2023 AACTA International Awards: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ named Best Film; ‘Banshees’ and ‘Elvis’ win big

The Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts (AACTA), the Australian Academy Awards, have named James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water the best film of 2022, the only win from the group.

Elvis, which dominated their Australian-only awards with 11, picked up wins here for Baz Luhrmann’s direction and Austin Butler for his performance in the titular role. Cate Blanchett won Best Actress for TÁR and just like with BAFTA, The Banshees of Inisherin won screenplay, Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor – although here for Brendan Gleeson over his BAFTA-winning co-star Barry Keoghan, who was nominated here.

Nomination leader Everything Everywhere All At Once lost all six of its bids.

On television, the winners were Mystery Road: Origin for Drama Series and Actor in a Series and The White Lotus for Comedy Series and Actress in a Comedy.

Here is the full list of winners (in bold).

FILM

Best Film
Avatar: The Way of Water
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Banshees of Inisherin
Top Gun: Maverick

Best Direction
James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Baz Luhrmann, Elvis
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans

Best Lead Actor
Austin Butler, Elvis
Joel Edgerton, The Stranger
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Hugh Jackman, The Son

Best Lead Actress
Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Margot Robbie, Babylon
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actor
Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Woody Harrelson, Triangle Of Sadness
Sean Harris, The Stranger
Brad Pitt, Babylon
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actress
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Olivia DeJonge, Elvis
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Jean Smart, Babylon

Best Screenplay
Todd Field, TÁR
Rian Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness
Dana Stevens, Maria Bello, The Woman King

TELEVISION

Best Drama Series
Heartbreak High
Mystery Road: Origin
Severance
Stranger Things
The Bear

Best Comedy Series
Hacks
Only Murders in The Building
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The White Lotus: Sicily
Wednesday

Best Actor in a Series
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Mark Coles Smith, Mystery Road: Origin
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Thomas Weatherall, Heartbreak High

Best Actress in a Series
Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus: Sicily
Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Laura Linney, Ozark
Jean Smart, Hacks
Zendaya, Euphoria