IF FURTHER PROOF BE NEEDED of David Michod's ANIMAL KINGDOM being worthy of Oscar acknowledgement, today's record-breaking haul of AFI nominations will surely suffice.
Unveiled this afternoon at the Sydney Theatre Company in Walsh Bay, this year's Australian Film Institute Awards nominations were dominated by Michod's stunning debut feature, which scored an astonishing 18 nods across all eligible categories. Among them: for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Original Music Score.
The film's also scored multiple nominations within two key categories: for Best Lead Actor (James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn) and Best Supporting Actor (Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce and Sullivan Stapleton, pictured, above, with Jacki Weaver).
Only two other features came close to matching the unprecedented haul: Jeremy Sims' acclaimed war drama Beneath Hill 60 (with 12) and Jane Campion's Bright Star (pictured, above, with 11).
Among the other key films recognised by the Australian Film Institute Awards nominations: Bran Nue Dae, The Tree, Daybreakers, The Boys are Back and Tomorrow When the War Began.
Today's announcement was hosted, appropriately enough, by ANIMAL KINGDOM's very own Oscar hopeful, Jacki Weaver, who stepped in at the last minute after Catherine McClements had to pull out. Nominees were unveiled by a clutch of Australian film talent, including Summer Coda star Alex Dimitriades and Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, who briefly forgot to mention the other contenders during one announcement (such is the overwhelming response to Michod's film).
The host of this year's upcoming awards, Shane 'Kenny' Jacobson, also took to the stage, adding to Ms Weaver's entertaining delivery with a suitably irreverent summary of this year's festivities.
For the record, the 52nd AFI Awards will be held in Melbourne on December 10 and 11, allowing for an exhaustive 42 gongs to be handed out across film and television, with a gala industry bash to close proceedings.
Ms Weaver, who ran an amusing $20 'dare' gag with guests during the hour-long announcement, returned to the stage to wrap today's event -- she's nominated in the Best Lead Actress category for her exemplary turn as ANIMAL KINGDOM's matriarch Smurf Cody -- with a suitably understated closer. "I'm glad I came now!" she quipped.
Australian films have enjoyed their most consistently successful year in a decade, raking in over $40 million at the domestic box office in 2010. And while the 2011 Oscar nominations won't be unveiled until January 25, it seems likely that Ms Weaver will be recognised by the Academy for her role in the most crucial of them all. Until then, this year's AFI nominees serve as a healthy reminder of what a year it has been.
The 2010 AFI Awards take place on December 10 and 11 at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne, and are due to be screened on Channel Nine and on the Movie Network.
A full list of the nominees can be viewed here: www.afi.org.au
ANIMAL KINGDOM is out now on DVD/Blu-Ray.
The official trailer for the film can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/bsKnD5
The official trailer for the film can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/bsKnD5
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http://plasticsouls.blogspot.com/2010/05/animal-kingdom-crime-does-pay.html
ED GIBBS
Go Jacki!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see Aussie films doing well. As for Animal Kingdom, Jacki Weaver's performance is definitely Oscar worthy.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the Academy agrees.
ReplyDelete