australian Film InstituteAustralian Film Institute
The Australian Film Institute was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry...
(AFI) "to recognise and honour outstanding achievement in the Australian film and television industry." The award was instituted in 1958
1958 in film
The year 1958 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 16- "In the Money" by William Beaudine is released on this date. It would be the last installment of The Bowery Boys series which began back in 1946....
and, until 1972, was part of the Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
The Melbourne International Film Festival is an acclaimed annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1951, making it one of the oldest in the World....
(known then as the Melbourne Film Festival) "as a way to improve the impoverished state of Australian cinema". The first AFI Awards ceremony consisted of seven categories: Documentary, Educational, Advertising, Experimental Film, Public Relations and Teaching, and an Open category for other films which didn't fit in the aforementioned categories.. Between 1958-1980, submitted films were presented with a gold, silver or bronze prize, and in some circumstances, a Grand Prix award, which was the highest honour a film could receive. Additionally, films were also presented with a gold or silver medallion for technical achievements, and films which didn't receive a prize was given a certificate of honourable mention. From the awards inception to 1968, documentary and educational films were the only films submitted for awards due to few feature films produced in Australia, but in 1969, Jack and Jill: A Postscript became the first feature film to receive an award from the AFI, with a silver prize in the "Open" category, and is considered a winner in the Best Film category of the current awards. From 1971, special achievement awards were presented to actors, directors, screenwriters, musicians, editors and cinematographers in feature films, and from 1975, an additional cash prize was given per achievement. In 1977 feature film categories became competitive, while non-feature films continued to be awarded the gold, silver and bronze prizes until 1981, when they also became competitive. In 1976 the awards were broadcast live on television for the first time on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
at the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne. In 1986 television categories were introduced, presenting awards for mini-series and telefeatures before expanding to dramas, comedies and documentaries in the 1990's.
In June 2011, the AFI announced an industry consultation for an "Australian Academy". The aim of the Academy is to create awareness for Australian film in local and international markets and to improve the way the AFI rewards practitioners with the formation of an "Honorary Council". Of the announcement Damian Trewhella, CEO of the AFI said, "We thought a better way to engage with the industry would be to try and improve our professional membership structure[...] It's quite a big improvement on the way the AFI does things." The consultation period ended in July 2011 and on July 20 it was announced that the AFI would go ahead with the Australian Academy with Trewhella stating that "[The AFI] envisage that this will lead to greater opportunities for those working in the industry, as well as greater audience recognition and connection with Australian screen content." The name of the new Academy was revealed on 18 August 2011 as the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts is a professional organisation of film and television practitioners in Australia. The Academy's aim is "to identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television."It was established in August 2011 with...
(AACTA), with the awards renamed to the AACTA Awards. Prior to this announcement, the awards date and location was changed to January, 2012 at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
in Sydney as opposed to Melbourne where it was held for the majority of the AFI Awards history. The date change was made to align the awards with the international awards season. When the Academy announced the dates for the inaugural awards season, they introduced awards which “recognise international excellence within the categories of best film, acting, writing and direction”. On 23 November 2011, it was announced that the first award to be handed out since the Academy's inception is the Raymond Longford Award, which will be presented to Don McAlpine for his contribution to cinematography, at the inaugural awards luncheon.
The Academy also present awards to recognise special achievements of Australians in the local entertainment industry. The Byron Kennedy Award
Byron Kennedy Award
The Byron Kennedy Award was established in 1984 by the Australian Film Institute in honour of the late film producer Byron Kennedy."This is an accolade usually bestowed upon someone early in their career, whose quality of work is marked by their relentless pursuit of excellence."It is accompanied...
, established in 1984, is awarded to a film maker for achievements in their early career accompanied by a cash prize of A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
10,000, and the Raymond Longford Award, awarded for contribution to Australia's screen environment and culture and the highest honour the AFI can bestow.
Rules and voting
To be eligible for nomination, a production must be an Australian production or program and, in the case of a film, can't have been previously submitted for an award; the material is sent to the AFI in DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
or video
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
formats; for a feature film, it must have been publicly exhibited for seven consecutive days in at least two Australian states; for television and documentaries, the prodcution must have been broadcast on television between the elgibility period. The submission of a production is accompanied by an entry fee in Australian dollars, of up to A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1680 for feature films, $400 for documentaries, $330 for short film and animation and $1125 for television categories.
At the time of the awards inception, a jury of five judges, composed of film critics and filmmakers, determined the winner of a production. In 1976, the jury system was replaced by a peer voting process for feature films which would allow public members the right to vote in the Best Film
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film
This page lists the winners and nominees for the AACTA Award for Best Film since its institution in 1958. The award is presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts , an organisation which promotes the Australian film industry. Since the 1958 Australian Film Awards the...
category. The nominees and winners were later peer-voted by a jury which was made up of representatives from all industry crafts, including members of guilds, who have a "professional membership" with the AFI.
When the AFI announced the launch of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, it introduced the Chapters who vote through a two step voting process. The fifteen Chapters comprise of professionals from industry guilds and organisations including actors, producers, directors and screenwriters. In round one of feature film voting, each chapter determines the nominees for their own respective category; in round two all members of the Academy can vote for the shortlisted nominees in each category to determine the winner. Members of the Australian Film Institute are eligible to vote in the Best Short Fiction Film, Best Short Animation and Audience Choice award categories only. The votes will be audited by accounting firm Ernst and Young from 2011.
Statuette
Throughout the history of the awards there have been several differently designed awards given to winners. Most notable ones given are: the "Kodak film award", a gold, silver or bronze medal, which was handed out from 1958-1975; the Grand Prix award which was a "bronze leaf shaped award mounted on a square wooden base", also presented between 1958 and 1975; a statuette, made of acrylic on a silver metal base, handed out from 1979-2010; and a gold statuette, based on the Southern Cross constellation, which will be in use from 2012 for the 2011 AACTA Awards2011 AACTA Film Awards
The 2011 AACTA Awards, presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts , will honour the best Australian films of 2011 and take place on two separate events, in Sydney, New South Wales: the AACTA Awards Luncheon, on 15 January 2012, at the Westin Hotel, and the AACTA Awards...
.
A medal was used between 1958 and 1975 as a gold, silver or bronze prize and depicted "three leaping jesters. Around left side, film strip
Filmstrip
The filmstrip was a common form of still image instructional multimedia, once commonly used by educators in primary and secondary schools , now overtaken by newer and increasingly lower-cost full-motion videocassettes and DVDs...
with leaping jester in each frame
Film frame
In filmmaking, video production, animation, and related fields, a film frame or video frame is one of the many still images which compose the complete moving picture...
. Around right side: THE KODAK FILM AWARD". The medal, which was designed by Andor Mészáros, represents two elements of film-making: the leaping jesters represent what the audience sees on screen; the roll
Roll film
Rollfilm or roll film is any type of spool-wound photographic film protected from white light exposure by a paper backing, as opposed to film which is protected from exposure and wound forward in a cartridge. Confusingly, roll film was originally often referred to as "cartridge" film because of its...
of film on the right symbolises the individual frames which capture the motion depicted. It was designed in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and minted by[John Pinchas in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in 1958.
The statuette used between 1979 and 2010 is made of "four clear acrylic rectangular prisms on a silver metal base, green felt on bottom"; a plaque, which is attached to the base, has the "afi" insignia, with the words "Australian Film Institute" beneath it; a description of the award category, the recipient of the award, and the film title cascade below each other. The statuette stands at 295mm in height, 70mm in width and 70mm in depth.
When the Australian Film Institute
Australian Film Institute
The Australian Film Institute was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry...
launched the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts is a professional organisation of film and television practitioners in Australia. The Academy's aim is "to identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television."It was established in August 2011 with...
, it set out to create a new gold cast statuette. The statuette, which will be handed out from 2012, for the inaugural AACTA Awards, had to "reflect the prestige and heritage of the Awards[...] but which was above all distinctly Australian", while incorporating the Southern Cross constellation and the human spirit. After receiving submissions from Australian artists, with their interpretations of the design brief, a statuette designed by sculptor Ron Gomboc became the winning design. The statuette, which has a 22 karat gold body, whose human form takes on the shape of the Southern Cross, on a tiger iron gemstone base, was designed over three months at Gomboc's home in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, before it was presented to the AFI board in June of 2011. Gomboc worked with stone artist, Richard Williamson, who cut and polished each individual gemstone base for the statuette, with each base representing "[...] the unique talent and contribution to the industry of every AACTA Award recipient." When the statuette was unveiled at the launch of the Academy by Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
, he announced that a competition to name the award would commence, where people could log onto the Academy's Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page and post potential names on its wall. In the media it was well received, with Gary Maddox from the Sydney Morning Herald comparing it to the previous statuette, stating that it, “looks less like a lethal doorstop and more like a stylised Oscar, possibly Oscar's flamboyant brother waving 'hi'”.
Ceremony
The awards were first presented in 1958 during the Melbourne Film Festival at Melbourne University's Union Theatre. Since its inception, the awards have been predominantly presented in Melbourne but the event alternated in the aforementioned and Sydney during the 1990's and 2000's. Awards are handed out over two separate events; the AACTA Awards Luncheon, a black tie event, where accolades are handed out for non-feature and short films, film production (with the exception of the Best Film, Direction and Screenplay awards), non-drama related television programs and the Raymond Longford Award; the AACTA Awards Ceremony presents the awards in all other categories at a larger venue and is broadcast live on television. Awards were presented at the end of each calendar year (November or December) to celebrate film achievements of the corresponding year, but films for 2011 will be awarded in 2012 after an announcement was made for the AACTA Awards to be moved to Sydney for the first time since 2000.Award Categories
The Academy presents awards in feature and non-feature films, and television.Feature film
- Best Film
- Best Direction
- Best Lead Actress
- Best Lead Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Adapted ScreenplayAustralian Film Institute Award for Best ScreenplayThe Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. It has been awarded annually since 1976 as a joint category until 1993 when the award was separated into Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay...
- Best Original ScreenplayAustralian Film Institute Award for Best ScreenplayThe Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. It has been awarded annually since 1976 as a joint category until 1993 when the award was separated into Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay...
- Best Original Music Score
- Best Sound
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
- Members’ Choice Award
Television
- Best Comedy Series
- Best Drama Series
- Best Children's Series
- Best Children's AnimationAACTA Award for Best Children’s Television AnimationThe AACTA Award for Best Children’s Television Animation is a television award handed out by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts since 2009. It is awarded to a "children’s drama series, a children’s mini series, a long children’s telefeature or a short children’s telefeature which...
- Best Telefeature, Mini Series or Short Run Series
- Best Light Entertainment Series
- Best Comedy PerformanceAACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television ComedyThe AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy, is a television award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts to a male or female performer, in a television situation comedy or sketch series...
- Best Actor – Drama
- Best Actress – Drama
- Best Guest or Supporting Actor – Drama
- Best Guest or Supporting Actress – Drama
- Best Director
- Best Screenplay
International film awards
- Best Film– International
- Best Actor– International
- Best Actress– International
- Best Direction– International
- Best Screenplay– International
Non-feature film
- Best Feature Length Documentary
- Best Documentary Under One Hour
- Best Documentary Series
- Best Short Animation
- Best Short Fiction Film
- Best Cinematography – Documentary
- Best Director – Documentary
- Best Editing – Documentary
- Best Screenplay in a Short Film
- Best Sound – Documentary
Special awards
- Byron Kennedy AwardByron Kennedy AwardThe Byron Kennedy Award was established in 1984 by the Australian Film Institute in honour of the late film producer Byron Kennedy."This is an accolade usually bestowed upon someone early in their career, whose quality of work is marked by their relentless pursuit of excellence."It is accompanied...
- Raymond Longford Award
- Best Young Actor
- Best Visual Effects
- Screen Content Innovation Award
- Outstanding Achievement in Television Screen Craft
- Outstanding Achievement in Short Film Screen Craft
Retired awards
- Best Television Documentary
- Best Sponsored Documentary
- Best Experimental Film
- Global Achievement Award
- Best Foreign Film
- International Award Excellence in Filmmaking
- Jury PrizeAustralian Film Institute Jury PrizeThe Australian Film Institute Jury Prize is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. It was awarded annually between 1976 and 1984.-Previous winners:*1976: Fred Schepisi...
- International Best ActorAustralian Film Institute International Award for Best ActorThe Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actor is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards It has been awarded annually since 2005.-Previous winners and nominees:* 2005: Russell Crowe - Cinderella Man...
- International Best ActressAustralian Film Institute International Award for Best ActressThe Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actress is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards It has been awarded annually since 2005.-Previous winners and nominees:...
Hosts / television coverage
- 1997: Hosted by Hugh JackmanHugh JackmanHugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters...
- 1998: Hosted by Mary CoustasMary CoustasMary Coustas is an Australian television personality. Originally from Melbourne, Coustas often performs as the character "Effie": a stereotypical second-generation Greek Australian...
- 1999–2000: Hosted by Peter KayPeter KayPeter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
- 2001: Hosted by Sigrid ThorntonSigrid ThorntonSigrid Thornton is an Australian multi-award winning actress.-Early years:Thornton was born in Canberra, the daughter of Merle, a teacher of women's studies and writer, and Neil Thornton, an academic. She spent most of her formative years growing up and attending school at St. Peter's Lutheran...
, John DoyleJohn Doyle (comedian)John Partick Doyle AM is an award-winning Australian actor, writer, radio presenter and comedian.-Early life:Doyle was born in Lithgow, New South Wales in 1953 into a music-loving, Catholic household with three sisters and a brother. His mother was a business woman and father a railway fettler...
and Greig PickhaverGreig Pickhaveralt=Greig Pickhaver|thumb|In May 2010Greig Pickhaver AM is an actor, comedian and writer, who forms one half of the Australian sports comedy duo Roy and HG... - 2002: Hosted by Paul McDermottPaul McDermott (comedian)Paul McDermott is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, director, singer, artist and television host. He currently hosts the satirical news-based 'Good News World' a follow up to quiz show Good News Week which airs in Australia on Network Ten...
- 2003: Hosted by Tony SquiresTony SquiresTony Squires is an Australian media personality, currently presenting the sport report on Seven News in Sydney. He is perhaps best known as the presenter of the comic sport news show The Fat, which ran on ABC television from 2000 to 2003....
- 2004: Hosted by Peter BernerPeter BernerPeter Berner is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter, probably best known as host of television's The Einstein Factor.-Comedy:He has been involved in the Australian comedy scene since the 1990s...
- 2005: Hosted by Russell CroweRussell CroweRussell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
- 2006–2007: Hosted by Geoffrey RushGeoffrey RushGeoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
- 2008: Hosted by Stephen Curry
- 2009: Hosted by Julia ZemiroJulia ZemiroJulia Zemiro is an Australian television presenter, radio host, actor, singer and comedian.- Early life :...
- 2010: Hosted by Shane JacobsonShane JacobsonShane Jacobson is an Australian actor, director, writer, and comedian, best known for his performance as the eponymous character Kenny Smyth in the 2006 film Kenny...
The awards have been televised on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
every year since 2005.
Criticisms and controversies
There have been controversial decisions of the Australian Film Institute Awards that have led to claims that it has broken its own rules, such as by including an unscreened miniseries in the 2005 awards judging:
The controversy is a blow for the institute, which after years of criticism this year revamped its awards in an effort to restore credibility. Producer John Edwards, who collected seven nominations for Foxtel's Love My WayLove My WayLove My Way was a Logie Award winning and critically acclaimed Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons ....
, did not enter a second drama series, The SurgeonThe SurgeonThe Surgeon was an Australian primetime television Medical drama. It screened at 9:30pm on Thursdays on Network Ten and in Ireland early morning on RTÉ One. The show was based at a fictional hospital named Sydney General Hospital....
, because it missed the screening deadline. "If I'd known it was this flexible, of course I would have entered it," Edwards said. "Awards are useless if they break their own rules."
In 2005 with the appointment of Susan MacKinnion of the Australian government’s Film Financing Agency (FFC) as jury member, the AFI was accused of again breaking its own rule, which states that jurors "should have no vested interest in any of the entries they will be voting on, and will be required to sign a statutory declaration confirming this fact."
AFIA has also been castigated for narrow selection of artists for award nominations and an unfair judging process.