THE AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF CINEMA AND TELEVISION ARTS

ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 3rd AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

 On Friday, January 10, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) announced the winners of the 3rd AACTA International Awards, recognizing screen excellence across seven categories including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Winners were announced at an intimate Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles hosted by multi‐award winner and AACTA President Geoffrey Rush who shared the stage with fellow Australian industry presenters including Jacki Weaver, Stuart Beattie, Anthony LaPaglia and Yvonne Strahovski.

GRAVITY, the visual masterpiece directed by BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee Alfonso Cuarón, received the AACTA International Award for Best Film and the AACTA International Award for Best Direction.  The space odyssey, based on a story written by Alfonso Cuarón’s son Jonás, pushed the known boundaries of cinematography and technologies to illustrate a tense story of skill and survival set in zero gravity. A team of world renowned VFX artists worked with Cuarón to realize his extraordinary vision including visual effects supervisor Tim Webber and Australian VFX House Rising Sun Pictures.

Director Alfonso Cuaron and author Sheherazade Goldsmith - Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images

AMERICAN HUSTLE, the most nominated film in this year’s AACTA International Awards also received two Awards. The AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay, (which went to Eric Warren Singer and the film’s Director David O. Russell) and to actress Jennifer Lawrence who received her second AACTA International Award in a David O. Russell film; this time for her portrayal of Rosalyn, the explosively alluring and manic housewife to Christian Bale’s Irving Rosenfeld.

Charles Roven, Director David O. Russell and Matthew Budman - Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images

12 YEARS A SLAVE saw wins in both actor categories with Chiwetel Ejiofor receiving the AACTA International Award for Best Actor and fellow Englishman Michael Fassbender the AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor. Set in pre‐Civil War America the film is based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York who was abducted and sold into slavery. 12 YEARS A SLAVE is directed by UK director Steve McQueen.

Chiwetel Ejiofor - Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images

BLUE JASMINE’S Australian leading lady, Cate Blanchett was called to the stage by AACTA President Geoffrey Rush to accept the AACTA International Award for Best Actress.

Blanchett’s acclaimed performance as Jasmine in the Woody Allen film has been tipped to win a raft of awards in the 2014 International Awards season including a possible second Oscar which, if occurs, would make her the first Australian actress in history to be awarded twice by AMPAS.

Cate Blanchett - Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images

AACTA President, Geoffrey Rush, said: “The AACTA International Awards are Australia’s international stamp of screen success. They recognise our international counterparts, add an Australian voice to international Academy discussion, and celebrate our fellow Australians working internationally.

Geoffrey Rush - Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images

“I congratulate this year’s AACTA International Award nominees and winners on their compelling and inspiring work and as always I look forward with anticipation to see if our international peers have concurred with the AACTA International Chapter in this year’s Awards season selection.’’ Rush said.

The 3rd AACTA International Awards will be broadcast on Foxtel’s Arena in Australia on Sunday 12 January, 2014 at 7.30pm.

3rd AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS NOMINEES AND WINNERS

 AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST FILM

12 YEARS A SLAVE

AMERICAN HUSTLE

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

GRAVITY ‐ WINNER

RUSH

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION

12 YEARS A SLAVE – Steve McQueen

AMERICAN HUSTLE – David O. Russell

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS – Paul Greengrass

GRAVITY – Alfonso Cuarón ‐ WINNER

THE GREAT GATSBY – Baz Luhrmann

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY

12 YEARS A SLAVE – John Ridley

AMERICAN HUSTLE – Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell ‐ WINNER

BLUE JASMINE – Woody Allen

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS – Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

SAVING MR. BANKS – Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTOR

Christian Bale – AMERICAN HUSTLE

Leonardo DiCaprio – THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Chiwetel Ejiofor ‐ 12 YEARS A SLAVE ‐ WINNER

Tom Hanks – CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Matthew McConaughey – DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTRESS

Amy Adams – AMERICAN HUSTLE

Cate Blanchett – BLUE JASMINE ‐ WINNER

Sandra Bullock – GRAVITY

Judi Dench – PHILOMENA

Meryl Streep – AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Bradley Cooper – AMERICAN HUSTLE

Joel Edgerton – THE GREAT GATSBY

Michael Fassbender – 12 YEARS A SLAVE ‐ WINNER

Jared Leto – DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

Geoffrey Rush – THE BOOK THIEF

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Sally Hawkins – BLUE JASMINE

Jennifer Lawrence – AMERICAN HUSTLE ‐ WINNER

Lupita Nyong’o ‐ 12 YEARS A SLAVE

Julia Roberts – AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Octavia Spencer – FRUITVALE STATION

Photo credit: Getty Images