‘Elvis’ is the king of the 2022 Australian Academy Awards (AACTA) with 11 wins
The Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts (AACTA), the Australian Academy Awards, has announced the full list of AACTA Award winners, highlighting Australian-based film and television making, where Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was the biggest winner of the night, taking home four additional Awards including the coveted award for Best Film, Best Direction in Film presented by Filmology Finance (Baz Luhrmann), Best Lead Actor (Austin Butler) and Best Supporting Actress in Film (Olivia DeJonge). Elvis dominated the AACTA Industry Awards on Monday with seven wins, bringing its total AACTA Award count to 11.
In television, Mystery Road: Origin received an additional three AACTA Awards, including Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actor (Mark Coles Smith) and Best Actress (Tuuli Narkle) in a Drama presented by Foxtel. After receiving four AACTA Awards during Monday’s Industry Awards, Mystery Road: Origin leads the TV Award categories with a total of seven AACTA Awards.
Another big winner of the evening was internet-sensation Heartbreak High. The teen-drama swept all three of its Audience Choice Award categories including Best TV Show, Best Actor (Bryn Chapman), and Best Actress (Chloe Hayden). The Audience Choice Awards continued with Kat Clark crowned Best Digital Creator and Abbie Chatfield given the title of Australia’s Best TV Personality.
Chris Hemsworth earned the night’s Trailblazer Award, which highlights and honors the achievements, abilities and success of an Australian screen practitioner who inspires others in the industry. Hemsworth earned kudos for his outstanding career and contributions to the Australian film business. As one of the most famous residents of the NSW North Coast, Hemsworth has used his position and status to attract global productions to Australia, creating jobs and opportunities for hundreds of local screen practitioners, while championing the Australian film industry.
On receiving the accolade from AACTA President, Russell Crowe, Hemsworth said: “Tonight is a huge honour. I don’t take for granted the opportunities the Australian screen industry has afforded me and I’m excited and proud that the rest of the world is discovering just how great it is to make world class movies down under with our incredible crews and creatives. I feel like we are all only really getting started.”
AACTA CEO, Damian Trewhella said “What a phenomenal year for Australian screen. To be able to celebrate and recognize so many talented practitioners who have found success both locally and internationally is an honor. These awards recognize the monumental effort and skill that goes into making a production and honor the hard-working creatives and artists who keep us entertained. Well done to all of the winners and nominees. I look forward to another prosperous year of Australian production.”
Last month, AACTA announced that Costume, Production and Set Designer, Producer and Academy Award winner, Catherine Martin would be honored for her outstanding global contribution and influence to film, with the Australian Academy’s most prestigious award – the Longford Lyell Award.
During the 2022 AACTA Awards Ceremony, Martin’s peers and colleagues paid tribute to the creative who has influenced the industry for more than three decades. Other Australian icons graced the stage with powerful musical performances by Guy Pearce and Natalie Imbruglia. The Australian Academy’s president Russell Crowe delivered an empowering opening.
Brian Walsh, Executive Director of Drama and Senior Content Consultant for the Foxtel Group said: “Australia has a formidable screen industry and this was strongly demonstrated again this year with the broad range of winners at this year’s AACTA Awards.
It was a year rich in story and diversity and our films and television series are being embraced and applauded by audiences the world over.”
NSW Minister for Tourism and the Arts Ben Franklin said the AACTA Awards were an important acknowledgement of the screen industry which showcased NSW to the world.
“NSW is home to some of the nation’s brightest screen talent and filming locations, so we are delighted to roll out the red carpet in Sydney for this year’s AACTA Awards. The NSW Government joins AACTA in congratulating all of the winners of this year’s AACTA Awards for the dedication and innovation to their craft which these awards represent. The AACTA Awards underscore the important contribution the screen industry makes to our visitor economy by showcasing the inspiring city and landscapes of NSW to a global audience.”
Full list of 2022 AACTA Award Winners below:
FILM
- AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film: Elvis – Mandy Walker
- AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film: Elvis – Catherine Martin
- AACTA Award for Best Direction in Film presented by Filmology Finance: Elvis – Baz Luhrmann
- AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film presented by Spectrum Films: Elvis – Matt Villa, Jonathan Redmond
- AACTA Award for Best Film: Elvis – Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss – Bazmark
- AACTA Award for Best Indie Film: A Stitch In Time – Sasha Hadden (Dir.) – Hadden Motion Pictures
- AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film: Austin Butler – Elvis
- AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in Film: Leah Purcell – The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
- AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film: Falling For Figaro – Cezary Skubiszewski
- AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film: Elvis – Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Beverley Dunn
- AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film: The Stranger – Thomas M. Wright
- AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film: Elvis – David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, Michael Keller
- AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film: Sean Harris – The Stranger
- AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film: Olivia DeJonge – Elvis
TELEVISION
- AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program: Bluey – Charlie Aspinwall, Sam Moor, Daley Pearson – Ludo Studio (ABC)
- AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Tyson Perkins
- AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer: Tom Gleeson – Hard Quiz
- AACTA Award for Best Comedy Program: Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell – Peter Beck, Beth Hart, Shaun Micallef – ITV Studios Australia (ABC)
- AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television: Heartbreak High (Episode 1) – Rita Carmody
- AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Dylan River
- AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television: You Can’t Ask That (Episode 1) – Kirk Docker
- AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program: Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked – Laurie Critchley, Bethan Arwel-Lewis – Southern Pictures (ABC)
- AACTA Award for Best Drama Series: Mystery Road: Origin – Greer Simpkin, David Jowsey – Bunya Productions (ABC)
- AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Nicholas Holmes
- AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program: LEGO® Masters Australia – David McDonald, Di Yang, AJ Johnson – Endemol Shine Australia (Nine Network)
- AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program: Old People’s Home for Teenagers – Debbie Cuell, Tony De La Pena, Paulo Vivan, Brooke Hulsman – Endemol Shine Australia (ABC)
- AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Presented by Foxtel: Mark Coles Smith – Mystery Road: Origin
- AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Presented by Foxtel: Tuuli Narkle – Mystery Road: Origin
- AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program: Gardening Australia – Gill Lomas – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
- AACTA Award for Best Miniseries: The Twelve – Hamish Lewis, Ian Collie, Ally Henville, Rob Gibson, Michael Brooks – Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia and Easy Tiger Productions (Binge, Foxtel)
- AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television: Savage River (Episode 1) – Bryony Marks
- AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television: The Tourist (Episode 1) – Scott Bird
- AACTA Award for Best Reality Program: MasterChef Australia – David Forster, Eoin Maher, Simon Child – Endemol Shine Australia (Network 10)
- AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television: Heartbreak High (Episode 1) – Hannah Carroll Chapman
- AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Luke Mynott, Wes Chew, Trevor Hope, Dylan Barfield
- AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special: Ronny Chieng: Speakeasy – Ronny Chieng – All Things Comedy and Netflix (Netflix)
- AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Thomas Weatherall – Heartbreak High
- AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Brooke Satchwell – The Twelve
SHORT FILM
- AACTA Award for Best Short Film: Finding Jedda – Tanith Glynn-Maloney – Since1788 Productions, Unless Pictures, Orange Entertainment Co
DOCUMENTARY
- AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary: Facing Monsters – Rick Rifici
- AACTA Award for Best Documentary: River – Jennifer Peedom (Dir.), Joseph Nizeti, Jo-anne McGowan, John Smithson – Stranger Than Fiction Films
- AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary: We Were Once Kids – Shannon Swan
- AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary: River – Richard Tognetti, William Barton, Piers Burbrook de Vere
- AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary: Facing Monsters – Jeremy Ashton, Ric Curtin, Xoe Baird
DIGITAL
- AACTA Award for Best Digital Series or Channel: A Beginner’s Guide to Grief – Anna Lindner, Renee Mao, Linda Ujuk, Kate Butler, Julie Byrne
- AACTA Award for Best Digital Short Video: Daddy Long Legs – Dr. Karl
OTHER
- AACTA Award for Best Casting Presented by Casting Networks: The Twelve – Kirsty McGregor
- AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup presented by HASK: Elvis – Shane Thomas, Louise Coulston, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird
- AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation: Elvis – Tom Wood, Fiona Crawford, Julian Hutchens, Joshua Simmonds, Adam Hammond – Warner Bros. Pictures
INDIVIDUAL
2022 AACTA Trailblazer Award Recipient: Chris Hemsworth
2022 AACTA Longford Lyell Award Recipient: Catherine Martin
2022 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Recipient: Jayden James and George Harrington (Mr. Wolf), Rachel Kayrooz (Facing the Fear)
AACTA AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Film: Elvis
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best TV Series: Heartbreak High
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Actor: Bryn Chapman (Heartbreak High)
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Actress: Chloe Hayden (Heartbreak High)
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best TV Personality: Abbie Chatfield
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Digital Creator: Kat Clark
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Sports Program: Women’s Footy (Nine)
- AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Sports Commentary Team: 2022 AFL Grand Final (Seven)
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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