The Aussie equivalent of The Oscars were held last night at The Star in Sydney, recognising film, television and documentary screen craft excellence. The sixth Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards are a continuum of the AFI Awards, which have honoured screen excellence in Australia since 1958.
Celebrating with more than 45 awards, the event covered everything from screenwriting, producing and acting, through to cinematography, composition and costume design.
MasterChef Australia has added to its growing list of achievements, winning the Best Reality Television Series category, while ABC’s Upper Middle Bogan won for Best Comedy while the panel show Gruen took out Best Light Entertainment.
Samuel Johnson won Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of Molly Meldrum in the Channel Seven show Molly, with Foxtel snagging the crown for Best Drama with its hit prison series Wentworth.
The AACTA Longford Lyell Award went to Paul Hogan AM, while AACTA Trailblazer Award was bestowed upon Isla Fisher and Lynette Wallworth nabbed the Byron Kennedy Award.
We’ve included the winners of the TV category below, but for all winners including feature film, documentary and short film, head on over to here.
Television
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES
WENTWORTH Pino Amenta ADG, Jo Porter S.P.A – Foxtel/SoHo
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINI SERIES
THE KETTERING INCIDENT Vincent Sheehan, Victoria Madden, Andrew Walker – Foxtel/Showcase
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST TELEVISION COMEDY SERIES
UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope, Ben Grogan – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION SERIES
GRUEN Wil Anderson, Polly Connolly, Nick Murray, Jon Casimir, Richard Huddleston – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LIFESTYLE TELEVISION PROGRAM
DESTINATION FLAVOUR SCANDINAVIA Erik Dwyer, Rachel Hardie – SBS
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST REALITY TELEVISION SERIES
MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA Marty Benson, Tim Toni, Rob Wallace – Network Ten
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Samuel Johnson MOLLY – Seven Network
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Elizabeth Debicki THE KETTERING INCIDENT – Foxtel/Showcase
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TELEVISION COMEDY
Patrick Brammall NO ACTIVITY – Stan
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Damon Herriman SECRET CITY Episode 1 – A Donation to the Struggle – Foxtel/Showcase
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Celia Pacquola THE BEAUTIFUL LIE Episode 3 – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION IN A TELEVISION DRAMA OR COMEDY
RAKE Episode 8 Peter Duncan ADG – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION IN A TELEVISION LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, LIFESTYLE OR REALITY SERIES
THE RECRUIT Episode 2 Michael Venables – Foxtel/Fox8
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY IN TELEVISION
ABC COMEDY SHOWROOM – THE LETDOWN Sarah Scheller, Alison Bell – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN TELEVISION
WOLF CREEK Episode 3 – Salt Lake Geoffrey Hall ACS – Stan
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST EDITING IN TELEVISION
WENTWORTH Episode 3 – Prisoner Ben Joss – Foxtel/SoHo
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SOUND IN TELEVISION
RAKE Episode 7 Guntis Sics ASSG, Michol Marsh, Peter Hall, Olivia Monteith – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE IN TELEVISION
THE KETTERING INCIDENT Episode 1 Matteo Zingales, Max Lyandvert – Foxtel/Showcase
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN IN TELEVISION
MARY: THE MAKING OF A PRINCESS Sam Rickard – Network Ten
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN TELEVISION
MOLLY Part 1 Edie Kurzer – Seven Network
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST CHILDREN’S TELEVISION SERIES
BEAT BUGS Josh Wakely, Jennifer Twiner McCarron – 7Two
