Overview

The 5th AACTA International Awards were held at the historic Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles on 29 January 2016. The Awards were telecast in Australia on Foxtel on their Foxtel Arts and Arena channels, and were also available on Australian online streaming service Presto until 29 February 2016.

Opening the show were Rachel Griffiths and Daniel MacPherson, who were joined by fellow Australian presenters Abbie Cornish, Miranda Otto, Phillip Noyce, Anna Torv, Radha Mitchell, Angus Sampson, Jonathan LaPaglia and Luke Bracey.

George Miller’s dystopian Road War MAD MAX: FURY ROAD stepped up its Oscars® campaign, taking home two AACTA International Awards - Best Film and Best Direction. These wins followed an outstanding run for MAD MAX: FURY ROAD at the AACTA Awards in Sydney in December 2015, where the film received a total of eight Awards, including Best Film and Best Direction.

CAROL also received two AACTA International Awards tonight, with Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara winning Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. Their performances also saw them both nominated for Oscar®, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Awards.

Competition in the Best Lead Actor category was fierce, with Leonardo DiCaprio (THE REVENANT) taking home the Award for his performance in THE REVENANT. The win marks Leonardo DiCaprio’s second AACTA Award, having previously won the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor for THE GREAT GATSBY at the 3rd AACTA Awards in Sydney. The Award added to an outstanding awards season for the powerhouse performer which saw him win Oscar®,  BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Awards for his performance.

The AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor went to Mark Rylance for his portrayal of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel in Steven Spielberg’s BRIDGE OF SPIES; a performance which also saw him receive Oscar® and BAFTA Awards.

SPOTLIGHT, the true story of The Boston Globe’s role in uncovering the massive scandal of child abuse and cover up by the Catholic Church, won the AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay. The film went on to win Best Original Screenplay and Best Film at the Oscars®.