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Record number of feature film entries for AACTA Awards

Russell Mulcahy’s ‘In Like Flynn.’

Reflecting the introduction of the best new indie film prize, a record 38 feature films will compete at this year’s Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) awards.

That tops the 35 year entries for last year’s awards. In all, 18 films will compete in the new category for films budgeted under $2 million.

According to AACTA, fully 50 per cent of the competing films are non-traditional releases, including the Stan-commissioned The Second and Netflix’s Cargo.

Reflecting the overall increase in gender diversity in features:

• Nine films have female directors (22.5 per cent versus Screen Australia’s reported industry average of 15 per cent).
• 29 were made by writer-directors, a 34 per cent jump from last year.
• 35 per cent of all award candidates are female, a 6 per cent improvement on 2017.
• Over half the competing films feature prominent female leads or female-centric storylines.
• Females make up more than half the award candidates in seven films.
• 60 per cent of competing films have screened at an AACTA-qualifying Australian film festival in the past twelve months.

Forty-five percent of this year’s films were made by first-time directors who will vie for a nomination alongside established directors such as Bruce Beresford, Warwick Thornton, Stephan Elliott, Garth Davis, Leigh Whannell, Russell Mulcahy and Nash and Joel Edgerton.

Among the contenders for the new award are Jed Malone’s Birthday Adjustment Disorder, Robert Lobosco’s Dad, Angie Black’s The Five Provocations, Martin Simpson’s Indigo Lake, Donna McRae’s Lost Gully Road, Alexandros Lykos’ Me & My Left Brain, John V Soto’s The Gateway, Tony Prescott’s The Pretend One, Stevie Cruz-Martin’s Pulse, Alena Lodkina’s Strange Colours and Jason Raftopoulos’ West of Sunshine.

The others are Clayton Jacobson’s Brothers’ Nest, Jon Claire-Lee’s Innocent Killer, Benjamin Gilmour’s Jirga, Deanna Ortuso’s Just Between Us, Mairi Cameron’s The Second, Daniel Okoduwa’s Survive or Die and Tristan Barr and Michael Gosden’s Watch the Sunset.

A short list of contenders will be determined by the round one votes of AACTA members. Nominees will then be selected from this shortlist by a jury which will be named later this year.

The jury will give strong consideration to filmmakers from diverse backgrounds and the winner will be determined by all AACTA members in round two voting.

‘Dad’

Today AACTA announced the programs for AACTA Film Fest in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. After premiering at MIFF, Mark Grentell’s The Merger will launch the events in Sydney on September 3 and in Brisbane on September 5. Jason Raftopoulos’ West of Sunshine will kick off the fest in Melbourne on September 4. The venues are Event Cinemas Bondi Junction, Melbourne’s Cinema Nova and Event Cinemas Brisbane City Myer Centre.

“In another record-breaking year for feature film entries, AACTA Film Fest is an unparalleled opportunity to view, support and discuss Australian film,” said AFI | AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella.

“These 38 films showcase a dynamic mix of genres and themes, feature a variety of unique stories that audiences often can’t find on traditional screens, highlight our increasingly diverse industry and filmmakers and shine a spotlight on the incredible work many emerging Australian filmmakers are doing in the low-budget independent sector. I encourage people to embrace this opportunity to see these films in cinema or on AACTA TV and join us in the largest conversation of Australian film.”

The 8th annual awards will be presented at an industry lunch on December 3 and at the AACTA Awards on December 5, telecast on the Seven Network, with repeat screenings on Foxtel.

The full list of the 38:

1%

Synopsis: 1% is a story of brotherhood, loyalty and betrayal, set within the primal underworld of outlaw motorcycle gangs. It follows Paddo, heir to the throne of the Copperheads MC, who has to betray his president to save his brother’s life. When this betrayal leads to a split in the club it results in civil war, forcing Paddo to choose between loyalty and blood.

Producer: Jamie Hilton, Michael Pontin

Director: Stephen McCallum

Writer: Matt Nable

Editor: Veronika Jenet

Sound: Angus Robertson, Phil Heywood, Trevor Hope, Craig Butters

Cinematographer: Shelley Farthing-Dawe

Composer: Chris Cobilis

Production Designer: Louise Brady

Costume Designer: Terri Lamera

Lead Actor: Ryan Corr

Lead Actress: Abbey Lee

Supporting Actor: Matt Nable, Josh McConville

Supporting Actress: Simone Kessell

Casting: Kirsty McGregor

THE BBQ

Synopsis: Suburban everyman Darren ‘Dazza’ Cook finds his passion for the neighbourhood backyard ‘barbie’ thrust into the competitive international arena of BBQ Festivals. But the steaks are high, and Dazza is going to need some expert tuition if he’s going to make it through to the finals.

Producer: Tait Brady, Lynne Wilson, Stephen Amis, Deb Fryers

Director: Stephen Amis

Writer: Stephen Amis, Serge De Nardo, Tim Ferguson, David Richardson, Angelo Salamanca

Editor: Bill Murphy

Sound: Chris Goodes

Cinematographer: David Richardson

Composer: Ricky Edwards

Production Designer: Otello Stolfo

Costume Designer: Christiana Plitzco

Lead Actor: Shane Jacobson

Lead Actress: Magda Szubanski

Supporting Actor: Nicholas Hammond, Frederik Simpson, Manu Feildel, John Stanton

Supporting Actress: Julia Zemiro, Lara Robinson

Casting Director: Fiona Dann

BIRTHDAY ADJUSTMENT DISORDER

Synopsis:
Seven thirty-somethings gather to toast a birthday. Among them are a psychologist, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, lawyer, artist, army veteran and carpenter. Cracks in friendships and wine bottles soon appear, revealing an underlying current of deep existential angst. When its revealed it’s the anniversary of the death of a beloved cousin, the night descends into an exploration of shadow and loss, which threatens to destroy friendships and lives forever.

Producer: Jed Malone

Director: Jed Malone

Writer: Jed Malone

Editor: Enzo Tedeschi

Supporting Actress: Jed Malone, Michela Carattini

BOY ERASED

Synopsis: Jared, the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, is outed to his parents and faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends and faith. BOY ERASED is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity.

Producer: Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Joel Edgerton

Director: Joel Edgerton

Writer: Joel Edgerton

Editor: Jay Rabinowitz

Sound: Robert Fernandez, Robert Hein

Cinematographer: Eduard Grau

Composer: Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans

Production Designer: Chad Keith

Costume Designer: Trish Summerville

Lead Actor: Lucas Hedges

Supporting Actor: Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton, Joe Alwyn

Supporting Actress: Nicole Kidman

Casting: Carmen Cuba

BREATH

Synopsis: Based on Tim Winton’s award-winning novel set in mid-70’s coastal Australia. Two teenage boys, hungry for discovery, form an unlikely friendship with a mysterious older surfer who pushes them to take risks that will have a lasting and profound impact on their lives.

Producer: Mark Johnson, Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton

Director: Simon Baker

Writer: Gerard Lee, Simon Baker, Tim Winton

Editor: Dany Cooper

Sound: Robert Mackenzie

Cinematographer: Marden Dean, Rick Rifici

Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

Production Designer: Steven Jones-Evans

Costume Designer: Terri Lamera

Lead Actor: Samson Coulter, Ben Spence

Supporting Actor: Richard Roxburgh, Simon Baker

Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Debicki, Miranda Frangou

Casting: Nikki Barrett

BROTHERS’ NEST

Synopsis: On a cold morning in the middle of country Victoria, two brothers arrive at the family home intent on murdering their step-father Roger. Terry and Jeff’s motive is simple, killing their step-dad will render their dying Mother’s plan to change her will in his favour, redundant. A staged ‘suicide’ has been meticulously planned but there is one thing the boys didn’t take into account, spending an entire day together. Old grudges, different worldviews and a general troubled history will pit these two brothers against each other.

Producer: Jason Byrne, Clayton Jacobson

Director: Clayton Jacobson

Writer: Jaime Browne

Editor: Sean Lander, Clayton Jacobson

Sound: Emma Bortignon, Paul Pirola

Cinematographer: Peter Falk

Composer: Richard Pleasance

Production Designer: Robert Perkins

Costume Designer: Katie Graham

Lead Actor: Clayton Jacobson, Shane Jacobson

Supporting Actor: Kim Gyngell

Supporting Actress: Lynette Curran, Sarah Snook

CARGO

Synopsis: Stranded in rural Australia in the aftermath of a violent pandemic, an infected father desperately seeks a new home for his infant child and a means to protect her from his own changing nature.

Producer: Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton

Director: Yolanda Ramke, Ben Howling

Writer: Yolanda Ramke

Editor: Dany Cooper, Sean Lahiff

Sound: Liam Egan

Cinematographer: Geoffrey Simpson

Composer: Daniel Rankine aka ‘Trials’, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Michael Hohnen, Johnathon Mangarri Yunupingu

Production Designer: Jo Ford

Costume Designer: Heather Wallace

Lead Actor: Martin Freeman

Lead Actress: Simone Landers

Supporting Actor: Anthony Hayes, David Gulpilil, Bruce R. Carter

Supporting Actress: Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius, Natasha Wanganeen, Kris McQuade

Casting Director: Nikki Barrett

DAD

Synopsis: After the passing of her mother, Al is left to the hands of the State Government. Her only wish and hope is finding her Dad, whom she barely knows. She sets off on a journey and trusts that her wish will come true, but who she finds is not the man she remembers.

Producer: Robert Lobosco

Director: Robert Lobosco

Writer: Robert Lobosco

Editor: Matthew Poidevin

Sound: Brandon Cvetkovic

Cinematographer: Rah Sharma, Mark Kenfield, Adam Nichols, Prakash Paudel

Composer: Carol Dixon

Lead Actor: Robert Lobosco

Lead Actress: Lani Hirst

Supporting Actor: Rajat Sharma, Frank Otis

Supporting Actress: Kirsty Snowden, Marie Werrett, Jazi Hall, Veena Prakash

Casting Director: Robert Lobosco

THE FIVE PROVOCATIONS

Synopsis: Marlena is secretly dealing with the loss of her married lover, Rosie. Rosie’s husband Paul is also going through his own grief. Meanwhile Marlena takes on a housemate, the timid and a little bit aimless Bridget. Handyman Clinton grapples with parenting a teenage daughter and his own developing gender identity. The lives of these four very different people intertwine as they fall apart, come together and change each other’s lives. Amongst all of this are the mysterious five provocations, played with mischievous charm by the stars of Australia’s cabaret scene.

Producer: Angie Black

Director: Angie Black

Writer: Angie Black

Editor: Kelly Dingeldei

Sound: Andrew McGrath

Cinematographer: Matt Jasper

Composer: Marcel Borrack, Amelia Barden

Production Designer: Amanda Morris

Costume Designer: Lucia Gertos

Lead Actor: Tony Moclair

Lead Actress: Sapidah Kian

Supporting Actor: Blake Osborn

Supporting Actress: Rebecca Bower

THE FLIP SIDE

Synopsis: Mired in debt, Ronnie is a struggling Adelaide restaurateur looking after her elderly mother and living with her good-hearted boyfriend Jeff. Five years ago, while catering on a film set in Australia, she had an intense affair with British movie star Henry. Despite wild declarations of love, as the movie wrapped so did the relationship, crushing Ronnie’s heart. When Henry’s French girlfriend Sophie calls to say they will be in Adelaide on a promotional tour, Jeff excitedly agrees to meet up and unwittingly creates the perfect opportunity for Henry to seduce Ronnie all over again.

Producer: Marion Pilowsky, Sue Murray, David Willing

Director: Marion Pilowsky

Writer: Marion Pilowsky, Lee Sellars

Editor: Denise Haratzis

Sound: Tom Heuzenroeder, Duncan Campbell, Will Sheridan

Cinematographer: Steve Arnold

Composer: Luis Almau

Production Designer: Tony Cronin

Lead Actor: Eddie Izzard, Luke McKenzie

Lead Actress: Emily Taheny, Vanessa Guide

Supporting Actor: Hugh Sheridan, Tiriel Mora

Supporting Actress: Tina Bursill, Susie Youssef

Casting Director: Angela Heesom

THE GATEWAY

Synopsis: Particle physicist Jane Chandler is happily married to writer Matt. Together with her lab assistant Regg, Jane experiments with matter teleportation. Later, tragedy strikes: Matt is killed in a car crash. Grieving, Jane falls to pieces. But a few weeks later comes a ray of hope when Jane finds a way to teleport herself to a parallel world where she finds another version of Matt. But this is a very different Matt and before long she realises she’s made a terrible mistake and must find a way to send him back to save her family.

Producer: John Soto

Director: John Soto

Writer: John Soto, Michael White

Editor: Regg Skwarko

Sound: Mark D’Angelo, Christian Scallan, Scott Montgomery

Cinematographer: David Le May

Composer: Thomas Rouch

Production Designer: Monique Wajon

Costume Designer: Lisa Galea

Lead Actor: Myles Pollard

Lead Actress: Jacqueline McKenzie

Supporting Actor: Ben Mortley

Supporting Actress: Hayley McElhinney

Casting Director: John Soto

GRINGO

Synopsis: A dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, GRINGO explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.

Producer: Rebecca Yeldham, Nash Edgerton

Director: Nash Edgerton

Editor: Luke Doolan, David Rennie, Tatiana S. Riegel

Sound: Paul Pirola, Hayden Collow, Mark Paterson, David Moreno

Supporting Actor: Joel Edgerton

IN LIKE FLYNN

Synopsis: Before Errol Flynn became one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, he was braving cannibals and crocodiles while searching the jungles of Papua New Guinea for gold. After stealing the Sirocco, a yacht belonging to Chinese Opium smugglers, Flynn and his ragtag crew set sail on a journey to find adventure and fortune.

Producer: Corey Large, James M. Vernon

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Writer: Marc Furmie, Steve Albert, Luke Flynn, Corey Large

Editor: Rodrigo Balart

Sound: Thom Kellar, Lachlan Harris

Cinematographer: Peter Holland

Composer: David Hirschfelder

Production Designer: Nicholas McCallum

Costume Designer: Glenn T

Lead Actor: Thomas Cocquerel

Supporting Actor: Clive Standen, Corey Large, William Moseley, David Wenham

Supporting Actress: Isabel Lucas

Casting Director: Ben Parkinson

INDIGO LAKE

Synopsis: An artist facing a creative crisis is hired by a nightclub owner to paint a portrait of his young wife. When the artist becomes re-inspired by the wife and falls in love, the nightclub owner’s suspicions erupt in violence and the lovers are driven to attempt his murder.

Producer: Brian Cobb, Jonas McLallen

Director: Martin Simpson

Writer: Martin Simpson

Editor: Julian Griffiths

Sound: Nathan Brand

Cinematographer: Rodrigo Vidal-Dawson

Composer: Sam Weiss

Production Designer: Jamie Cranney

Costume Designer: Lainey Donnelly

Lead Actor: Andrew Cutcliffe

Lead Actress: Miranda O’Hare

Supporting Actor: Marin Mimica, Gerard Webb

Supporting Actress: Pamela Shaw, Nicole Verhoeven, Lauren Clair

Casting Director: Maura Fay

INNOCENT KILLER

Synopsis: A modern city is hit with a string of inexplicable murders of seemingly random women from different cultural and social-economic backgrounds. As the murderer carries out his deadly deeds, he appears to be following the directions from a cryptic murder manual, searching for the perfect ‘soul mate’. Then he meets the last standing policewoman on his trail and everything changes.

Producer: Jon-Claire Lee, Asif Khan

Director: Jon-Claire Lee

Writer: Jon-Claire Lee

Editor: Dion Wilton

Cinematographer: Dion Wilton

Lead Actor: Asif Khan

Casting Director: Jon-Claire Lee

JIRGA

Synopsis: A former Australian soldier, Mike, returns to Afghanistan to find the family of a civilian he accidentally killed during the war. Seeking forgiveness, he puts his life in the hands of the village justice system – the Jirga.

Producer: John Maynard

Director: Benjamin Gilmour

Writer: Benjamin Gilmour

Editor: Nikki Stevens

Sound: Liam Egan

Cinematographer: Benjamin Gilmour

Composer: A.J. True

Lead Actor: Sam Smith

JUST BETWEEN US

Synopsis: Unadventurous office worker Hannah and her childhood friend Trixie’s world is turned upside down when the ghost of her late sister appears; guiding them on a road trip to scatter her ashes at a destination she once sought but never found. What starts off as a simple journey turns into an unpredictable adventure and the two friends must overcome their sheltered existence and find out who they really are and what they are truly capable of.

Producer: Joanne Nguyen, Deanna Ortuso

Director: Christopher Kay

Writer: Deanna Ortuso

Editor: Christopher Kay

Sound: Rezzan Ufacikligil

Cinematographer: Filip Laureys

Composer: Rezzan Ufacikligil

Lead Actress: Deanna Ortuso

Supporting Actor: Clayton Jacobson, John Jarratt, Matt Prodan, Andy Rhodes

Supporting Actress: Joanne Nguyen, Calista Fookes, Kaarin Fairfax, Alison Morley

LADIES IN BLACK

Synopsis: Adapted from the bestselling novel by Madeleine St John, LADIES IN BLACK is an alluring and tender-hearted comedy drama about the lives of a group of department store employees in 1959 Sydney.

Producer: Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken

Director: Bruce Beresford

Writer: Sue Milliken, Bruce Beresford

Editor: Mark Warner

Sound: David Lee

Cinematographer: Peter James

Composer: Christopher Gordon

Production Designer: Felicity Abbott

Costume Designer: Wendy Cork

Lead Actor: Ryan Corr

Lead Actress: Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice

Supporting Actor: Vincent Perez, Shane Jacobson

Supporting Actress: Noni Hazlehurst, Susie Porter, Rachael Taylor

Casting Director: Christine King

THE LEGO® NINJAGO MOVIE

Synopsis: In this big-screen NINJAGO adventure, the battle for NINJAGO City calls to action young Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, who are all secret ninja warriors. Led by Master Wu, as wise-cracking as he is wise, they must defeat evil warlord Garmadon, The Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad. Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas, who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their inner power.

Sound: Wayne Pashley, Fabian Sanjurjo, Tim LeBlanc, Beau Borders

Production Designer: Kim Taylor, Felicity Coonan, Simon Whitley

LOST GULLY ROAD

Synopsis: Lucy, a directionless young woman, travels to a secluded cottage in the forest to wait for her sister. With no television and little communication to the outside world she spends her days alone and drinking to pass the time. That is, until her unexpected host decides to keep her company…

Producer: Liz Baulch, Donna McRae

Director: Donna McRae

Writer: Donna McRae, Michael Vale

Editor: Shannon Michaelas

Cinematographer: Laszlo Baranyai

Composer: Dave Graney, Clare Moore

Production Designer: Michael Vale

Lead Actress: Adele Perovic

Supporting Actor: John Brumpton

Supporting Actress: Jane Clifton

MARY MAGDALENE

Synopsis: Set in the Holy Land in the first century, MARY MAGDALENE is the story of a young woman who leaves her small fishing village and family to join a new movement. Inspired by its charismatic leader, Jesus of Nazareth, and his teachings, Mary sets out with the disciples on the journey to Jerusalem, where she finds herself at the centre of the founding story of Christianity.

Producer: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Liz Watts

Director: Garth Davis

Writer: Helen Edmundson, Philippa Goslett

Editor: Alexandre de Franceschi, Melanie Oliver

Sound: Robert Mackenzie, Glenn Newnham, James Ashton, Mario Vacarro

Cinematographer: Greig Fraser

Composer: Hildur Guðnadóttir, Jóhann Jóhannsson

Production Designer: Fiona Crombie

Costume Designer: Jacqueline Durran

Lead Actor: Joaquin Phoenix

Lead Actress: Rooney Mara

Supporting Actor: Tahar Rahim, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Supporting Actress: Ariane Labed

Casting Director: Jina Jay, Kirsty McGregor, Lilia Trapani

ME & MY LEFT BRAIN

Synopsis: What happens when you are in love with someone, you don’t know how they feel about you, you have a job interview in the morning…and you cannot sleep? Arthur spends the night tossing and turning whilst reflecting on the times he has spent with Helen in an attempt to decipher whether she is legitimately interested in him or not. Whilst in this deep reflective analysis, Arthur bickers with his opposing inner-voice, who is extremely opinionated on this particular night.

Producer: Alexandros Lykos

Director: Alexandros Lykos

Writer: Alexandros Lykos

Editor: Miriana Marusic

Sound: Anthony Marsh

Cinematographer: Kent Marcus

Composer: Cezary Skubiszewski

Lead Actor: Alexandros Lykos

Lead Actress: Rachael Beck

Supporting Actor: Mal Kennard

Supporting Actress: Chantelle Barry, Janette Patricia Lakiss Condylis, Natalia Ladyko

THE MERGER

Synopsis: In a struggling town where the drought won’t let up, jobs are scarce and the footy team looks like it will fold, former football star Troy Carrington is living a hermit like existence on the town’s fringe. Troy is coaxed into coaching after striking up an unlikely friendship with young Neil, who is struggling with the recent loss of his father. Troy teams up with Neil’s mum Angie, who runs a nearby refugee support centre, to recruit refugees to ensure the team survives and take the community on a journey of change.

Producer: Anne Robinson, Mark Grentell, Damian Callinan

Director: Mark Grentell

Writer: Damian Callinan

Editor: Christopher Mill

Sound: Peter Purcell

Cinematographer: Tony Luu

Composer: David Bridie

Production Designer: Nicola Stillone

Costume Designer: Andrew Infanti

Lead Actor: Damian Callinan

Lead Actress: Kate Mulvany

Supporting Actor: Rafferty Grierson, John Howard, Fayssal Bazzi

Supporting Actress: Penny Cook

Casting Director: Faith Martin, Caitlin Stanton

OCCUPATION

Synopsis: After their small Australian country town is annihilated by an overwhelming airborne attack, a group of civilians evade capture and take refuge in the bordering forests. Avoiding detection from the invading ground troops, they set up a hidden settlement camp and soon discover the inescapable truth – they are now among the last remaining survivors of an extra-terrestrial invasion engulfing the entire planet. They must come together as a family and fight back.

Producer: Luke Sparke, Carly Imrie, Carmel Imrie

Director: Luke Sparke

Writer: Luke Sparke

Editor: Luke Sparke, David Napier

Sound: Chris Goodes, Dale Warren, Ramsey De Marco

Cinematographer: Tony O’Loughlan

Composer: Christopher Elves

Production Designer: Stuart Burnside

Costume Designer: Tracey Rose Sparke

Lead Actor: Dan Ewing, Charles Terrier, Temuera Morrison

Lead Actress: Stephany Jacobsen

Supporting Actor: Charles Mesure, Aaron Jeffery, Zachary Garred, Felix Williamson

Supporting Actress: Rhiannon Fish, Izzy Stephens, Jacqueline McKenzie

Casting Director: Carly Imrie

PETER RABBIT

Synopsis: The mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers now takes on the starring role of his own contemporary comedy. Peter’s feud with Mr. Thomas McGregor escalates to great heights, extending to the Lake District and London, as the rabbits fight to gain control of Old McGregor’s coveted vegetable garden and the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover, Bea, who lives next door.

Producer: Will Gluck, Zareh Nalbandian

Director: Will Gluck

Writer: Rob Lieber, Will Gluck

Editor: Christian Gazal, Jonathan Tappin

Sound: Robert Mackenzie, Andy Wright, Ben Osmo, Kevin O’Connell

Cinematographer: Peter Menzies Jr.

Composer: Dominic Lewis

Production Designer: Roger Ford, Lisa Thompson

Costume Designer: Lizzy Gardiner

Lead Actor: Domhnall Gleeson, James Corden

Lead Actress: Rose Byrne

Supporting Actor: Sam Neill, Colin Moody, David Wenham

Supporting Actress: Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, Daisy Ridley, Sia

Casting Director: Nikki Barrett

THE PRETEND ONE

Synopsis: The heart-warming tale of a young female farmer and her imaginary friend. He’s been by her side for twenty years and counting. Now, as he watches her fall for another man – a real man – it dawns on him: he is in love with her. Unable to face losing her, he must fight to become real himself.

Producer: Tony Prescott, Dinusha Ratnaweera

Director: Tony Prescott

Writer: James Raue, Tony Prescott

Editor: Laurence Van Camp

Sound: Damian Del Borrello

Cinematographer: Robert C. Morton

Composer: Darren Lim

Production Designer: Bethany Ryan

Costume Designer: Anna Cahill

Lead Actor: Michael Whalley, Benedict Wall

Lead Actress: Geraldine Hakewill

Supporting Actor: David Field, Elijah Perris

Supporting Actress: Alice Roberts, Fiona Press

Casting Director: Danny Long

PULSE

Synopsis: How much do our bodies shape who we are? Where is the line between compromising for love and changing yourself for love? Why do we fall in love with the people we fall in love with? A gay disabled teenage boy changes into the body of a beautiful woman, so that he can make his straight best friend fall in love with him.

Producer: Daniel Monks, Stevie Cruz-Martin, Gemma Hall

Director: Stevie Cruz-Martin

Writer: Daniel Monks

Editor: Daniel Monks

Sound: Joseph Dutaillis

Cinematographer: Stevie Cruz-Martin

Production Designer: Katelyn Collins

Costume Designer: Brodie Simpson

Lead Actor: Daniel Monks

Lead Actress: Caroline Brazier

Supporting Actor: Scott Lee

Supporting Actress: Sian Ewers, Isaro Kayitesi, Jaimee Peasley

Casting Director: Annie Murtagh-Monks

RABBIT

Synopsis: Almost a year after her identical twin’s disappearance, 25-year-old medical student Maude Ashton is still haunted by visions of her violent abduction. Convinced she is still alive, Maude follows the clues to a derelict caravan park where she discovers her fate is intrinsically linked to that of her sister, while the entire experiment is controlled by a secret society that ‘likes to watch’.

Producer: David Ngo

Director: Luke Shanahan

Writer: Luke Shanahan

Editor: Stuart Morley

Sound: Tom Heuzenroeder

Cinematographer: Anna Howard

Composer: Michael Darren

Production Designer: Amy Baker

Costume Designer: Anita Seiler

Lead Actress: Adelaide Clemens

Supporting Actor: Jonny Pasvolsky, Charles Mayer, Alex Russell

Supporting Actress: Veerle Baetens

Casting Director: Greg Apps

THE SECOND

Synopsis: A successful author riding high on the international acclaim of her first book, a sexually explicit autobiography, has everything – money and critical acclaim. Everything is perfect, except she’s struggling to produce a second novel. She has writer’s block. Attempting to meet her deadline, the author and her publisher and boyfriend, take a long summer weekend at her family’s country estate. The grandeur of the property is breathtaking, but it conceals a dark secret that remains unwritten. When a beautiful friend from the past arrives out of the blue, the secret becomes a deadly problem.

Producer: Leanne Tonkes, Stephen Lance

Director: Mairi Cameron

Writer: Stephen Lance

Editor: Steve Cooper

Sound: Thom Kellar

Cinematographer: Mark Wareham

Composer: Ryan Walsh

Production Designer: Jon Dowding

Costume Designer: Manuela Masoch, Vanessa Loh

Lead Actor: Vince Colosimo

Lead Actress: Rachael Blake

Supporting Actor: Martin Sacks, Will Beazley

Supporting Actress: Susie Porter, Susan Prior, Bridget Webb, Megan Dale

Casting Director: Ben Parkinson

STRANGE COLOURS

Synopsis: Milena travels to a remote opal mining community to see her estranged, ill father. Lost and alone, she falls into his bewildering world, where men escape society and share ideals of freedom. Soon, he doesn’t want her to leave. Stuck in time, father and daughter try to mend their fractured bond, but their connection is fragile, like the strange, colourful gems he digs up from the earth.

Producer: Kate Laurie, Isaac Wall

Director: Alena Lodkina

Writer: Alena Lodkina, Isaac Wall

Editor: Luca Cappelli

Sound: Livia Ruzic, Keith Thomas

Cinematographer: Michael Latham

Composer: Mikey Young

Production Designer: Leah Popple

Lead Actor: Daniel P. Jones

Lead Actress: Kate Cheel

SURVIVE OR DIE

Synopsis: After a civil war erupts, killing her entire family, 16-year-old Shade escapes to Australia on a refugee boat helmed by the captain of a people smuggling ring. The boat becomes lost at sea and, out of fuel, food and water, the refugees begin to die until a handful of them manage to land in an isolated part of Australia. Lost, desperate and fighting between themselves, only Shade, the captain and a young Rohingya refugee girl named Maiya are left alive to find civilization and make Australia their new home.

Producer: Daniel Okoduwa, Mike Kang

Director: Daniel Okoduwa

SWEET COUNTRY

Synopsis: Inspired by real events, SWEET COUNTRY follows Aboriginal stockman Sam and his wife Lizzie as they go on the run across the outback, after Sam kills a white station owner in self-defence. They are pursued across glorious but harsh desert country by Sergeant Fletcher, Aboriginal tracker Archie and two local landowners. As an expert bushman, Sam has little difficulty outlasting them. Eventually for the health of his pregnant wife, he decides to give himself up. Sam is put on trial, but will justice be served?

Producer: Greer Simpkin, David Jowsey, David Tranter

Director: Warwick Thornton

Writer: David Tranter, Steven McGregor

Editor: Nick Meyers

Sound: David Tranter, Thom Kellar, Sam Gain-Emery, Will Sheridan

Cinematographer: Warwick Thornton

Production Designer: Tony Cronin

Costume Designer: Heather Wallace

Lead Actor: Hamilton Morris

Supporting Actor: Bryan Brown, Ewen Leslie, Thomas M. Wright, Sam Neill

Supporting Actress: Natassia Gorey-Furber

Casting Director: Anousha Zarkesh

SWINGING SAFARI

Synopsis: 1970s Australia: A 200-ton blue whale washes up on a local beach and the kids think it’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened in their lives. Behind closed doors, the Mums and Dads of this quiet suburban cul-de-sac celebrate in their own special way, by joining the sexual revolution. It’s a time of boxed wine, bad hair, bad styles, bad choices, but good times. And like the rotting whale, it’s all about to go spectacularly wrong.

Producer: Al Clark, Jamie Hilton

Director: Stephan Elliott

Writer: Stephan Elliott

Editor: Sue Blainey, Laurie Hughes, Annette Davey

Sound: Craig Walmsley, Andrew Neil, Paul Pirola, Jed M. Dodge

Cinematographer: Brad Shield

Composer: Guy Gross

Production Designer: Colin Gibson

Costume Designer: Lizzy Gardiner

Lead Actor: Guy Pearce, Julian McMahon, Jeremy Sims, Atticus Robb

Lead Actress: Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Asher Keddie, Darcey Wilson

Casting Director: Ann Robinson

UNDERTOW

Synopsis: Struggling to accept the loss of her baby, Claire becomes suspicious of her husband’s relationship with a feisty young woman, Angie. When she discovers Angie is pregnant, Claire develops an increasingly irrational obsession with her that puts both their lives in danger. Only when confronted by the explosive secret behind Angie’s pregnancy does Claire begin to reclaim her sanity.

Producer: Lyn Norfor

Director: Miranda Nation

Writer: Miranda Nation

Editor: Julie-Anne De Ruvo, Nick Meyers

Sound: Liam Egan

Cinematographer: Bonnie Elliott

Composer: Lisa Gerrard, James Orr, Raul Sanchez i Jorge

Production Designer: Penelope Southgate

Costume Designer: Stacey O’Connor

Lead Actor: Rob Collins

Lead Actress: Laura Gordon, Olivia DeJonge

Supporting Actor: Josh Helman

Casting Director: Marianne Jade

UPGRADE

Synopsis: After his wife is killed during a brutal mugging that also leaves him paralysed, Grey Trace is approached by a billionaire inventor with an experimental cure that will ‘upgrade’ his body. The cure – an Artificial Intelligence implant called STEM – gives Grey physical abilities beyond anything experienced and the ability to relentlessly claim vengeance against those who murdered his wife and left him for dead.

Producer: Jason Blum, Kylie du Fresne, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones

Director: Leigh Whannell

Writer: Leigh Whannell

Editor: Andy Canny

Sound: P.K. Hooker, Will Files, Andrew Ramage

Cinematographer: Stefan Duscio

Composer: Jed Palmer

Production Designer: Felicity Abbott, Katie Sharrock

Costume Designer: Maria Pattison

Lead Actor: Logan Marshall-Green

Supporting Actor: Benedict Hardie, Harrison Gilbertson, Simon Maiden

Supporting Actress: Betty Gabriel

Casting Director: Terri Taylor, Nikki Barrett

WATCH THE SUNSET

Synopsis: Danny Biaro, an ex-member of outlaw bikie gang, is tortured by the choices of his drug involved past that led to the disintegration of his family. Now longing to be reunited with Sally and their daughter Joey, he travels into the regional town of Kerang. After witnessing the brutal abuse of Charis at a club, a young girl that bears a haunting resemblance to Sally, Danny must race against the clock before the bikie gang reaches his estranged family.

Producer: Tristan Barr, Damien E. Lipp, Michael Gosden

Director: Tristan Barr, Michael Gosden

Writer: Tristan Barr, Chelsea Zeller, Michael Gosden

Cinematographer: Damian E. Lipp

Composer: Richard Labrooy

Costume Designer: Ollie Savage

Lead Actor: Tristan Barr

Lead Actress: Chelsea Zeller

Supporting Actor: Aaron Walton

Supporting Actress: Zia Zantis-Vinycomb

WEST OF SUNSHINE

Synopsis: Separated from his family and caught in a cycle of gambling and debt, Jim has less than a day to repay a loan shark. His day is turned upside down when he must look after his young son who is on school holidays. Jim’s relationship with his son is tested as his plans to pay back the loan fail. When his last desperate effort to repay the debt puts his son’s life at risk, he must make a choice between his past and a second chance at life.

Producer: Alexandros Ouzas, Jason Raftopoulos

Director: Jason Raftopoulos

Writer: Jason Raftopoulos

Editor: Paul Rowe

Sound: Tristan Meredith

Cinematographer: Thom Neal

Composer: Lisa Gerrard, James Orr

Production Designer: Anna Russell

Costume Designer: Alicia Aulsebrook

Lead Actor: Damian Hill

Supporting Actor: Ty Perham, Arthur Angel

Supporting Actress: Kat Stewart, Eliza D’Souza

Casting Director: Terri Svoronos

WINCHESTER

Synopsis: On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant 24-hour a day, seven days a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. She is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them have a score to settle with the Winchesters…

Producer: Tim McGahan, Brett Tomberlin

Director: Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig

Writer: Tom Vaughan, Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig

Editor: Matt Villa

Sound: Paul Pirola

Cinematographer: Ben Nott

Composer: Peter Spierig

Production Designer: Matthew Putland

Costume Designer: Wendy Cork

Lead Actor: Jason Clarke

Lead Actress: Helen Mirren

Supporting Actor: Eamon Farren

Supporting Actress: Sarah Snook

Casting Director: Leigh Pickford