[press release from CG Publicity]
Australia, The Black Balloon, Son of a Lion, The Square and Unfinished Sky will all vie for Best Feature Film at the 25th annual Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) Awards for Australian Film, to be presented at a gala event in Sydney on Friday 13 February.
The Film Critics Circle of Australia is the national body of professional film critics in Australia whose aims are to promote excellence and integrity in the art of film criticism and support the advancement of Australian and international film culture.
The FCCA is a cultural, non-profit organisation and a member of FIPRESCI – the international body of critics and journalists. The FCCA recognises outstanding achievement in Australian film through the FCCA Annual Awards.
Elissa Down’s The Black Balloon topped the nominations with a total of ten, Peter Duncan’s Unfinished Sky received eight nominations, Nash Edgerton’s The Square picked up five nominations and Baz Luhrmann’s Australia, in its first local awards outing, received four nominations including Best Supporting Actor for newcomer Brandon Walters.
Son of a Lion, Bitter & Twisted, Black Water and Death Defying Acts all received two nominations and both Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger and Men’s Group received one nomination each.
"The Australian feature releases in 2008 are notable for their sheer diversity in choice of subject matter and imaginative artistic approaches to the art of visual storytelling, ranging from gritty genre reworkings (The Square) to the epic canvas of the outback saga , Australia, intimate, character-based dramas like Unfinished Sky and The Black Balloon to the documentary-like, dramatic urgency of Son Of A Lion," said FCCA Vice President Paul Harris.
Best Feature Documentary nominations went to Celebrity: Dominic Dunne, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts, Not Quite Hollywood and Salute.
A Special Documentary Jury Prize will be awarded in two categories, Best Feature Documentary and Short Documentary (under 60 mins).
Awards will also be presented for Best Foreign Film � English Language, and Best Foreign Language Film.
The FCCA Awards Presentation and Party will be held on Friday 13 February at Greater Union Cinemas, Bondi Junction. Tickets are $35, contact�fcca@optusnet.com.au
The FCCA Awards are presented with financial assistance from Screen Australia.
BEST FILM
AUSTRALIA PRODUCERS: G MAC BROWN, CATHERINE KNAPMAN, BAZ LUHRMANN
THE BLACK BALLOON PRODUCER: TRISTRAM MIALL
SON OF A LION PRODUCER: CAROLYN JOHNSON
THE SQUARE PRODUCER: LOUISE SMITH
UNFINISHED SKY PRODUCER: CATHY OVERETT, ANTON SMIT
BEST DIRECTOR
ELISSA DOWN THE BLACK BALLOON
PETER DUNCAN UNFINISHED SKY
NASH EDGERTON THE SQUARE
BENJAMIN GILMOUR SON OF A LION
BEST ACTOR
GRANT DODWELL MEN’S GROUP
WILLIAM McINNES UNFINISHED SKY
RHYS WAKEFIELD THE BLACK BALLOON
BEST ACTRESS
DANIELLE CATANZARITI HEY HEY IT’S ESTHER BLUEBURGER
NONI HAZLEHURST BITTER & TWISTED
MONIC HENDRICKX UNFINISHED SKY
GEMMA WARD THE BLACK BALLOON
BEST EDITOR
SURESH AYYAR UNFINISHED SKY
RODRIGO BALART BLACK WATER
VERONIKA JENET THE BLACK BALLOON
BEST SCREENPLAY
MATTHEW DABNER, JOEL EDGERTON THE SQUARE
ELISSA DOWN, JIMMY JACK THE BLACK BALLOON
PETER DUNCAN UNFINISHED SKY
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DENSON BAKER THE BLACK BALLOON
ROBERT HUMPHREYS UNFINISHED SKY
MANDY WALKER AUSTRALIA
BEST MUSIC SCORE
DAVID HIRSCHFELDER AUSTRALIA
ANTONY PARTOS UNFINISHED SKY
CEZARY SKUBISZEWSKI DEATH DEFYING ACTS
MICHAEL YEZERSKI THE BLACK BALLOON
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
JOEL EDGERTON THE SQUARE
LUKE FORD THE BLACK BALLOON
ANTHONY HAYES THE SQUARE
BRANDON WALTERS AUSTRALIA
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
TONI COLLETTE THE BLACK BALLOON
MAEVE DERMODY BLACK WATER
LEEANNA WALSMAN BITTER & TWISTED
SAOIRSE RONAN DEATH DEFYING ACTS
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
CELEBRITY: DOMINICK DUNNE
DIRECTORS: KIRSTY DE GARIS, TIMOTHY JOLLEY
PRODUCERS: KIRSTY DE GARIS, TIMOTHY JOLLEY, SUE MASLIN, DARYL DELLORA
GLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN TWELVE PARTS
DIRECTOR: SCOTT HICKS
PRODUCERS: SCOTT HICKS, SUSANNE PREISSLER
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
DIRECTOR: MARK HARTLEY
PRODUCERS: CRAIG GRIFFIN, MICHAEL LYNCH
SALUTE
DIRECTOR: MATT NORMAN
PRODUCERS: MATT NORMAN, DAVID REDMAN
SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY JURY PRIZE (TWO CATEGORIES)
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
BASTARDY
DIRECTOR: AMIEL COURTIN-WILSON
PRODUCER: PHILIPPA CAMPEY
LIONEL
DIRECTOR: EDDIE MARTIN
PRODUCER: LIZZETTE ATKINS
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
DIRECTOR: MARK HARTLEY
PRODUCERS: CRAIG GRIFFIN, MICHAEL LYNCH
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BRENDA HEAN?
DIRECTOR: SCOTT MILLWOOD
PRODUCERS: MICHAEL McMAHON, SCOTT MILLWOOD
SHORT DOCUMENTARY: UNDER 60 MINS
THE CARS THAT ATE CHINA
DIRECTOR: STEFAN MOORE
PRODUCERS: STEFAN MOORE, SUSAN LAMBERT, FRANK HAINES
A NORTHERN TOWN
DIRECTOR: RACHEL LANDERS
PRODUCER: DYLAN BLOWEN
RARE CHICKEN RESCUE
DIRECTOR: RANDALL WOOD
PRODUCER: TRISH LAKE, VICKIE GEST
SPIRIT STONES
DIRECTOR: ALLAN COLLINS
PRODUCER: JENNIFER GHERARDI
BEST FOREIGN FILM- ENGLISH LANGUAGE
IN BRUGES
DIRECTOR: MARTIN McDONAGH DISTRIBUTOR: ICON FILMS
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
DIRECTOR: DANNY BOYLE, LOVELEEN TANDAN DISTRIBUTOR: ICON FILMS
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
DIRECTOR: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON DISTRIBUTOR: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS
WALL.E
DIRECTOR: ANDREW STANTON DISTRIBUTOR: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (LE SCAPHANDRE ET LE PAPILLON)
DIRECTOR: JULIAN SCHNABEL, DISTRIBUTOR ICON FILMS
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN (AUF DER ANDEREN SEITE)
DIRECTOR: FATIH AKIN DISTRIBUTOR: SHARMILL FILMS
I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
DIRECTOR: PHILIPPE CLAUDEL DISTRIBUTOR: PALACE FILMS
WALTZ WITH BASHIR (VALS IM BASHIR)
DIRECTOR: ARI FOLMAN DISTRIBUTOR: SHARMILL FILMS