Our People

Russell Crowe is an Oscar® winner who is regarded as one of the finest actors of our time. Crowe’s many acting honours include three consecutive Best Actor Oscar® nominations: for his work in the acclaimed 1999 drama THE INSIDER; the 2000 Best Picture winner, GLADIATOR, for which he took home the Oscar®; and 2001’s Best Picture, A BEAUTIFUL MIND.

In addition to the Oscar®, Crowe’s performance as Maximus in Ridley Scott’s GLADIATOR earned him Best Actor honours from several critics’ organisations, including the Broadcast Film Critics and London Film Critics Circle. He also received Golden Globe, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations.

The year prior, Crowe had gained his first Oscar® nomination for his portrayal of tobacco company whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in Michael Mann’s THE INSIDER. He was also named Best Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Broadcast Film Critics Association, National Society of Film Critics and National Board of Review, and garnered Golden Globe, BAFTA Award and SAG Award® nominations.

Crowe’s masterful portrayal of Nobel Prize winner John Forbes Nash Jr. in Ron Howard’s A BEAUTIFUL MIND brought him his third Oscar® nomination, as well as his third consecutive Critics’ Choice Award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association. He also won Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG® Awards, and several other critics groups’ Best Actor Awards.

Reuniting with Howard in 2005, Crowe earned Golden Globe and SAG Award® nominations, and won an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award, for his portrayal of Jim Braddock in CINDERELLA MAN.

In 2015, Crowe made his directorial debut on the sweeping epic THE WATER DIVINER, in which he also starred. The film won three AACTA Awards, including Best Picture.

Born in New Zealand, Crowe was raised in Australia, where he was first honoured for his work on the big screen and began gaining international attention. He was recognised for three consecutive years by the AFI, starting in 1990, when he was nominated for Best Actor for THE CROSSING. In 1991, he won the AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor Award for PROOF. The following year, he received Best Actor Awards from the AFI and the Australian Film Critics for his performance in ROMPER STOMPER. Additionally, the 1993 Seattle International Film Festival named him Best Actor for his work in both ROMPER STOMPER and HAMMERS OVER THE ANVIL.

Crowe made his American film debut in 1995 in Sam Raimi’s Western THE QUICK AND THE DEAD. He went on to earn acclaim for his role in Curtis Hanson’s crime drama LA CONFIDENTIAL.

He has since starred in a long and diverse list of films, including the Ridley Scott-directed projects A GOOD YEAR, AMERICAN GANGSTER, BODY OF LIES and ROBIN HOOD. Among his other credits are MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, for which Crowe earned a Golden Globe nomination; THE NICE GUYS; PROOF OF LIFE; 3:10 TO YUMA; STATE OF PLAY; THE NEXT THREE DAYS; THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS; NOAH; FATHERS & DAUGHTER’S; WINTER’S TALE; MAN OF STEEL; THE MUMMY; LES MISERABLES; and BROKEN CITY. He is currently starring alongside fellow Australian Oscar® winner Nicole Kidman in Joel Edgerton’s BOY ERASED.

Dr George Miller is considered the Statesman of Australian film and accepted the role of inaugural patron of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts in 2001. As a producer, director and writer, Dr Miller's credits include multi-award winning films such as HAPPY FEET, MAD MAX, BABE, DEAD CALM, THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE and LORENZO’S OIL. Dr Miller's production company, Kennedy Miller, has won more than 25 AACTA Awards, in addition to various international awards including Oscars® and Golden Globes. He is the recipient of the Chauvel Award, the AFI Raymond Longford Award and the Order of Australia for distinguished service to Australian cinema. He is also the Chairman of the Byron Kennedy Award, which is presented in association with the AACTA and recognises emerging innovators in the film and television industries.

AFI AWARD CREDITS

• 5th AACTA International Award for Best Film, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD alongside Doug Mitchell and P.J. Voeten (2015)
• 5th AACTA International Award for Best Direction, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
• 5th AACTA Award for Best Film, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD alongside Doug Mitchell and P.J. Voeten (2015)
• 5th AACTA Award for Best Direction, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
• Nominated, 5th AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD alongside Brendan McCarthy and Nick Lathouris (2015)
• AFI Global Achievement Award, HAPPY FEET (2007)
• AFI Raymond Longford Award (1995)
• AFI Award for Best Film, FLIRTING alongside Terry Hayes and Doug Mitchell (1990)
• Nominee, AFI Award for Best Film, DEAD CALM alongside Terry Hayes and Doug Mitchell (1989)
• AFI Award for Best Film, THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE alongside Terry Hayes and Doug Mitchell (1987)
• AFI Award for Best Direction, MAD MAX 2 (1982)
• Nominee, Best Original Screenplay, MAD MAX alongside James McClausand (1979)
• Nominee, Best Direction, MAD MAX (1979)
• AFI Jury Prize, MAD MAX alongside Byron Kennedy (1979)

A full filmography for Dr George Miller can be found on the IMDb website.

"Australia profiles highly within the international screen industry – as a nation, we are renowned for producing some of the world’s most talented screen professionals, both behind and on camera. I've been a patron of the AFI for 11 years, and am delighted to be part of the AACTA's new Academy." - Cate Blanchett

Internationally awarded actress, Cate Blanchett, was the AACTA's first Ambassador, taking up the important role in 2001. Oscar®, BAFTA and Golden Globe awarded, Blanchett's first major accolade came with her AFI Award in 1997 for Best Supporting Actress in THANK GOD HE MET LIZZIE. With internationally acclaimed performances in films such as ELIZABETH, THE AVIATOR, NOTES ON A SCANDAL, BLUE JASMINE, I’M NOT THERE and CAROL, Cate Blanchett is a highly respected, creative force.

AFI AND AACTA AWARD CREDITS

• 5th AACTA Longford Lyell Award (2015)
• 5th AACTA International Award for Best Actress, CAROL (2015)
• 3rd AACTA International Award for Best Actress, BLUE JASMINE (2014)
• AFI International Award for Best Actress, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (2008)
• AFI Award for Best Lead Actress, LITTLE FISH (2005)
• Nominee, AFI Award for Best Lead Actress, OSCAR AND LUCINDA (1998)
• AFI Award for Best Supporting Actress, THANK GOD HE MET LIZZIE (1997)

A full filmography for Cate Blanchett can be found on the IMDb website.

Jack Christian is an award-winning, two-time Emmy Award nominated film and television showrunner, writer and producer. 

Jack’s series credits include ABC’s Emmy nominated teen series "Heart & Soul", mystery drama series "Dive Club" and crime thriller, "Troppo". Jack co-created and served as showrunner, producer and director on Hulu’s multi-award-winning, Emmy nominated animated comedy series "Get Ace".

Jack’s feature film producing credits include the Guy Pearce, Tim Roth thriller "Killing Faith"; "Dead Guy" starring Michael Shannon and Eva Longoria; the Diane Keaton-helmed comedy "Arthur's Whisky"; Tim Roth, Arron Eckhart actioner "Classified"; crime thriller "5lbs of Pressure" starring Luke Evans and Alex Pettyfer; Aaron Eckhart's spy thriller "Chief of Station"; the whimsical comedy "Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose" starring Simon Pegg and Minnie Driver; Kit Harington's horror "What Remains of Us"; John Curran helmed thriller "Mercy Road"; the Sarah Snook thriller "Run Rabbit Run"; Paramount’s psychological thriller "The Infernal Machine" starring Guy Pearce as well as dramedy "Seriously Red" starring Rose Byrne.

For over two decades, Jack has financed and produced film and television productions worldwide and is the Founder and CEO of film and television financier, Filmology Finance. He is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has a seat on the Board of Directors of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.

Alan Finney has an extensive background in film production and distribution, first becoming involved in the industry in the early 1960s.

In 1971, he joined Roadshow Film Distributors and brought the movie STORK to Roadshow's attention. This acquisition led to the formation of Hexagon Productions, the first ongoing joint venture between production and distribution entities in contemporary Australian history producing such movies as ALVIN PURPLE, ALVIN RIDES AGAIN, PETERSEN, END PLAY and ELIZA FRASER. During his time with Roadshow Film Distributors, Finney supervised the release of many Australian titles including MAD MAX, BREAKER MORANT, MY FIRST WIFE, PROOF, ROMPER STOMPER, THE PIANO, BAD BOY BUBBY, MURIEL'S WEDDING, THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT, DEAD HEART and THE CASTLE.

Alan joined Buena Vista International (now Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) in 1998 as Vice President and Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand. Since then he has overseen the theatrical releases of THE SIXTH SENSE, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, CHICAGO, WHALERIDER, MALLBOY, THE MAN WHO SUED GOD to name just a few and most recently, the record breaking FINDING NEMO from Pixar Studios and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST. He left the Disney Company in April, 2010. Finney has also served on the board of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and as Chair of the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia and was previously on the board of AFI.

In 2002, Alan was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to Australian film. In November 2010, Alan received the Screen Producers' Association of Australia's Maura Fay Award for Services to the Industry.

Keith is an award-winning producer who has worked in film, television, music, technology and event production for more than 30 years. He is the managing director of production houses Fear of God Films and 98; his partnerships with Oscar-winning actor, producer and director Russell Crowe.

Jennifer Huby is a partner of HWL Ebsworth Lawyers. Jennifer’s experience is in corporate and commercial law with a specialisation in the areas of media and entertainment, intellectual property and competition and consumer law.  She advises on commercial and business matters for a variety of clients and has acted as general counsel to a number of multinational corporations for many years. She has acted on both local and global mergers as well as corporate and business acquisitions and divestments including many in the entertainment sector.

Jennifer has practiced in the area of media and entertainment for nearly 30 years and has worked extensively in live performance and theatre, film and television and music industries. Jennifer has acted for many leading producers of theatrical productions including rights acquisitions for Australian productions of Broadway and West End productions (including Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), financing and investment arrangements and agreements for theatre hire, merchandise, engagement of creative and cast, music licensing and cast albums.  She acts for a number of leading film and television producers and financiers (both local and international) and has credits on numerous film and television productions spanning over 25 years ranging from local productions such as Chopper, to the 3D animated film of Walking with Dinosaurs for BBC Earth and Evergreen Film, to the current production of the Mad Max film  Furiosa for Warner Bros. In the music field, Jennifer acts for a number of iconic Australian artists (including Midnight Oil, Jimmy Barnes, Tina Arena and the Veronicas) and one of the major record companies and is experienced in all aspects of music acquisition, protection and exploitation.

Jennifer also has specialist expertise in the area of intellectual property. She advises on the protection, commercialisation, exploitation of clients’ products and services including copyright, trade marks and designs and acts for owners of well-known brands, characters and trade marks worldwide. Jennifer is also regularly engaged to review advertisements and marketing campaigns as well as the labelling, packaging and get-up of products.  She has also advised on numerous large transactions over many years in which IP plays a critical part. 

Tony Petani is an intellectual property and commercial law specialist working closely with the film and broader arts community.  In this capacity he has advised the AFI|AACTA for a number of years and has an intimate knowledge of the organisation, its goals and the environment in which it operates.  Tony has been a known and trusted adviser to the AFI Board in the past, and has attended every AFI AGM since 2007.

Tony can bring strong commercial negotiation skills and industry knowledge to the Board, invaluable to its continued growth as a premier film organisation.  Tony has previously held board positions with arts organisations including the Blue Room Theatre, Perth’s leading independent theatre venue and has a thorough understanding of the funding principals underpinning arts organisations such as the AFI|AACTA. Tony has advised a number of producers and independent film professionals in relation to every aspect of film production in Australia, and this uniquely places him in a position to gauge the position of the industry on a broad scale and isolate areas of particular concern to the film community.

Most importantly, Tony has a love of Australian film in all of its forms, having been involved in a number of Australian productions. This passion for film is at the heart of his desire to become part of this iconic organisation and assist in building a strong and prosperous film and television industry in Australia.

Jo Smith has held senior management positions in the Australian film and cultural industries including Executive Director of the Australian Guild of Screen Composers, Policy Advisor to the Screen Producers Association of Australia and Director of the Sydney Film Festival Travelling Film Festival.

After leading a screen industry campaign to save an independent regional cinema, the Regal Cinema in Newcastle, she became a Director of the Regal Cinema Trust and the manager of the Regal Cinema, enabling it to successful re-open as an independent weekend cinema.

Jo is Associate Producer, and featured in, The Matilda Candidate,
(director: Curtis Levy) a documentary about Australian national identity. The film screened at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA); the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, and nationally on ABC TV on Australia Day.

She is the Co-Director of NIFF: Newcastle International Film Festival which had its inaugural festival in October, 2023 with 21 events and mostly sold-out houses.

Awarded the Screen Leader Award for Outstanding Leadership, Achievement and Services to the Screen Industry, Nadia Tass is one of Australia’s most iconoclastic screen directors.

Nadia’s work is recognised internationally with Australian classics “Malcolm” and “The Big Steal”.  Subsequent films include “Pure Luck” (Universal Studios), “Mr Reliable”(Polygram UK), “Amy” (Village Roadshow), “Matching Jack” (Fox Studios) which have been lauded by audiences and awarded at film festivals internationally.  She directs films and high-end television in the US for Universal Studios, Disney, Warner Bros, CBS and ABC, as well as the UK’s BBC. 

Tass was honoured with retrospectives of her work in Los Angeles (American Cinematheque), Moscow, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Hawaii, and New Delhi.  She sat on juries for the Hawaii Film Festival, and as Head of Jury for St. Tropez, Asian Festival Of First Films, Pune International FF, and Cinefest Oz.  She serves as juror for the International Chapter of Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), and the DGA documentary award (2021, 2022, 2023).

Her documentary feature “Oleg”, won Best Documentary at Prague Independent FF, Best Film at Rhode Island FF (2021), was officially selected for Moscow International FF (2021), and featured at United Nations Association FF.  “Oleg” is currently screening at festivals around the world.

Tass’s work has received over 70 international awards including Best Director AFI (“Malcolm”); Best Director, Milan International FF, and Best Film Cannes Cinephile Prix du Jury (“Matching Jack”); Le Grande Prix du Cinecole and Les Mureaux Grand Prix (Cannes Junior) at Cannes Film Festival (“Amy”).

She has worked with many actors of note including: Harvey Keitel, Shailene Woodley, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Mia Farrow, Marcia Gay Harden, Rachel Griffiths, Ben Mendelsohn, Martin Short, Danny Glover, Connie Britton, Yvonne Strahovski, Damon Herriman, Brian Cox, Richard Roxburgh.

Nadia has a number of film projects in different stages of development.  She also directs theatre in New York, London, and Australia.

Amanda is Foxtel Group’s Chief Content and Commercial Officer and was also recently appointed as Managing Director of BINGE, the video streaming subscription service. Amanda's responsibilities include Foxtel Group entertainment content strategy, planning and acquisitions, original scripted and unscripted productions, BINGE performance, Foxtel Group legal and regulatory affairs as well as commercial partnerships.

Amanda is a highly respected media executive with extensive experience across Australia’s free-to-air, broadcast, print, digital and subscription landscape. She has particular expertise in the structuring and negotiation of entertainment and sports content rights, commercial development and media mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Foxtel, Amanda served in senior leadership roles at Nine Entertainment Co. including Group General Counsel and Commercial Director before assuming the position of Managing Director. 

Amanda has served on the Boards of several regulatory and corporate organisations in advisory roles as well as holding Board positions with Australian media companies and sports bodies, including the Australian Rugby League Commission and the Australian Sports Commission.