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Oscar and Bafta-winning costume, production and set designer and producer Catherine Martin is to be honored by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) with the body’s most prestigious award, the Longford Lyell Award.

Martin is the most awarded Australian in Oscar history with four Oscars, five BAFTAs, a Tony Award and five AFI, three AACTAs and the Byron Kennedy Award.

“I am humbled and honoured to be this year’s recipient of the Longford Lyle Award,” said Martin.

“To be recognized by one’s peers in one’s home country is profoundly meaningful. Australia, with its myriad filmmaking opportunities and wonderful talents, has been extraordinarily fertile soil for my body of work, and for this, I am truly grateful.”

First presented in 1968, the Longford Lyell Award honours Australian film pioneer Raymond Longford and his partner in filmmaking and life, Lottie Lyell.

The Award is the highest...

The late David Gulpilil will receive Aacta’s highest honour, the Longford Lyell Award, for his outstanding contribution to Australian cinema on Wednesday.

The legendary actor died on Monday, aged 68, four years after a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer.

Aacta began work on the tribute and award six months ago, with Gulpilil accepting the honour a few weeks ago from South Australia as he was unable to travel.

First presented in 1968, the award honours Australian film pioneer Raymond Longford and his partner in filmmaking and life, Lottie Lyell. Previous recipients include Cate Blanchett, George Miller, Paul Hogan, Jack Thompson and Jacki Weaver.

Aacta has said this year’s prize acknowledges not just Gulpilil’s incredible body of work, but his role in creating more diverse, inclusive, and truthful Australian stories.

A Mandjalpingu man from Ramingining, Arnhem Land, Gulpilil’s first role was in Nick Roeg’s 1971 film Walkabout as a teenager.

Sam Neill. (Photo: Ross Coffey)

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) will next month bestow actor Sam Neill with its highest honour, the Longford Lyell Award.

First presented in 1968, the award honours Australian film pioneer Raymond Longford and his partner in filmmaking and life, Lottie Lyell. It recognises a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia’s screen environment and culture.

Neill joins previous recipients such as Peter Weir, Fred Schepisi, Jan Chapman, David Stratton, Don McAlpine, Al Clark, Jacki Weaver, Andrew Knight, Cate Blanchett, Phillip Noyce and most recently, Bryan Brown.

“I am very thrilled by this honour indeed,” said Neill. “And very surprised! Let me check just in case they’ve made a mistake…”

Neill made his feature debut in Roger Donaldson’s Sleeping Dogs in 1979, which led to a breakthrough role in Gillian Armstrong’s My Brilliant Career opposite Judy Davis.

Sam Neill and Bryan Brown.

Bryan Brown will receive this year’s Longford Lyell Award, the highest honour bestowed by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta).

Director Ian Dunlop was the first recipient of the honour named after film pioneers Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell at the 1968 AFI Awards.

The roll call of honorees includes Peter Weir, Geoffrey Rush, Fred Schepisi, Jan Chapman, David Stratton, Don McAlpine, Al Clark, Jacki Weaver, Andrew Knight, Cate Blanchett and, last year, Phillip Noyce.

“In the 38 years since Bryan received his first AFI Award we have seen him firmly established as one of Australia’s most respected actors. As one of our earliest performance winners it is fitting that we honour Bryan this year as AFI | Aacta celebrates its 60th anniversary,” said AFI | Aacta CEO Damian Trewhella.

“We are full of admiration for Bryan’s commitment to his craft, his role...

Kamila Andini.

There’s an Australian connection among each of the competition winning films at this year’s Adelaide Film Festival.

The prizes for the best fiction feature, documentary and Vr films were presented yesterday evening at the festival, ahead of the Australian premiere of Felix Van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy.

Indonesian writer-director Kamila Andini’s The Seen and Unseen, a co-production between Indonesia, the Netherlands, Australia and Qatar, took out the $20,000 prize for International Feature Fiction Competition. Set in Bali, the film follows a young girl who seeks out imaginative ways to cope with the death of her twin brother, and it has also won 2017 Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Youth Feature and the Crystal Bear in Berlin.

The award was presented by director Scott Hicks, on behalf of the International Jury, which also comprised of Paolo Bertolin, filmmaker and selector for Venice and selection committee for Cannes Directors Fortnight,...

John Cornell and Paul Hogan on The Paul Hogan Show.

Paul Hogan will receive this year.s Aacta Longford Lyell Award, the Australian Academy.s highest honour.

First presented to Ian Dunlop in 1968, the Longford Lyell Award honours Australian film pioneer Raymond Longford and his partner in filmmaking and life, Lottie Lyell..

It recognises a person who has made a truly outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia.s screen environment and culture. Previous recipients include Peter Weir, Geoffrey Rush, Fred Schepisi, Jan Chapman, David Stratton and most recently, Cate Blanchett.

Hogan will be bestowed with the award at the 6th Aacta Awards Ceremony on Wednesday evening, in a presentation that will honour his 45 year career. It will feature tributes from Shane Jacobson, Michael Caton, former Tourism Minister John Brown, Peter Faiman, Dave Hughes, Adam Hills, Ernie Dingo and The Paul Hogan Show co-star Delvene Delaney..

.I.m honoured to...

Cate Blanchett will receive the Aacta Longford Lyell Award at the 5th Aacta Awards on Wednesday night in Sydney.

First presented in 1968, the Longford Lyell Award is the highest honour that the Australian Academy can bestow upon an individual in recognition of a person who has made a truly outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia.s screen environment and culture.

It was originally known as the AFI/Aacta Raymond Longford Award, in honour of the great Australian film pioneer, Raymond Longford.

But the name of the Award was changed earlier in 2015 to recognise Raymond Longford.s partner in filmmaking and in life, Lottie Lyell.

Richard Roxburgh and Hugo Weaving will present the award to Blanchett.

The presentation will also include a tribute from Gillian Armstrong, and filmed tributes from Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Ridley Scott and Ron Howard, to name a few.

After graduating from Nida in 1992, Blanchett started...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts is calling for recommendations for the Aacta Longford Lyell Award, the Academy.s highest honour for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian screen industry and culture.

Known as the AFI | Aacta Raymond Longford Award since its inception in 1968, the name was changed this year to recognise Lottie Lyell, film pioneer. Longford.s partner in filmmaking and life.

Screenwriter/producer Andrew Knight was the first recipient at the 4th Aacta Awards in January..

Those who wish to submit a recommendation should provide a letter detailing the prospective candidate's achievements, including a CV or brief filmography, and outlining why he or she should be considered for the award.

Recommendations should be emailed to awards manager Chloe Boulton by 5pm on Wednesday June 24.

In the first three years since the launch of Aacta in 2011, the award went to Don McAlpine,...

Jennifer Kent.s The Babadook and Russell Crowe.s The Water Diviner tied for best film at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) awards in Sydney.

That.s the first joint award for best film in AFI/Aacta history. Kent also collected the awards for best director (Crowe wasn't nominated in that category) and original screenplay.

Telecast on Network Ten, the awards drew just 297,000 viewers in the five metro cities last night, proving more popular in Melbourne (107,000) than Sydney (80,000).

Playmaker Media.s conspiracy thriller The Code collared the awards for best TV drama, lead actor in a TV drama (Ashley Zukerman), supporting actress (Chelsie Preston Crayford) and direction in a TV drama or comedy (Shawn Seet). The Longford Lyell Award, named for Australian cinema pioneers Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell, went to screenwriter Andrew Knight, whose credits as head writer or co-writer include Fast Forward, Full Frontal,...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts is reinstating the Meet the Makers events in the week of the 4th annual Aacta awards.

Nominees from all major guilds will showcase and discuss their work at screenings in Sydney, venue to be decided, at the AFI | Aacta ScreenWeek from January 26 . 29.

Aacta was forced to skip those sessions last January as part of a cost-cutting rationalisation but now has a more stable business model, according to AFI | Aacta CEO Damian Trewhella.

The awards luncheon presented by Deluxe will be held at The Star on January 27. The awards ceremony is set for January 29 at The Star, with the telecast starting at 8.30 pm on Network Ten.

There will be an encore screening on Foxtel.s Arena channel. Tickets for the awards will go on sale in November.

Trewhella told If the ScreenWeek program, which will be announced later, will be on a larger...

Aacta.s Raymond Longford Award almost certainly will be renamed the Longford Lyell Award in recognition of Lottie Lyell, the Australian film pioneer.s partner in life and filmmaking. Producer Tony Buckley has been lobbying for the change for two years, a campaign that has been widely supported. Now Aacta is putting the proposal to its members, seeking feedback by October 10. .We think it.s a really good suggestion,. AFI | Aacta CEO Damian Trewhella told If today. .Informally we have had a lot of support and no one has objected. Unless there are strong alternative views there is a strong chance we will adopt the new name.. First presented in 1968, the award is the highest accolade the Australian Academy can bestow upon an individual who has made a truly outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia's screen environment and culture. Previous recipients include Peter Weir, Geoffrey Rush, Fred Schepisi, Ken G. Hall,...

Producer David Hannay will be remembered as one of the pioneers of the modern Australian film industry, a passionate cinephile, mentor and loyal friend.

The Nz-born filmmaker whose career spanned seven decades died on Monday, aged 74, after a long battle with cancer.

He entered the film industry at Artransa Park Studios in 1958 as an extras casting assistant on Ray Lawler's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.

As a producer and executive producer he was involved in more than 50 film and television productions. His feature film credits include Stone, The Man From Hong Kong, Solo, Death of a Soldier, Emma.s War, Mapantsula, Shotgun Wedding, Gross Misconduct, Dead Funny, Savage Play, Love in Ambush and the feature documentary Stone Forever.

He was Head of Production for Gemini Productions (which merged with the Grundy Organisation in 1977) from 1970 to 1973 and again from 1975 to 1976, and general manager of the Greater Union production subsidiary The...

While a lively debate over the 13 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for The Great Gatsby rages on social media, TV viewers have given their verdict on the Network Ten telecast.

The delayed two-hour show, which started at 8.30 pm, drew an average audience of 400,000 in the capital cities and a peak of 540,000. That was better than last year.s one-hour telecast which had 331,000 viewers. To be fair the AFI confirmed Ten as its broadcast partner only a couple of weeks before that so there was a lack of promotion last year.

The show, which had a weak lead-in from Jamie Oliver's new series Save with Jamie,. was beaten by Person of Interest on Nine and Bones on Seven.

On Facebook and Twitter there was a pronounced backlash against The Great Gatsby.s domination over The Rocket. Kim Mordaunt.s low-budget Lao-set drama got 12 nominations, two fewer than Baz Luhrmann.s opus,...

Hollywood extravaganza The Great Gatsby dominates movie category while Redfern Now scoops best drama series

Video: Jacki Weaver - 'I'm a little bit overwhelmed'

A David-and-Goliath battle between a low budget film set in Laos and an extravagant Hollywood production of The Great Gatsby ended with the giant victorious at Australia's Academy Awards, the Aactas

Baz Luhrmann's blockbuster, filmed entirely in Sydney studios with computer graphics helping to create the F Scott Fitzgerald story's Long Island and New York backdrops, took six of the top prizes on 30 January, including best film, director, and adapted screenplay for Luhrmann and long-time collaborator Craig Pearce. This brought its tally to 13 following its sweep of the craft awards announced two days earlier at the country's top annual film and TV awards.

In the television categories, Jane Campion's quirky crime series Top of the Lake, a four nation co-production set in rural New Zealand,...

Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation wins every film category but two at the annual Australian awards ceremony.

The big budget Us-financed jazz age extravaganza The Great Gatsby won every film category but two at the annual Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television) Awards this evening Australian time in Sydney.

This included the best film gong, which goes to Australian producers Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin and Catherine Knapman and their Us counterparts Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher.

Luhrmann also scored best director and, with his high school friend and regular collaborator Craig Pearce, best adapted screenplay.

The only award The Great Gatsby could have won but didn’t was for best actress: that instead went to Rose Byrne for her small part — all the actors had small roles overall — in the bold anthology film The Turning, adapted from a book of short stories by popular novelist Tim Winton.

The Rocket, a festival hit made on a shoestring budget...

Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation wins every film category but two at the annual Australian awards ceremony.

The big budget Us-financed jazz age extravaganza The Great Gatsby won every film category but two at the annual Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television) Awards this evening Australian time in Sydney.

This included the best film gong, which goes to Australian producers Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin and Catherine Knapman and their Us counterparts Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher.

Luhrmann also scored best director and, with his high school friend and regular collaborator Craig Pearce, best adapted screenplay.

The only award The Great Gatsby could have won but didn’t was for best actress: that instead went to Rose Byrne for her small part — all the actors had small roles overall — in the bold anthology film The Turning, adapted from a book of short stories by popular novelist Tim Winton.

The Rocket, a festival hit made on a shoestring budget...

Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation wins every film category but two at the annual Australian awards ceremony.

The big budget Us-financed jazz age extravaganza The Great Gatsby won every film category but two at the annual Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television) Awards this evening Australian time in Sydney.

This included the best film gong, which goes to Australian producers Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin and Catherine Knapman and their Us counterparts Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher.

Luhrmann also scored best director and, with his high school friend and regular collaborator Craig Pearce, best adapted screenplay.

The only award The Great Gatsby could have won but didn’t was for best actress: that instead went to Rose Byrne for her small part — all the actors had small roles overall — in the bold anthology film The Turning, adapted from a book of short stories by popular novelist Tim Winton.

The Rocket, a festival hit made on a shoestring budget...

If the 3rd annual Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards could be categorised as a David vs Goliath battle between The Rocket and The Great Gatsby, Goliath is the hands-down winner.

Baz Luhrmann.s opulent romantic drama won six awards tonight, for best film, director, adapted screenplay, lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio, supporting actor Joel Edgerton and supporting actress Elizabeth Debicki.

That.s in addition to the six awards in craft categories plus the Aacta award for outstanding achievement in visual effects bestowed on Luhrmann.s film on Tuesday.

Kim Mordaunt's The Rocket, which had 12 nominations versus 14 for Gatsby, had to be content with just one trophy, for Mordaunt.s original screenplay.

The outcome is likely to reignite the debate about the near-impossibility of comparing a lavishly-mounted 3D film financed by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures, which cost $160 million, with an independently-funded Lao-set film from a first-time director budgeted at about $2 million.

On Sunday Jacki Weaver was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. Today the Animal Kingdom and Silver Linings Playbook star was named the recipient of the Aacta Raymond Longford Award.

The actress joins the ranks of previous Longford honourees including directors George Miller, Fred Schepisi and Peter Weir, actors Jack Thompson, Geoffrey Rush and Ray Barrett and producers Tony Buckley, Al Clark, Jan Chapman, Patricia Lovell and Sue Milliken.

Weaver will receive the award, named after cinema pioneer Raymond Longford to recognise individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Australia.s screen culture, at the 3rd Aacta Awards ceremony on Thursday in Sydney.

Her career spans five decades. Her first major acting role was a stage production of Cinderella in 1964, when she was 15. A leading light of the Australian film renaissance, her credits include Stork (1971), Alvin Purple (1973) Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and Caddie (1976).

In her international breakthrough, she...

Actor and comedian Shane Bourne will host this year.s Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTAs), broadcast in a 90-minute presentation on Thursday, January 30, at 8.30pm on Network Ten.

Bourne will lead the night of peer-voted awards, live performances and special appearances from personalities across the Australian television and film industry.

AFI | Aacta CEO, Damian Trewhella, said .We are delighted Shane will host the 3rd Aacta Awards Ceremony. Shane is an AFI Award winner and audience favourite, and a well loved and respected member of the screen industry.. Bourne said, .I am really looking forward to being involved in the 3rd Aacta Awards and providing the social lubricant to help ensure a great night for all as we celebrate the year.s achievements in television and film. And if the official after party is just a fraction as good as the scenes from The Great Gatsby then...

Jill Robb began her career as a stand-in for English actress Jill Adams in director Lee Robinson.s film Dust in the Sun, a drama about a policeman who is attacked while escorting an Aboriginal prisoner to trial.

She wrongly thought stand-in meant understudy so she memorised the entire script en route to the location in the Northern Territory. That was in 1958.

Robb quickly discovered her forte was in producing and later as an executive. She was the first marketing and distribution manager at the South Australian Film Corp, the inaugural CEO of Film Victoria and a founding member of the board of the Australian Film Commission.

Her illustrious career was honoured on Thursday night when she received the Cinema Pioneer of the Year award from the Australian Society of Cinema Pioneers. .Jill is a great dame and a truly distinguished recipient,. said her long-time friend, producer Sue Milliken in presenting the award.

Shooting Mako - Island of Secrets.

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When veteran cinematographer Don McAlpine gave his Raymond Longford Award acceptance speech at the 2012 Aacta luncheon he couldn.t have known that his remarks would spur producer Jonathan M. Shiff to make the leap into digital acquisition.

.I sat in the audience and saw this great master .Jedi. and when he talked about his excitement of shooting Mental on digital and all of the excitement of entering an industry at this point... I just thought if this guy is so excited about digital formats, then we should make the jump..

The then-temporary closure of the Village Roadshow Film Lab while shooting upcoming Ten series Reef Doctors (on 35mm film stock) also encouraged the producer to go digital on H20 spin-off series, Mako . Island of Secrets. After a range of camera tests, the Arri Alexa was selected.

.It produced really good on-screen results: it handled...

The Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts has announced a number of changes to their annual awards, including the creation of six television craft awards.

Numerous factors prompted Aacta to conduct a review of the Awards earlier this year. Namely, Aacta sought to restructure the awards in light of their current financial situation (Aacta is still looking for a new naming rights sponsor) as well as feedback from Aacta.s guild partnerships and an industry appeal for additional rewards..

The 3rd Aacta Awards will feature a total of 40 Aacta awards . just one less than last year . however with the creation of six new awards; others have been placed on hold indefinitely..

These include Best Direction in a Documentary, Best Cinematography in a Documentary, Best Sound in a Documentary, Best Editing in a Documentary, Best Visual Effects, Best Young Actor, Best Screenplay in a short film and the discretional Outstanding Achievement...

Everybody's favorite movie decade: Which ones are the best movies released in the 20th century's second decade? Best Film (Pictured above) Broken Blossoms: Barthelmess and Gish star as ill-fated lovers in D.W. Griffith’s romantic melodrama featuring interethnic love. Check These Out (Pictured below) Cabiria: is considered one of the major landmarks in motion picture history, having inspired the scope and visual grandeur of D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance. Also of note, Pastrone's epic of ancient Rome introduced Maciste, a bulky hero who would be featured in countless movies in the ensuing decades. Best Actor (Pictured below) In the tragic The Italian, George Beban plays an Italian immigrant recently arrived in the United States (Click below for film review). Unfortunately, his American dream quickly becomes a horrendous nightmare of poverty and despair. Best Actress (Pictured below) The movies' super-vamp Theda Bara in A Fool There Was: A little...

Cinematographer Don McAlpine says production on X-Men Origins: Wolverine became a .political minefield. between director Gavin Hood and 20th Century Fox.

Wolverine was plagued by rumours of problems, centred on disagreements between Hood and studio boss Tom Rothman, during its Sydney-based shoot in 2008. An unfinished print of the Hugh Jackman-vehicle was also leaked although the official Wolverine theatrical release went on to gross a respectable $US370 million worldwide.

McAlpine, who recently finished his second feature with Hood, sci-fi drama Ender.s Game, said he first formed a tight friendship with the South African director on the set of Wolverine.

.And I think basically one of my main functions on that film was to help Gavin through the political minefield that he.d found himself in the midst of,. he told AC Magazine (Issue #56 December 2012). .You know, a first-time director at any of the major studios is just considered .game...

Acclaimed Australian producer Al Clark speaks to Mumbrella’s sister title Encore after receiving the Aacta Raymond Longford Award, acknowledging his 30-year service in the Australian film industry. His catalogue of films includes The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Chopper and 1984.

What was it like watching the tributes at the awards? Was it quite emotional?

At certain moments, unexpectedly so. The great thing about emotions is that they can’t be legislated. They can only be felt, and they arose at improbable moments, but pleasurably so.

Don McAlpine, last year’s Raymond Longford recipient, is turning 80 next year and shows no signs of slowing down. Are you much the same?

I’m not going to take to my bed with my award. I have a film planned with a writer/director with whom I haven’t worked with before, and another with a director that I have worked with before – twice in fact.

The first round of Aacta award winners were announced yesterday in Sydney at the 2nd Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Luncheon. Held at the Sydney.s The Star Event Centre and hosted by Adam Elliot, the luncheon drew a host of industry representatives including actors Damon Herriman, Daniel Henshall and Felicity Price. The Sapphires was a favourite of the day, taking home five coveted gongs in total for cinematography (Warwick Thornton), editing (Dany Cooper Ase), sound (Andrew Plain, Bry Jones, Pete Smith, Ben Osmo and John Simpson), costume design (Tess Schofield) and production design in a feature film (Melinda Doring.) A jovial Thornton told media working with Sapphires director Wayne Blair wasn.t exactly a walk in the park. .He.s an incredibly hard task master,. he said. .You can.t pull the wool over his eyes when you feel like being lazy.. Cooper spoke of the...

The Sapphires looks set to dominate this year’s Aacta Awards after dominating the categories announced at yesterday’s awards lunch.

The AACTAs – the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts – were held for the first time last year. Yesterday’s lunch at the Star casino in Sydney comes ahead of tomorrow night’s main Aacta ceremony.

The Sapphires won in five of the early categories, including best editing, sound and cinematography.

The event also paid tribute to producer Al Clark with the Raymond Longford Award. Clark was behind films including The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Absolute Beginners and Nineteen Eighty Four.

Tributes were also paid to producer Pat Lovell, who died over the weekend. Lovell was a producer on films including Picnic At Hanging Rock and Gallipoli.

The winners:

Aacta Raymond Longford Award

Al Clark

Aacta Award For Best Visual Effects

Iron Sky. Samuli Torssonen, Jussi Lehtiniemi,...

Don Groves is a Deadline contributor based in Sydney. The Sapphires nabbed five Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards in craft categories presented Monday in Sydney local time. The drama, which TWC opens March 22 in the U.S., was prized for cinematography, editing, production design, costume design and sound. The major awards will be handed out Wednesday night, hosted by Russell Crowe. Iron Sky took the visual effects award, Storm Surfers 3D was named best feature documentary and Then The Wind Changed, which chronicled a community’s struggle to rebuild following the 2009 Victorian bushfires, was best docu under one hour. In TV, tabloid newspaper satire Lowdown – Season 2 was declared best comedy series, Agony Aunts picked up the light entertainment series gong and The Adventures of Figaro Pho, all from the ABC, won the children’s series award. Multicultural broadcaster Sbs’s Go Back To Where You Came From was judged best documentary series.

Sydney -- Russell Crowe will host two of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts’ upcoming trio of awards ceremonies, starting with the Aacta International awards, to be held in Los Angeles on Saturday, Australia Day. The Les Miserables star will then fly to Sydney to front the main awards ceremony Jan. 30, which will be televised on the Ten network. Photos: 'Les Miserables' World Premiere The third tier of the Aacta’s awards season is a Jan. 28 lunch where the craft award and the prestigious Raymond Longford Award for lifetime achievement will be handed out. Crowe is stepping in

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Russell Crowe has been announced as the new Aacta host after a conflicting La schedule forced original host Hugh Sheridan to pull out.

The second annual Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards will see Crowe headline an impressive line-up of presenters, including Aacta president Geoffery Rush and Aacta ambassador Cate Blanchett.

The awards, to be held on January 30 at The Star Event Centre, will see more than 1000 Australian film and television performers and practitioners in attendance.

In addition to the Aacta Awards in Sydney, Crowe will also host the Aacta International Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday, which Sheridan will now also attend.

"The Australian Academy is making its mark in the States, and I'm equally as honoured to represent the Australian industry in L.A. as host of Aacta's International Awards, as I am to return home to celebrate the success of my peers at the 2nd Aacta Awards Ceremony in Sydney,...

In this roundup from the Encore and Mumbrella Annual, we look back at the year in film.

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With George Miller’s Happy Feet Two opening on Boxing Day, Mumbles the penguin and his friends are still doing a roaring trade at the box office throughout January, taking $11.08m in total.

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Hollywood director James Cameron opens an Australian office of his company Cameron Pace Group in mid-January to be run by managing director Andrew Wight, producer of Sanctum. Wight sadly dies in a helicopter crash in early February with ocean cinematographer Mike deGruy.

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The Australian Film Institute launches the new-look Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards with Red Dog winning best film. Justin Kurzel picks up a gong for best direction for Snowtown. Legendary cinematographer Don McAlpine receives the Raymond Longford award for lifetime achievement.

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Director Alex Proyas’s Paradise Lost, due to shoot at Fox Studios, is scrapped due to a budgetary dispute.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert producer Al Clark will receive the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts' highest honor, the Raymond Longford Award, in Sydney in January. Since 1983, Clark has produced or executive produced 19 films, including Russell Crowe's debut feature The Crossing, Chopper, which introduced director Andrew Dominik and actor Eric Bana to international audiences, and the British films 1984, starring Richard Burton, and Absolute Beginners, costarring David Bowie. After a stint as spokesman for Virgin Records in the U.K., where he represented the Sex Pistols, Xtc, Phil Collins and Devo, and was, according to punk

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Hit musical drama The Sapphires has scored 12 nominations at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) Awards including in the coveted best feature film category.

The Sapphires, which follows four indigenous singers during the Vietnam war, has grossed more than $14 million in Australia to become the biggest local film of the year.

Three other films will be also be vying for the best feature film award: Burning Man (10 nominations in total), Lore (eight nominations in total) and Wish You Were Here (eight nominations in total) at the main Aacta ceremony, which will be held on January 30, 2013, at The Star Event Centre. Last year's event was held at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

P.J. Hogan's Mental also scored eight nominations including Best Lead Actress (Toni Collette), Best Supporting Actor (Liev Schreiber) Best Young Actor (Lily Sullivan) and Best Supporting Actress for Rebecca Gibney and Deborah Mailman.

Not Suitable for Children...

The Sapphires has led the Academy of Australian Cinema and Television Arts Awards nominations being nominated in 12 categories.

Awards will be handed out over two events, with an awards luncheon, focused on craft categories on Monday January 28 and the main event on January 30. Both events will be held at the Star Event Centre, the first public events for the venue.

The Sapphires, distributed by Hopscotch/eOne has been nominated for Best Film, Best Direction and best adapted screenplay as well as Best Lead Actor and Actress for Chris O’Dowd and Deborah Mailman, and Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Mauboy.

Burning Man was not far behind on 10 nominations including best film and best direction as well as best lead actor for Matthre Goode and Best Supporting Actress for Essie Davis.

Three more films, Lore, Mental and Wish You Were Here received eight nominations while Not Suitable For Children received four.

Al Clark, producer of The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert will be the recipient of this year’s Raymond Longford Award – a life time achievement award - at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.

Clark has produced or executive produced 18 feature films over a career spanning three decades, including John Polson’s Siam Sunset, Red Hill, and Heaven’s Burning.

Clark served on the board of the Australian Film Commission from 1989 to 1992.

Damian Trewhella, AFI/Aacta CEO said: “From the many recommendations submitted in support of Al Clark for this Award it was clear that he is not only an extraordinary and tenacious producer, but that he is noted by a cross section of the industry as a mentor and educator whom many credit for launching their career.

“After emigrating from the UK in the 1980s, Clark was quick to embrace and recognise the cultural and cinematic value of Australian subcultures,...

‘Highway Thru Hell’ Lands At Nat Geo Us Beyond Distribution has sold Highway Thru Hell, a documentary series examining the treacherous trucking route, the Coquihalla Highway in British Columbia, to National Geographic Channel U.S., where it will premiere next February. Produced by Vancouver’s Great Pacific Media, the docu was commissioned by Discovery Canada where it posted the highest series debut in the channel’s history in September. The eight-part series follows the heavy rescue team as it attends the scenes of numerous wrecks, removing often dangerous cargo, cleaning up twisted metal and clearing the roads.- Don Groves Producer Al Clark Feted By Australian Film Academy The Raymond Longford Award is the Australian film industry’s highest honor, named after the pioneer filmmaker and bestowed by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (formerly the Australian Film Institute). The latest recipient, Al Clark, has produced or executive produced 19 films including Chopper,...

Veteran Australian producer Al Clark will receive the Aacta Raymond Longford Award in recognition of his three-decade career which has included iconic films such as Chopper and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Clark, who emigrated from the UK in the 1980s after representing music acts such as the Sex Pistols and Phil Collins, has produced or executive produced 19 feature films. He has also served on the board of the Australian Film Commission (1989-1992) and participated in official juries of several international film festivals, including the San Sebastian and Valladolid Film Festivals.

..With a love of films that always transcends the frustrations of getting them made, I.ve tried to choose distinctive projects, to navigate them soundly, to find gifted people to work with, and to bring out the best in their considerable talents," Clark said after being told of the award. "I.m grateful to Aacta for...

It seems controversy leads to awards. The two big winners at last night.s inaugural Aacta Awards were thriller feature film Snowtown and TV drama series The Slap. Both renowned for their controversial nature, the film and TV series netted four and five gongs respectively.

Snowtown, about Australian serial killer John Bunting who befriends a 16-year-old, was honoured in the Best Direction (Justin Kurzel), Best Adapted Screenplay (Shaun Grant), Best Actor (Daniel Henshall) and Best Supporting Actress (Louise Harris) categories.

The last two awards were particularly impressive as neither actor had appeared in a feature film before. While Henshall had previously acted in such shows as Out of the Blue, it was Harris. first ever acting role.

The four gongs awarded last night at the Sydney Opera House brings the film.s tally to an impressive six Aacta Awards after receiving Best Editing (Veronika Jenet Ase) and Best Sound (Frank Lipson Mpse,...

Australian cinematographer Don McAlpine (Acs/Asc) received two standing ovations after tributes from longtime colleagues Jack Thompson and Bruce Beresford at the inaugural Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts (Aacta) awards yesteryday.

McAlpine was awarded the coveted Raymond Longford Award for a lifetime achievement in cinema. McAlpine’s career spans over 50 films including Moulin Rouge and William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Breaker Morant and most recently Mental.

The ceremony, hosted by Sigrid Thornton, was the first for the newly formed academy. The ceremony also included the announcement of the Australian academy’s international awards to recognise excellence in film. The announcements were made during a live cross to actress Jackie Weaver at the G’Day USA Gala in Los Angeles.

Further awards for both Australian cinema and TV and the international awards will be presented on January 31 at the Opera House.

The Winners

Raymond Longford Award

Don McAlpine

Byron Kennedy Award...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has.unveiled the first round of its revamped awards at a Sydney luncheon. Presenters at the event, which was hosted by actor Sigrid Thornton, included actors such as Radha Mitchell, Rebecca Gibney and Susie Porter, as well as directors Bruce Beresford, Fred Schepisi and Adam Elliot. Australian cinematographer Donald McAlpine Acs Asc picked up the Aacta's highest accolade, the Raymond Longford Award, while.filmmaker Ivan Sen.received the Byron Kennedy Award, which recognises innovation and the pursuit of excellence. Sen, whose latest film Toomelah screened at last year's Cannes Film Festival,.was chosen for .his unique artistic vision and for showing, by his resourceful multidisciplinary...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has.unveiled the first round of its revamped awards at a Sydney luncheon. Presenters at the event, which was hosted by actor Sigrid Thornton, included actors such as Radha Mitchell, Rebecca Gibney and Susie Porter, as well as directors Bruce Beresford, Fred Schepisi and Adam Elliot. Australian cinematographer Donald McAlpine Acs Asc picked up the Aacta's highest accolade, the Raymond Longford Award, while.filmmaker Ivan Sen.received the Byron Kennedy Award, which recognises innovation and the pursuit of excellence. Sen, whose latest film Toomelah screened at last year's Cannes Film Festival,.was chosen for .his unique artistic vision and for showing, by his resourceful multidisciplinary...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has.unveiled the first round of its revamped awards at a Sydney luncheon. Presenters at the event, which was hosted by actor Sigrid Thornton, included actors such as Radha Mitchell, Rebecca Gibney and Susie Porter, as well as directors Bruce Beresford, Fred Schepisi and Adam Elliot. Australian cinematographer Donald McAlpine Acs Asc picked up the Aacta's highest accolade, the Raymond Longford Award, while.filmmaker Ivan Sen.received the Byron Kennedy Award, which recognises innovation and the pursuit of excellence. Sen, whose latest film Toomelah screened at last year's Cannes Film Festival,.was chosen for .his unique artistic vision and for showing, by his resourceful multidisciplinary...

Cinematographer Don McAlpine Acs Asc has been presented with the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. (Aacta) prestigious Raymond Longford Award at a luncheon held in Sydney. The award was presented by film director Bruce Beresford, actors Jack Thompson and Sigrid Thornton, and Australian Film Institute chairman Alan Finney, in recognition of McAlpine.s 40-year career. "I have often joked that it.s quite easy to make a good film . you just have to make a lot," McAlpine told the audience. "We all have commenced our opus in the blind belief that it must be a success. I hope that in the future more mature successful people could be co-opted into the selection process... "Since receiving this award I have been motivated...

Cinematographer Don McAlpine Acs Asc has been presented with the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. (Aacta) prestigious Raymond Longford Award at a luncheon held in Sydney. The award was presented by film director Bruce Beresford, actors Jack Thompson and Sigrid Thornton, and Australian Film Institute chairman Alan Finney, in recognition of McAlpine.s 40-year career. "I have often joked that it.s quite easy to make a good film . you just have to make a lot," McAlpine told the audience. "We all have commenced our opus in the blind belief that it must be a success. I hope that in the future more mature successful people could be co-opted into the selection process... "Since receiving this award I have been motivated...

Cinematographer Don McAlpine Acs Asc has been presented with the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. (Aacta) prestigious Raymond Longford Award at a luncheon held in Sydney. The award was presented by film director Bruce Beresford, actors Jack Thompson and Sigrid Thornton, and Australian Film Institute chairman Alan Finney, in recognition of McAlpine.s 40-year career. "I have often joked that it.s quite easy to make a good film . you just have to make a lot," McAlpine told the audience. "We all have commenced our opus in the blind belief that it must be a success. I hope that in the future more mature successful people could be co-opted into the selection process... "Since receiving this award I have been motivated...

Don McAlpine has been awarded Australia's highest movie accolade for his contribution to various motion pictures. The 77-year-old Aussie cinematographer, who has worked on films such as Patriot Games, Romeo + Juliet and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, said that it was an "honour" to discover that he will be receiving the Raymond Longford Award at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) Awards later this month. According to the Herald Sun, McAlpine will receive his gong at a special lunch in Sydney this weekend. The film veteran said: "I am thrilled with the honour it implies to the art and craft of Australian cinematographers," while Aacta chief Damian Trewhella added: "With more than 50 films to his name, three AFI (more)...

Pip Bulbeck

Sydney -- Cinematographer Don McAlpine has been named the recipient of this year's Raymond Longford Award by the newly instituted Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta). The Longford award has a long history here being given out since1968 by Aacta’s predecessor body the Australian Film Institute; it's awarded to "a person who has made a truly outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia’s screen environment and culture," and is the highest honor the Academy can award. The 77-year-old's career spans more than 50 films made over 40 years, including Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge for which he

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Australian cinematographer Donald M. McAlpine Asc Acs is set to receive the prestigious Raymond Longford Award for his contribution to the film industry. McAlpine, whose career spans over 40 years with more than 50 feature films, now joins previous Raymond Long Award winners including Peter Weir, Fred Schepisi, Jack Thompson, Geoffrey Rush, Charles .Bud. Tingwell and the inaugural winner Ian Dunlop (in 1968). Best known for his work on such films.as Predator, Moulin Rouge!, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Romeo + Juliet, McAlpine is still working at age 77, most recently shooting Pj Hogan.s Mental. He won an If Award for Moulin Rouge!, three AFI Awards (Moulin Rouge!, Breaker Morant, My Brilliant Career), was nominated for an Oscar (Moulin Rouge!) and was...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has launched an international engagement program, which includes a collaboration with the annual G.Day USA annual showcase. Its first local event will be the Samsung Aacta Awards Luncheon on January 15, 2012, which will incorporate cross-feeds to one of G.Day USA.s most popular events, the Los Angeles Black Tie Gala. The local event will include the presentation of the Aacta Raymond Longford Award. Australian Film Institute | Aacta chief executive Damian Trewhella said: .Australia.s film and television industries play an important role in forming our cultural identity, in influencing tourism and in contributing to our export market, and we look forward to working alongside G.Day USA to...