Press Release from the ADG
Directors of Australian stories including Underbelly, First Australians and Mary and Max were awarded the top prizes at the Australian Directors Guild 2009 Awards.
The peer-assessed awards, celebrating the creative achievement of directors in film, television and new media platforms, were hosted by James Valentine at the Star City Astral Restaurant.
Four achievement awards were also presented.
Winners of the 2009 competitive awards for best direction were:
Feature film: Adam Elliot, Mary and Max
Telemovie: Tony Ayres, Saved
TV mini series: Brendan Maher, Dirt Game: Down Among the Dead Men
TV drama series: Shawn Seet, Underbelly – A Tale of Two Cities: Business as Usual
TV comedy series: Bradley Howard, Newstopia: Episode 10
Documentary (stand alone): Bentley Dean, Contact
Documentary series: Rachel Perkins, First Australians: Freedom for Our Lifetime
Television commercial: Steve Rogers, Boags Draught: Pure Waters
Music clip: Nash Edgerton, Beyond Here Lies Nothing: Clip for Bob Dylan
Short film: Britt Arthur, My Uncle Bluey
Directing for new media platforms: Nick Pollack, Continental Cup-a-Soup free cup campaign
Documentary series winner, Rachel Perkins with her award
There was also a presentation of the GRASS award (Get Real About Sustainable Screens) – for a significant contribution to green filmmaking in Australia, either on or off camera. The winners were Sarah Watt (director) and Bridget Ikin (producer) for their efforts to reduce their production’s carbon footprint during the making of My Year Without Sex and their extensive case study.
Recipients of the achievement awards were:
• Outstanding Achievement Award (for an outstanding body of work): awarded to Scott Hicks.
Adelaide-based Scott Hicks is best known as the director of Shine. His work includes studio features such as Snow Falling On Cedars and documentaries including his recently completed Glass: A Portrait Of Philip in 12 Parts. He has also just finished the Australia-UK co-production The Boys Are Back, starring Clive Owen.
• Cecil Holmes Award (for services to directing): awarded to Paul Cox.
Paul Cox, an immigrant to Australia, is one of our most prolific filmmakers, having made 18 feature films and documentaries, 11 shorts and three children’s movies. He is loved by actors and numerous younger directors for whom he has been a strong example and guide.
• Michael Carson Award (for excellence in teleivison drama production): awarded to Ken Cameron
Ken Cameron’s career has spanned more than three decades – including 1989’s Logie winning Bangkok Hilton, 1991 AFI and Logie winning mini-series Brides of Christ and AFI winning two-part series My Brother Jack – to his work in the USA.
• First Assistant Directors Award: awarded to PJ Voeten
PJ Voeten worked on the first features of directors Peter Duncan, Shirley Barrett, Cherie Nowlan and Samantha Lang. Mini-series Blue Murder and features Happy Feet and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor represent some of the extremes of his career so far.