AACTA INTERNATIONAL CEREMONY HONOURS AWARD-SEASON FRONT-RUNNERS

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has announced the winners of the 9th AACTA International Awards at a star-studded Ceremony held at Mondrian Los Angeles.

Winning the Award for Best Film was the South Korean black comedy thriller Parasite, written and directed by Bong Joon Ho (pictured, below) who accepted the Australian Academy’s highest honour. The film also received the AACTA Award for Best Asian Film at the AACTA Awards in Sydney last month, as well as Best Picture at the 2019 Asia Pacific Screen Awards in November.

Quentin Tarantino’s 9^th film, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood took home two awards, with Tarantino winning Best Direction and Brad Pitt winning Best Supporting Actor for his acclaimed turn as Hollywood stuntman Cliff Booth. Margot Robbie was nominated in the Supporting Actress for her performance as Sharon Tate in Tarantino’s box-office hit, but was beaten by…Margot Robbie, in Jay Roach’s Bombshell. It represents the second AACTA International Award earned by the Australian actress; in 2018, she won the Best Actress trophy for I, Tonya.

“This year we are thrilled to celebrate such a vast and vibrant group of winners, showcasing international excellence, irrespective of geography,” said AFI | AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella. “The AACTA International Awards continue to honour the best achievements in screen, adding a uniquely Australian voice to the international awards circuit. I congratulate all of the evening’s winners – with special congratulations to our Australian winner Margot Robbie – and wish them every success throughout the upcoming awards season.”

The lead performance awards went to Adam Driver, who won Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of stage director Charlie Barber in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story and Saoirse Ronan, who won Best Lead Actress for her performance as the outspoken tomboy, Jo March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. First-time AACTA nominee Taika Waititi received the Award for Best Screenplay for the World War II satire Jojo Rabbit, which has also seen Waititi earn his first two Golden Globe® nominations. 

The evening's leading contender, Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, went home empty-handed despite a roster of six nominations.

Host Jason Dundas was joined on stage to present awards by some of the industry’s leading film and television talent, including director Niki Caro (Whale Rider, the soon-to-be-released Mulan), producer Bill Mechanic (Hacksaw Ridge, Coraline), director Phillip Noyce (Rabbit Proof Fence, The Bone Collector) and television personality Josh Thomas (Please Like Me, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay).

The full list of winners and nominees are:

AACTA International Award for Best Film: THE IRISHMAN; JOKER; THE KING; ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD; PARASITE

AACTA International Award for Best Direction: 1917 – Sam Mendes; THE IRISHMAN – Martin Scorsese; JOKER – Todd Phillips; ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD – Quentin Tarantino; PARASITE – Bong Joon Ho

AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay: THE IRISHMAN – Steven Zaillian; JOJO RABBIT – Taika Waititi; JOKER – Todd Phillips, Scott Silver; ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD – Quentin Tarantino; PARASITE – Bong Joon ho, Jin Won Han

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor: Christian Bale – FORD V FERRARI; Antonio Banderas – PAIN AND GLORY; Robert De Niro – THE IRISHMAN; Adam Driver – MARRIAGE STORY; Joaquin Phoenix – JOKER

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress: Awkwafina – THE FAREWELL; Scarlett Johansson – MARRIAGE STORY; Saoirse Ronan – LITTLE WOMEN; Charlize Theron – BOMBSHELL; Renée Zellweger – JUDY

AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor: John Lithgow – BOMBSHELL; Al Pacino – THE IRISHMAN; Joe Pesci – THE IRISHMAN; Brad Pitt – ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD; Song Kang-Ho – PARASITE

AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress: Toni Collette – KNIVES OUT; Nicole Kidman – BOMBSHELL; Florence Pugh – LITTLE WOMEN; Margot Robbie – BOMBSHELL; Margot Robbie – ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD