who have amassed a social media following in the millions with comically violent videos made under the name RackaRacka,won the best direction and best film prizes for their horror movieTalk To Me at the Australian Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (AACTAs).
The movie’s star,Sophie Wilde,also won the best actress award at Saturday’s ceremony on the Gold Coast. That brought to eight the total number of awards for the film,which also collected five more at the industry awards recognising the craft side of the business on Thursday.
The movie was made in South Australia for a budget of around $US4.5 million ($7 million) in 2022,and was bought by indie distributor A24 after its debut at the Sundance Film Festival the following January for a sum reported as being in the “high seven figures”,putting it into profit before a single ticket had been sold.
It went on to take more than $US92 million ($A140 million) globally,becoming A24’s highest-grossing horror film,and second-highest-grossing film of any sort,to date.
In Australia,it took $4.28 million. The only Australian film to perform better at the local box office last year was,which took $4.5 million and on Saturday was announced as the year’s best documentary.
Cate Blanchett,one of the stars of Warwick Thornton’s award-winningThe New Boy,was in attendance too.Brendon Thorne
Saturday’s event at the Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast was attended by some of Australia’s highest-profile film and television stars,including Margot Robbie,Cate Blanchett,Rebel Wilson,Simon Baker,Joel Edgerton,Colin From Accounts creators and stars Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer,andHeartbreak High’s Chloe Hayden.
But while he is in the country and had been tipped to attend,there was no sign of Brisbane-born man of the moment last week after a stunt staged by a producer for Kyle and Jackie O’s radio show went awry.
The other big winners at the AACTAs were TV series (including best drama series) and,which each collected five awards. collected four,including best miniseries,as did Warwick Thornton’s feature film,in which dual Oscar winner Blanchett stars as an alcoholic nun.
All eyes were on another serial winner,though,as hometown hero Margot Robbie was honoured with the Trailblazer Award for her achievements as both producer and actor.
Robbie,who grew up on the Gold Coast and attended Saturday’s event with an entourage of around 20 friends and family members,also collected the International awards for best film and best actress for,which she both starred in and produced through her company Lucky Chap Entertainment.
Despite the taped tributes from the likes of Charlize Theron and Emerald Fennell,there was more than a hint of light-hearted roast about proceedings in the lead-in to Robbie’s award.
In a pre-recorded segment,Brad Pitt fidgeted and bumbled,saying he hoped Robbie got “all the awards”,including the “trip,er trailblazer” award from the “A.A.T…. ah,AACTA”,because she is “really,really cool”.
Taking to the stage in a ludicrous pink outfit with an oversized polka-dot bow on her head,Cate Blanchett introduced herself as “middle-aged Barbie”. She was there to present Robbie’s award,which was,she said,in recognition of “her body … her body of work”.
Rebel Wilson and Cate Blanchett at the AACTA Awards on the Gold Coast.Getty Images
Accepting the Trailblazer Award,Robbie said it was “mind-boggling” to be receiving the honour from a woman she had adored “from afar for as long as I can remember”,and in a venue where 20 years earlier she had performed “a vaguely inappropriate routine in our interschool dance eisteddfod”.
It was,she said,“a very full-circle moment for me”,adding that “everything that ever happened to me in my life until the age of 17 happened within about 15 minutes” of the venue.
In a gesture that would have convinced the organisers of the awards that they had made an inspired choice in anointing Robbie,she paid tribute to Australian filmmakers past,present and emerging.
“The stories that come out of here are wild and bold and fierce and unflinching,” she said,name-checking Peter Weir,Baz Luhrmann,Justin Kurzel and Cate Shortland,as well as “the up and comers”.
“I just want to contribute to the extraordinary narratives,and be good enough to stand alongside you all,” she added.
Though the AACTAs consciously try to position themselves as “part of the international awards season conversation”,there is no chance that Robbie’s double win for best picture and best actress will be repeated at next month’s Oscars,as she has not been nominated in the best actress category. She is,however,in contention for best film,as one ofBarbie’s lead producers.
Robbie andBarbie also won in the audience awards,collecting the prizes for favourite film and actress in the publicly voted categories.
was voted best supporting actor for his turn as Ken in the highest-grossing film of 2023,while the international award for best direction in film went to Christopher Nolan for.
While it aimed for lightness,the telecast on Ten had a couple of genuinely touching moments too.
The award for best comedy performer went to Cal Wilson,but it was left to her husband Chris Woods and son Digby to take to the stage and accept the statuette on behalf of the New Zealand-born performer who passed away from cancer last October.
And whenMasterChef was announced as best reality show – the fourth time it has won that honour – Andy Allen spoke of how big a hole had been left by the passing of fellow judge Jock Zonfrillo,before handing over to Zonfrillo’s widow,Lauren.
She paid tribute to her husband as “an extraordinary teacher … who gave people the courage to push and maybe leap into the unknown”.
“Without Jock the days seem like they have been drained of colour,” she added. “But today is one of pride and celebration for the kids and I.”
The AACTA winners list in full
FILM
TELEVISION
DOCUMENTARY
ONLINE
SHORT FILM
OTHER
INDIVIDUAL
AACTA AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
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