Past Winners

1990-1999

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AACTA Winners & Nominees

AFI Past winners

From The Devil's Playground in 1976 until Gallipoli in 1981, the most nominated film in the Best Film category had won the award for Best Film. In the next eight years, Best Film accolades were shared equally between the two most nominated films in that category. Careful He Might Hear You, Bliss, Malcolm and The Navigator all headed the nominations. But Lonely Hearts, Annie's Coming Out, The Year My Voice Broke and Evil Angels won from second position in the nominations.

In 1990, the most nominated film was Blood Oath (9), just ahead of The Big Steal (8). Flirting had 6 nominations and the other Best Film nominee Struck By Lightning had 4. Paul Cox’s Golden Braid had 5 nominations, but they did not include Best Film.

The evening started brightly for Blood Oath, with victories for Best Sound and to Roger Kirk for Best Costume Design (his second award from two nominations). But that was to be Blood Oath's tally.

The Big Steal delivered Best Supporting Actor to Steve Bisley, giving him two wins from three nominations in this category. Best Original Screenplay went to David Parker (his second victory from two nominations). Rounding out a good evening for the team, The Big Steal also won Best Original Music. Composer Phil Judd had been previously nominated in this category for Starstruck.

But the night belonged to Flirting. Earlier in the evening, it received awards for Best Editing to Robert Gibson, who had been previously nominated for Fatty Finn and who was also nominated this year for Two Brothers Running. Roger Ford won the award for Best Production Design, having been previously nominated for Costume Design on Those Dear Departed. Flirting was also named Best Film, and this was the first time that a film took the top honour without a nomination in the direction category.

The winner in that category was Ray Argall for Return Home, which had only one other nomination (Frankie J. Holden as Best Lead Actor). Argall had a previous nomination in the Best Cinematography category for Wrong World.

The Crossing, which was nominated in three categories, gave Jeff Darling his first AFI Award for Best Cinematography. It was in a strong field, with Russell Boyd (Blood Oath), Geoff Burton (Flirting) and Nino Martinetti (Golden Braid) the other nominees.

Best Lead Actress was awarded to first-time nominee Catherine McClements for Weekend With Kate. The remaining two acting awards went to Father. Max von Sydow was named Best Lead Actor for his powerful performance, while Julia Blake won in the Best Supporting Actress category. She had been previously nominated for Travelling North and had won Best Actress in a Mini-Series for Edens Lost.

This year, television mini-series and telefeatures were bundled together. Come In Spinner led with 6 nominations, followed by Police Crop with 5. The Magistrate garnered 4 nominations, while The Girl From Tomorrow received 3 nominations. Best Screenplay in a Mini-Series or Television Drama went to Chris Warner for The Magistrate. Frankie J. Holden was named Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Telefeature for his performance in Police Crop. He had also been nominated as Best Lead Actor in the feature film category for his performance in Return Home. Best Mini-Series or Telefeature was awarded to Come In Spinner (Jan Chapman). Chapman had previously won Best Telefeature with Two Friends in 1987. Rob Marchand took home Best Direction in a Mini-Series or Telefeature for his work on Come In Spinner and Rebecca Gibney won the Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Telefeature award.

Handmaidens And Battleaxes was named Best Documentary. The award for Best Cinematography in a Non-Feature Film unearthed a remarkable new talent in Dion Beebe. He obtained two of the four nominations, winning for The Space Between The Door And The Floor.

Dennis O’Rourke received the Byron Kennedy Award for consistent artistic innovation in the field of documentary.

The Raymond Longford Award was given to Peter Weir, whose body of work now included Witness, The Mosquito Coast and Dead Poets Society.

1990 Winners & Nominees

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  • jeff-darling,-andrew-denton,-unknown-1990
  • matt-quartermain,-glenn-robbins,-michael-veitch-1990
  • paul-cronin-tracy-mann-1990
  • peter-weir,-rebecca-gibney,-steve-vizard-1990
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FEATURE FILM

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NON-FEATURE FILM

  • Kodak Award for Best Documentary

  • Winner:

    Handmaidens And Battleaxes Rosalind Gillespie (Director)

    Nominees:

    Lord Of The Bush Tom Zubrycki (Director)
    Senso Daughters Noriko Sekiguchi (Director)
    Tightrope Dancer Ruth Cullen (Director)

  • Kodak Award for Best Animation

  • Winner:

    Picture Start Swinburne Film School (Production Company), Jeremy Parker (Director)

    Nominees:

    Once As If A Balloon Sabrina Schmid (Director)
    The Emu And The Sun John Skibinski (Director)
    Tiga Lucinda Clutterbuck (Director)

  • Kodak Award for Best Short Film

  • Winner:

    Sparks AFTRS (Production Company), Robert Klenner (Director)

    Nominees:

    Swimming AFTRS (Production Company), Belinda Chayko (Director)
    Teenage Babylon Graeme Wood (Director)
    The Killing Of Angelo Tsakos AFTRS (Production Company), Kay Pavlou (Director)

  • Kodak Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film

  • Winner:

    Sparks Catherine Zimdahl

    Nominees:

    Night Out Lawrence Johnston
    The Killing Of Angelo Tsakos Kay Pavlou, Petro Alexiou
    The Space Between The Door And The Floor Andrew O'Sullivan

  • Kodak Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography in a Non-Feature Film

  • Winner:

    The Space Between The Door And The Floor Dion Beebe

    Nominees:

    A Parting Dion Beebe
    Handmaidens And Battleaxes Laurie McInnes
    The Wonderful World Of Dogs Tony Wilson, Stephen F. Windon

  • Kodak Award for Best Achievement in Editing in a Non-Feature Film

  • Winner:

    The Wonderful World Of Dogs Lindsay Frazer

    Nominees:

    Handmaidens And Battleaxes Diane Priest
    Once In Time Tania Nehme
    Sparks Linda Kruger

  • Kodak Award for Best Achievement in Sound in a Non-Feature Film

  • Winner:

    Land Bilong Islanders Bronwyn Murphy, Rex Watts

    Nominees:

    A Parting Christian Bass
    Handmaidens And Battleaxes Bronwyn Murphy
    Sparks Catharine Chase, Michael Webster, Trish Fitzsimons

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TELEVISION

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