49-608: The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ( AACTA ) is a professional organisation of film and television practitioners in Australia. The academy's aim is "to identify, award, promote, and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television". It was established in August 2011 with the backing of the Australian Film Institute (AFI) to act as its industry engagement arm and to administer
98-582: A big improvement on the way the AFI does things." The consultation period ended in July 2011 and on 20 July it was announced that the AFI would go ahead with the Australian Academy with Trewhella stating that "[The AFI] envisage that this will lead to greater opportunities for those working in the industry, as well as greater audience recognition and connection with Australian screen content." The name of
147-549: A central role in the way in which the Australian film industry is known and understood, both locally and internationally. In the 1970s, the AFI played a prominent part in reviving the Australian film industry and in convincing the government to invest in the creation of the Experimental Film Fund, a film school, and a corporation for advancing feature film production. The year 1976 marked the first time that
196-505: A description of the award category, the recipient of the award, and the film title cascade below each other. The statuette stands at 295mm in height, 70mm in width and 70mm in depth. When the Australian Film Institute launched the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts , it set out to create a new gold cast statuette. The statuette, which will be handed out from 2012, for the inaugural AACTA Awards, had to "reflect
245-489: A diverse range of books, journals, film scripts, film directories, reports and film festival catalogues. AACTA Awards The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards , known as the AACTA Awards , are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry , both locally and internationally, including
294-549: A museum, gallery or other not-for-profit institution, at the AFI's discretion. The awards were first presented in 1958 during the Melbourne Film Festival at Melbourne University 's Union Theatre. Since its inception, the awards have been predominantly presented in Melbourne but the event has alternated in there and Sydney during the 1990s and 2000s (decade). Awards are handed out over two separate events;
343-478: A new gold statuette was revealed, created by Australian sculptor Ron Gomboc , which depicts "a human silhouette based on the shape of the Southern Cross constellation." The academy, which has between 1,500 and 2,000 members, comprises fifteen Chapters, with each representing a different area of speciality in feature film, television, documentary and short film. It is overseen by the academy's president and
392-614: A non-profit organisation which was established in 1958 to develop an active film culture in Australia and to foster engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry. The AFI was also responsible for administering the Australian Film Institute Awards (more commonly known as the AFI Awards), which until 2011 rewarded Australian practitioners in feature film, television, documentary and short film screen crafts. The academy receives funding by
441-464: A production must be an Australian production or program and, in the case of a film, cannot have been previously submitted for consideration; the material is sent to the AFI in DVD or video formats; for a feature film, it must have been publicly exhibited for seven consecutive days in at least two Australian states; for television and documentaries, the production must have been broadcast on television between
490-580: A stylised Oscar, possibly Oscar's flamboyant brother waving 'hi'". The AACTA Award statuette remains the property of the Australian Film Institute, and is to remain with the winner and their heirs and descendants. It cannot be sold to a third party and if it were to part from the winner or their heir and descendants, the Academy reserves the right to repurchase it for one dollar . The award may, however, have its ownership transferred to
539-492: A subsidiary professional organisation, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The AFI Research Collection is a significant non-lending, specialist film and television industry resource. The collection operates under the auspices of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology 's School of Media and Communication in conjunction with the Australian Film Institute. The collection has particular strengths in screen history and theory and in Australian cinema, and features
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#1732800982654588-405: The 2011 AACTA Awards . A medal was used between 1958 and 1975 as a gold, silver or bronze prize and depicted "three leaping jesters . Around left side, film strip with leaping jester in each frame . Around right side: THE KODAK FILM AWARD". The medal, which was designed by Andor Mészáros , represents two elements of film-making: the leaping jesters represent what the audience sees on screen;
637-507: The AACTA Awards (formerly the Australian Film Institute Awards, also known as the AFI Awards) which rewards achievements in Australian feature film, television, documentary and short films. The academy is composed of 15 chapters, each of which represents different screen artists including actors, directors, producers and writers, and it is overseen by the academy's president and the Honorary Council. Australian actor Geoffrey Rush
686-895: The Australian Film Institute (AFI) as the Australian Film Institute Awards (more commonly known as the AFI Awards), "to recognise and honour outstanding achievement in the Australian film and television industry." They were instituted in 1958, "as a way to improve the impoverished state of Australian cinema", and was part of the Melbourne International Film Festival (known then as the Melbourne Film Festival) until 1972. The first AFI Awards ceremony consisted of seven fields: Documentary, Educational, Advertising, Experimental Film, Public Relations and Teaching, and an Open category for other films which did not fit in
735-492: The roll of film on the right symbolises the individual frames which capture the motion depicted. It was designed in Melbourne and minted by John Pinchas in London, in 1958. The statuette used between 1979 and 2010 is made of "four clear acrylic rectangular prisms on a silver metal base, green felt on bottom"; a plaque, which is attached to the base, has the "afi" insignia, with the words "Australian Film Institute" beneath it;
784-473: The "Kodak film award", a gold, silver or bronze medal, which was handed out from 1958 to 1975; the Grand Prix award which was a "bronze leaf shaped award mounted on a square wooden base", also presented between 1958 and 1975; a statuette, made of acrylic on a silver metal base, handed out from 1979 to 2010; and a gold statuette, based on the Southern Cross constellation, which has been in use since 2012 for
833-651: The 2005 awards judging: The controversy is a blow for the institute, which after years of criticism this year revamped its awards in an effort to restore credibility. Producer John Edwards, who collected seven nominations for Foxtel's Love My Way , did not enter a second drama series, The Surgeon , because it missed the screening deadline. "If I'd known it was this flexible, of course I would have entered it," Edwards said. "Awards are useless if they break their own rules." AFIA has also been criticised for narrow selection of artists for award nominations and an unfair judging process. There has also been controversy over both
882-692: The AACTA Awards Ceremony which hands out the awards in all other categories at a larger venue and is broadcast on television. Additionally, awards for achievements in foreign film were presented once at the AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles in 2012. Australian Film Institute The Australian Film Institute ( AFI ) was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between
931-625: The AACTA Awards Luncheon, a black tie event where accolades are given for achievements in non-feature and short films, film production (with the exception of the Best Film, Direction and Screenplay awards), non-drama related television programs and the Longford Lyell Award ; the AACTA Awards Ceremony presents the awards in all other categories at a larger venue and is broadcast on television. Awards were presented at
980-759: The AFI Awards, which had been given since 1958, were televised. Ten years later, television categories were added to the awards. A recent focus of the organisation has been on helping to develop the careers of Australian film artists, through the AFI Fellowship and AFI Documentary Trailbrazer programs, as well as with the AFI Young Film Actor Award. The AFI is affiliated with the Los Angeles Australian Film & Television Association . In August 2011, AFI formed
1029-463: The AFI announced an industry consultation for an "Australian Academy". The aim of the Academy is to create awareness for Australian film in local and international markets and to improve the way the AFI rewards practitioners with the formation of an "Honorary Council". Of the announcement Damian Trewhella, CEO of the AFI said, "We thought a better way to engage with the industry would be to try and improve our professional membership structure...It's quite
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#17328009826541078-472: The AFI announced, in a special event at the Sydney Opera House , that the academy would be called the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) and the inaugural awards ceremony would be renamed the AACTA Awards , but serve as a continuum to the annual AFI Awards. During the event it was also made known that the president of the inaugural awards would be Geoffrey Rush . On the night
1127-522: The AFI, and Australian state and federal governments . In June 2011, the AFI proposed the establishment of an "Australian Academy". The objectives for the proposed academy was to raise the profile of Australian film and television in Australia and abroad, and to change the way it rewards talent by mimicking the methods used in foreign film organisations, such as Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). The voting system would change through
1176-515: The Australian Film Institute in 1958 (as the Australian Film Awards) as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival , until 1972. Before 1969, awards were presented as a prize to non-feature films due to a lack of feature films produced in Australia. By 1976 competitive film awards were established and in 1987, awards for television was introduced. The awards were usually held at the end of each year in Melbourne but, prior to
1225-475: The Chapters who vote through a two step voting process. The fifteen Chapters consist of professionals from industry guilds and organisations including actors, producers, directors and screenwriters. In round one of feature film voting, each chapter determines the nominees for their own respective category; in round two all members of the Academy can vote for the shortlisted nominees in each category to determine
1274-494: The Honorary Council. The role of the Honorary Council is to determine policies and strategies for the way the academy rewards practitioners. The Chapters are as follows: Source: The Festival of Film, which is held in conjunction with the Australian Film Institute, showcases the films in competition for the AACTA Awards , with the inaugural festival held in Sydney and Melbourne from October to November in 2011. The festival marks
1323-421: The aforementioned categories. Between 1958 and 1980, submitted films were presented with a gold, silver or bronze prize, and in some circumstances, a Grand Prix award, which was the highest honour a film could receive. Additionally, films were also presented with a gold or silver medallion for technical achievements, and films which did not receive a prize were given a certificate of honourable mention. From
1372-504: The announcement of the academy, the AFI announced that it would move the awards to January 2012 at the Sydney Opera House , in order to align them with the international film awards season. The awards are held over two events: the AACTA Awards Luncheon, a black tie event where accolades are handed out for non-feature and short films, film production, non-drama related television programs and the Raymond Longford Award , and
1421-500: The awards inception to 1968, documentary and educational films were the only films submitted for awards due to few feature films produced in Australia, but in 1969, Jack and Jill: A Postscript became the first feature film to receive an award from the AFI, with a silver prize in the "Open" category, and is considered a winner in the Best Film category of the current awards. Up until 1970, prizes were handed out in recognition of
1470-471: The awards with the international awards season. When the Academy announced the dates for the inaugural awards season, they introduced awards which "recognise international excellence within the categories of best film, acting, writing and direction". On 23 November 2011, it was announced that the first award to be handed out since the Academy's inception is the Longford Lyell Award , which was presented to Don McAlpine for his contribution to cinematography, at
1519-541: The beginning of the Australian film awards season, and members of the academy can commence voting for films in all categories, while members of the Institute vote for the Best Short Animation , Best Short Fiction Film and Members' Choice Award only. The AACTA Awards replaced the previous Australian Film Institute Awards, but serve as a continuum to past ceremonies. The awards were first instituted by
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1568-451: The best achievements in screen excellence, regardless of geography... [and to honour] our international screen peers and celebrate fellow Australians working in screen internationally". In 2018, two new categories were announced for the 8th AACTA Awards : AACTA Award for Best Indie Film, and AACTA Award for Best Casting in Film presented by Casting Networks. To be eligible for nomination,
1617-428: The consultation period ended, the AFI announced that it would go ahead with the proposed changes and the Australian Academy. When asked about the timing of the announcement Trewhella stated that, "Based on the overwhelming industry support we have received, we are now confident that we are moving in the right direction, and therefore that we can move briskly to establish the initial phase of the Academy." On 18 August 2011,
1666-412: The eligibility period. The submission of a production is accompanied by an entry fee in Australian dollars, of up to A$ 1680 for feature films, $ 400 for documentaries, $ 330 for short film and animation and $ 1125 for television categories. At the time of the awards inception, a jury of five judges, composed of film critics and filmmakers, determined the winner of a production. In 1976, the jury system
1715-512: The end of each calendar year (November or December) to celebrate film achievements of the corresponding year but beginning in 2012, the awards date was changed to January to celebrate films from the previous year. Past ceremonies and a selection of main awards are shown below. As of 2023 There have been controversial decisions of the Australian Film Institute Awards that have led to claims that it has broken its own rules by including an unscreened mini series in
1764-406: The establishment of an "Honorary Council", which will govern fifteen chapters composed of professionals from industry guilds and organisations including actors , directors , producers and screenwriters . It was also stated that the academy would not replace the AFI and past winners of the AFI Awards would "[...] constitute the founding heritage of an 'Australian Academy.'" When the announcement of
1813-429: The film and production, rather than achievements of individual filmmakers and crafts people. However, from 1971 special achievement awards were introduced to recognise actors, directors, screenwriters, musicians, editors and cinematographers in feature films, and from 1975, an additional cash prize was given per achievement. In 1977 feature film categories became competitive, while non-feature films continued to be awarded
1862-504: The general public and the Australian film industry . It is responsible for producing Australia's premier annual film and television awards, the AACTA Awards (previously the AFI Awards). The work of the institute is supported by government funding, corporate sponsors and approximately 10,000 members nationally. As Australia's foremost motion picture industry association, AFI promotes the Australian film and television industry and plays
1911-582: The gold, silver and bronze prizes until 1981, when they also became competitive. In 1976 the awards were broadcast live on television for the first time on the Nine Network at the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne. In 1986 television categories were introduced, presenting awards for mini-series and telefeatures before expanding to dramas, comedies and documentaries in the 1990s. In June 2011,
1960-514: The inaugural awards luncheon. Also in 2011, the first AACTA International Awards were launched, to take place around a month before the Oscars in Los Angeles, "to recognise excellence within the categories of best film, best acting, writing and directing and is open to any international film, voted on by the Australian academy". As of 2023 , the scope of these awards had broadened, to "honour
2009-468: The new Academy was revealed on 18 August 2011 as the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), with the awards renamed to the AACTA Awards. Prior to this announcement, the awards date and location was changed to January 2012 at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney as opposed to Melbourne where it was held for the majority of the AFI Awards history. The date change was made to align
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2058-533: The prestige and heritage of the Awards[...] but which was above all distinctly Australian", while incorporating the Southern Cross constellation and the human spirit. After receiving submissions from Australian artists, with their interpretations of the design brief, a statuette designed by sculptor Ron Gomboc became the winning design. The statuette, which has a 22 karat gold body, whose human form takes on
2107-968: The producers, directors, actors, writers, and cinematographers. It is the most prestigious awards ceremony for the Australian film and television industry . They are generally considered to be the Australian counterpart of the Academy Awards for the United States and the BAFTA Awards for the United Kingdom. The awards, previously called Australian Film Institute Awards or AFI Awards , began in 1958, and involved 30 nominations across six categories. They expanded in 1986 to cover television as well as film. The AACTA Awards were instituted in 2011. The AACTA International Awards, inaugurated on 27 January 2012, are presented every January in Los Angeles. The awards were presented annually by
2156-445: The proposal was made, the AFI began the consultation phase where members of the public and screen industry gave their feedback on the proposed changes throughout June, 2011. Of the announcement Damian Trewhella, CEO of the AFI said, "We thought a better way to engage with the industry would be to try and improve our professional membership structure[...] It's quite a big improvement on the way the AFI does things." By 20 July, weeks after
2205-562: The shape of the Southern Cross, on a tiger iron gemstone base, was designed over three months at Gomboc's home in Western Australia , before it was presented to the AFI board in June 2011. Gomboc worked with stone artist, Richard Williamson, who cut and polished each individual gemstone base for the statuette, with each base representing "[...] the unique talent and contribution to the industry of every AACTA Award recipient." When
2254-500: The statuette was unveiled at the launch of the Academy by Geoffrey Rush , he announced that a competition to name the award would commence, where people could log onto the Academy's Facebook page and post potential names on its wall. In the media it was well received, with Gary Maddox from the Sydney Morning Herald comparing it to the previous statuette, stating that it, "looks less like a lethal doorstop and more like
2303-561: The winner. All television and non-feature film awards, and feature film pre-selection are determined by juries. Members of the Australian Film Institute are eligible to vote in the Best Short Fiction Film, Best Short Animation , and Audience Choice award categories only. The votes are audited by accounting firm Ernst and Young from 2011. Throughout the history of the awards there have been several differently designed awards given to winners. Most notable ones given are:
2352-456: Was replaced by a peer voting process for feature films which would allow public members the right to vote, but only in the Best Film category. The nominees and winners were later peer-voted by a jury which was made up of representatives from all industry crafts, including members of guilds, who have a "professional membership" with the AFI. When the AFI announced the launch of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, it introduced
2401-459: Was the inaugural president from 2011 to 2017, and hosted the inaugural AACTA Awards in January 2012. The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), is a not for profit, membership based, organisation whose aim is "to identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The academy is a subsidiary of the Australian Film Institute (AFI),
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