Overview
The 2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel celebrated screen craft excellence across two major events at The Star Event Centre in Sydney in December 2019.
The Industry Luncheon, held on Monday 2 December and hosted by Melinda Buttle and Matt Okine, saw thirty-two AACTA Awards presented to outstanding screen craft and technical achievements across industry sectors. The remaining twenty-one awards were presented at the AACTA Awards Ceremony presented by Foxtel, held on Wednesday 4 December and broadcast on Channel 7, hosted by Shane Jacobson.
Jennifer Kent made AACTA history, receiving the AACTA Awards for Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Best Film for THE NIGHTINGALE. As one of the film’s producers, Kent is the first woman to have received Awards across all three categories, for the same film, in a single year. The film also received the AACTA Award for Best Casting, Aisling Franciosi received the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress, and Magnolia Maymuru took home the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her debut feature film performance.
The AACTA Award for Best Indie Film Presented by Event Cinemas went to Rodd Rathjen’s BUOYANCY, while Bong Joon Ho’s internationally renowned film PARASITE received the AACTA Award for Best Asian Film presented by Eureka International Group (EIG). David Michôd’s THE KING took home four Awards including Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Supporting Actor which was awarded to Joel Edgerton, while Damon Herriman received his first AACTA Award in a feature film category, winning Best Lead Actor for JUDY & PUNCH.
In television, Foxtel’s LAMBS OF GOD led the way, receiving a record breaking eight awards across the Industry Luncheon and Ceremony, including Best Telefeature or Mini Series, Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy, Best Cinematography in Television, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Production Design in Television, Best Original Score in Television, Best Sound in Television and Best Costume Design in Television. LAMB’S OF GOD’s Asha Boswarva was awarded the Subscription Television Award for Best New Female Talent ahead of the Industry Luncheon.
TOTAL CONTROL received the AACTA Award for Best Drama Series and also saw multi AACTA Award winners’ Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths take home Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama respectively.
Five new Awards were presented across the two events: the inaugural AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment went to YOU CAN’T ASK THAT; the AACTA Awards for Best Sports Entertainment Program and Best Sports Coverage went to THE FRONT BAR from Seven Network and Foxtel’s TEST CRICKET – LIVE ON FOX, respectively; the AACTA Award for Best Online Entertainment went to WENGIE who has accumulated over 1.5 billion views on her YouTube channel alone; and the AACTA Award for Best Short Documentary went to HOME FRONT – FACING AUSTRALIA’S CLIMATE EMERGENCY.
The AACTA Award for Best Comedy Program went to THE LETDOWN, which also saw Alison Bell receive her first AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy.
The AACTA Award for Best Documentary went to THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM for their unflinching portrayal of the remarkable story of AFL legend Adam Goodes, while the Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program went to OLD PEOPLE’S HOME FOR 4 YEAR OLDS. Broadening into the online space, the AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy went to Dylan River’s ROBBIE HOOD.
Sam Neill accepted the Longford Lyell Award, Australia’s highest screen accolade, and P.J. Voeten was announced as the recipient of the Byron Kennedy Award, which celebrates outstanding creative enterprise within the screen industry.
List of winners by Luncheon and Ceremony, by Award Category, and by Production Company.
