‘The Babadook’ and ‘The Water Diviner’ shared the coveted Best Film award at the Australia Academy Cinema Television Arts (AACTA) awards last night (29.01.15).
The horror movie – which also won Best Original Screenplay and Best Direction for Jennifer Kent – tied for the prize with Russell Crowe’s movie at the prestigious ceremony, the first time the accolade has been jointly awarded and filmmaker Jennifer was thrilled to be honoured by her home country.
She said: "I’ve travelled round the world with ‘The Babadook’ and it’s been an extraordinary journey this last year
"But to be here and to have this award from my industry peers in my home country means so much to me."
‘Charlie’s Country’ actor David Gulpilil won Best Lead Actor, while Best Lead Actress went to ‘Predestination’ star Sarah Snook.
As well as sharing the Best Film award, ‘The Water Diviner’ also saw Yilmaz Erdogan pick up Best Supporting Actor, while Susan Prior’s performance in ‘The Rover’ won her Best Supporting Actress.
Elsewhere at the Sydney ceremony, three special individual awards were handed out for career achievements.
‘Bridesmaids’ actress Rose Byrne took home the AACTA Trailblazer Award in recognition of her work both in her native Australia and in the US.
She said: "I’m so proud to be Australian and be a part of our wonderful industry here. I salute everyone in this room."
Director, producer, writer Amiel Courtin-Wilson received the Byron Kennedy Award for outstanding creative enterprise within the film and television industries and the AACTA Longford Lyell Award – the highest honour bestowed by the Australian Academy – went to writer and producer Andrew Knight.
AACTA chief executive Damian Trewhella said: "The Academy in particular takes this opportunity to congratulate our three outstanding individual recipients awarded tonight – Rose Byrne, Andrew Knight and Amiel Courtin-Wilson.
"Between these exceptional people, their talents serve as in inspiration to the screen industry and to fans like."
In the TV categories, new drama ‘The Code’ was the big winner, taking home four awards, including Best Television Drama Series, Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy, Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for Ashley Zukerman, and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for Chelsie Preston Crayford.
‘Please Like Me’ followed with two wins, for Best Screenplay in Television and Best Performance in a Television Comedy for its star Debra Lawrance.
AACTA awards 2015 full list of winners:
Longford Lyell Award
Andrew Knight
Byron Kennedy Award
Amiel Courtin-Wilson
Trailblazer Award
Rose Byrne
Film:
Best Film:
‘The Babadook’ and ‘The Water Diviner’
Best Direction:
‘The Babadook’, Jennifer Kent
Best Original Screenplay:
‘The Babadook’, Jennifer Kent
Best Adapted Screenplay:
‘The Railway Man’, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Andy Paterson
Best Lead Actor:
David Gulpilil, ‘Charlie’s Country’
Best Lead Actress:
Sarah Snook, ‘Predestination’
Best Supporting Actor:
Yilmaz Erdogan, ‘The Water Diviner’
Best Supporting Actress:
Susan Prior, ‘The Rover’
Best Visual Effects or Animation:
‘The Lego Movie’
Television:
Best Television Comedy Series:
‘Utopia’
Best Light Entertainment Television Series:
‘Hamish and Andy’s Gap Year South America’
Best Reality Television Series:
‘The Voice Australia’
Best Television Drama Series:
‘The Code’
Best Telefeature or Mini Series:
‘Devil’s Playground’
Best Direction in A Television Drama or Comedy:
‘The Code: Episode 1’, Shawn Seet
Best Screenplay in Television:
‘Please Like Me Episode 2/07’
Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama:
Ashley Zukerman, ‘The Code’
Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
Marta Dusseldorp, ‘Janet King’
Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama:
Eamon Farren, ‘Carlotta’
Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama:
Chelsie Preston Crayford, ‘The Code Episode 1’
Best Performance in a Television Comedy:
Debra Lawrance, ‘Please Like Me’
Documentary:
Best Feature Length Documentary:
‘Ukraine Is Not A Brothel’
Babadook and Water Diviner share film award
