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SA a winner at AACTA awards

Jan 30, 2015
Psychological horror The Babadook.

Psychological horror The Babadook.

The 2015 AACTA awards have been hailed as a win for the South Australian film industry, with low-budget horror The Babadook tying for best film with Russell Crowe’s drama The Water Diviner.

The Babadook, a film about a mother plagued by the violent death of her husband and also dealing with her son’s belief there is monster in their home, was made for a budget of just over $2 million at Adelaide Studios.

It is the first horror to win an AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema, Television and the Arts) award for best film, and also picked up the best original screenplay and best director awards for writer/director Jennifer Kent.

“It has managed to strike a chord on a deeper level with so many people around the world,” Kent said, in accepting the best film award with The Babadook star Essie Davis at last night’s AACTA awards.

Russell Crowe’s directorial debut The Water Diviner, about an Australian farmer’s search for his three sons still missing four years after Gallipoli, was filmed partly in South Australia. It also scooped the best supporting actor award (Yilmaz Erdogan) and best costume design.

A number of South Australian productions were recognised in the AACTA “craft awards” luncheon on Tuesday, including Pop Pictures’ documentary Sons & Mothers (Best Cinematography in a Documentary and Best Sound in a Documentary); TV series ANZAC Girls (Best Sound in Television) and The Rover (Best Sound in a Feature Film). Susan Prior was last night named Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Rover.

“This is an exceptional win for our talented film practitioners,” South Australian Film Corporation chairman Judy Potter said of the wins.

“We have a world-class screen industry which also delivers fantastic economic benefits.”

Other big winners at last night’s glamour ceremony, hosted by Cate Blanchett and Deborah Mailman, included the sci-fi thriller Predestination, which added another AACTA to the three it won at the luncheon when Sarah Snook won best lead actress.

David Gulpilil was recognised as the best lead actor for his work in Charlie’s Country.

Rose Byrne was awarded the inaugural Trailblazer Award, and while The LEGO Movie missed out on a lot of Academy Award nominations, the Australian industry was keen to honour the popular flick in the best visual effects or animation category.

In television, The Code was the big winner with four awards, including best television drama, while The Voice took out the top prize for reality TV.

Josh Thomas, who won best screenplay in television, said the overseas success of his show Please Like Me made him feel “normal”.

“I really want to be eccentric, but apparently I’m just fine,” he said backstage, clutching his award to his chest.

– with AAP

FOURTH AACTA AWARDS WINNERS:

CEREMONY

AACTA LONGFORD LYELL AWARD: Andrew Knight

BYRON KENNEDY AWARD: Amiel Courtin-Wilson

AACTA TRAILBLAZER AWARD: Rose Byrne

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST VISUAL EFFECTS OR ANIMATION: THE LEGO MOVIE. Chris McKay, Amber Naismith, Aidan Sarsfield and Grant Freckelton

TELEVISION

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY SERIES: UTOPIA. Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Michael Hirsh and Rob Sitch – ABC

BEST LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION SERIES: HAMISH & ANDY’S GAP YEAR SOUTH AMERICA. Tim Bartley, Sophia Mogford, Frank Bruzzese and Ryan Shelton – Nine Network

BEST REALITY TELEVISION SERIES: THE VOICE AUSTRALIA. Julie Ward – Nine Network

BEST TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES: THE CODE. Shelley Birse, David Maher and David Taylor – ABC

BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINI SERIES: DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND. Helen Bowden, Penny Chapman, Blake Ayshford and Simon Burke –
Foxtel Showcase

BEST DIRECTION IN A TELEVISION DRAMA OR COMEDY: THE CODE, Episode 1. Shawn Seet – ABC

BEST SCREENPLAY IN TELEVISION: PLEASE LIKE ME, Episode 2/07: Scroggin. Josh Thomas – ABC2

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA: Ashley Zukerman. THE CODE – ABC

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA: Marta Dusseldorp. JANET KING – ABC

BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA: Eamon Farren. CARLOTTA – ABC

BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA: Chelsie Preston Crayford. THE CODE, Episode 1 – ABC

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TELEVISION COMEDY: Debra Lawrance. PLEASE LIKE ME – ABC2

DOCUMENTARY

BEST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY: UKRAINE IS NOT A BROTHEL. Kitty Green, Jonathan auf der Heide and Michael Latham

FEATURE FILM

BEST FILM: THE BABADOOK. Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere; THE WATER DIVINER. Andrew Mason, Keith Rodger and Troy Lum

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

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