Overview

AACTA announced the winners of the Inaugural AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles on Friday 27 January 2017, recognising international excellence across five categories: Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress.

AACTA President Geoffrey Rush lead a line up of outstanding Australians presenting Awards at the Ceremony, including Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Phillip Noyce, Liam Hemsworth and Bella Heathcote. In addition to Award nominees, recipients and presenters, the inaugural Ceremony also attracted a star-studded line up of guests, including Kathy Bates, Frances O'Connor, Joel Edgerton and Keith Urban.

Elegant and nostalgic, the black and white, and almost completely silent film THE ARTIST was the big winner, receiving the AACTA International Awards for Best Film, Best Direction and Best Actor for Jean Dujardin's powerful performance as George Valentin, a star of the silent film era, struggling to adjust to the arrival of the ‘talkies’.

The multi-award winning Meryl Streep also attended the Ceremony, and received the AACTA International Award for Best Actress for her impressive portrayal of formidable former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in THE IRON LADY.

The award for Best Screenplay proved fiercely competitive, with two joint winners announced after jury voting was tied in this category. The two winners were the adapted screenplay from THE IDES OF MARCH, and the original screenplay from MARGIN CALL.

Clips from the inaugural AACTA International Awards Ceremony can be found here.