Past Winners

1990-1999

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AACTA Winners & Nominees

AFI Past winners

1991 produced a final field of 12 films receiving nominations, and as in 1989, most of these nominations were spread among a few films. Leading the field was Spootswood, but its 9 nominations did not include Best Direction. Next-most nominated was Proof with 8. These were two of the four nominees for Best Film, with the remaining spots going to Death In Brunswick (5 nominations) and Dingo (7 nominations). Other multiple nominees were Aya (6), Waiting (5), A Woman's Tale (4), Isabelle Eberhardt (3) and Deadly (2).

In 1990, front runner Blood Oath got away to a flying start. This happened to Spotswood as well in 1991. Cinematographer Ellery Ryan had been nominated this year both for Death In Brunswick and Spotswood, which were his second and third nominations in this category. He won the award for Spotswood in a field that included Geoff Burton for Aya and the French cameraman Denis Lenoir for Dingo. Tess Schofield won the Best Costume Design award for Spotswood at her first nomination.

Tellingly, the award for Best Editing went to Ken Sallows for Proof. He had previously won the award five years earlier for his work on Malcolm. The category of Best Supporting Actor was seen as a match between Alwyn Kurts in Spotswood and Russell Crowe in Proof. Sentiment favoured the elderly Kurts, but Crowe, in only his fourth appearance on the big screen, won the award. It was a glimpse of things to come.

Another strongly contested category was that of Best Supporting Actress. Gosia Dobrowolska, who was nominated for A Woman's Tale, had a previous nomination as Best Lead Actress. Toni Collette received her first nomination for her striking feature debut in Spotswood. The other nominees were Helen Jones and Fiona Press (both for the first time and both for Waiting). The award went to Fiona Press.

The most predictable and popular victory was that of Sheila Florence as Best Lead Actress for A Woman's Tale. This was a remarkable performance as a dying woman from an actress who would herself pass away before the year was out.

Hugo Weaving at his first nomination won the Best Lead Actor award for Proof. He was in another strong field that also included Sam Neill (Death In Brunswick), Colin Friels (Dingo) and Ben Mendelsohn (Spotswood).

Chris Kennedy’s work on Spotswood won the award for Best Production Design, giving him two awards from two nominations. To the surprise of no one, Dingo won the awards for Best Sound and for Best Original Music.

The major three awards for Best Screenplay, Best Direction and Best Film all went to Proof. Jocelyn Moorhouse, whose screen debut this was, won for her screenplay and direction. Proof also marked the feature debut of Lynda House as principal producer and her victory was well received.

The television category expanded further to include Best Children's Television, which went to Round The Twist. The awards for Best Episode in a Television Drama and Best Direction in a Television Drama went to the Reg Grundy production Embassy. The Paper Man was named Best Mini-Series or Telefeature. Three different episodes of Police Rescue supplied Best Screenplay in a Television Drama (Peter Schreck), Best Actor in a Television Drama (Gary Sweet) and Best Actress in a Television Drama (Sonia Todd). Guns And Roses, which deals with male violence in relationships, was named Best Television Documentary.

John Duigan received the Byron Kennedy Award for his impressive and original body of work, both as writer and director.

The Raymond Longford Award went to Fred Schepisi, who became the ninth director to receive this honour. Peter Weir had won the previous year and other contemporary winners included Tim Burstall and Eric Porter.

1991 Winners & Nominees

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FEATURE FILM

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NON-FEATURE FILM

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TELEVISION

  • Best Children’s Television Drama

  • Winner:

    Round The Twist, Season 1 - Episode 8, 'Wunderpants' (ABC) Antonia Barnard

    Nominees:

    More Winners - 'Mr Edmund' (ABC) Anthony Buckley
    More Winners - 'The Big Wish' (ABC) Antonia Barnard
    Round The Twist, Season 1 - Episode 4, 'Cabbage Patch Fib' (ABC) Antonia Barnard

  • Best Episode in a Television Drama Series or Serial

  • Winner:

    Embassy, Series 2 - Episode 1, 'A Human Dimension' (ABC) Alan Hardy

    Nominees:

    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 2, 'Angel After Hours' (ABC) Sandra Levy, John Edwards
    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 13, 'By The Book' (ABC) Sandra Levy, John Edwards
    The Boys From The Bush, Season 1 - Episode 8 (Seven Network) Jane Scott, Verity Lambert

  • Atlab Australia Award for Best Television Mini-Series or Telefeature

  • Winner:

    The Paper Man (ABC) Sue Masters, Greg Ricketson

    Nominees:

    Ratbag Hero (Seven Network) Zelda Rosenbaum, Oscar Whitbread
    Ring Of Scorpio (Nine Network) Errol Sullivan
    Shadows Of The Heart (Network Ten) Jan Marnell

  • Cameraquip Award for Best Achievement in Direction in a Television Drama

  • Winner:

    Embassy, Series 2 - Episode 1, 'A Human Dimension' (ABC) Mark Callan

    Nominees:

    More Winners - 'The Big Wish' (ABC) Esben Storm
    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 2, 'Angel After Hours' (ABC) Michael Jenkins
    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 13, 'By The Book' (ABC) Peter Fisk

  • Best Screenplay in a Television Drama

  • Winner:

    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 2, 'Angel After Hours' (ABC) Peter Schreck

    Nominees:

    Embassy, Season 2 - Episode 1, 'A Human Dimension' (ABC) Anne Lucas
    More Winners - 'The Big Wish' (ABC) Steve J. Spears
    The Paper Man (ABC) Keith Aberdein, John Lonie

  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama

  • Winner:

    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 1, 'Mates' (ABC) Gary Sweet

    Nominees:

    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 2, 'Angel After Hours' (ABC) Steve Bastoni
    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 2, 'Angel After Hours' (ABC) Nico Lathouris
    More Winners - 'The Big Wish' (ABC) Cameron Nugent

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama

  • Winner:

    Police Rescue, Season 1 - Episode 13, 'By The Book' (ABC) Sonia Todd

    Nominees:

    Embassy, Season 2 - Episode 1, 'A Human Dimension' (ABC) Janet Andrewartha
    The Paper Man (ABC) Pat Bishop
    Shadows Of The Heart (Network Ten) Josephine Byrnes

  • Lemac Award for Best Television Documentary

  • Winner:

    Guns And Roses (ABC) John Moore, Helen Bowman

    Nominees:

    The Shadow Over East Timor (SBS) James Kesteven, Mandy King
    When Friends Were Enemies (SBS) Judy Menczel
    You Must Remember This (ABC) Susan Mackinnon, Helen Bowden

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