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Gallery: AFI Awards

The industry were decked out for the AFI's 50th Awards with Stephen Curry suggesting, "If you win an award, get up, give us a wave, piss off."

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The 50th Annual Australian Film Institute Awards took place at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne tonight.

Actor Vince Colosimo kicked off the night, before host Stephen Curry soon grooved on stage to The Choirboys’ “Run to Paradise.”

In his laid back, laconic style, Curry conceded the first-time hosting job was a big ask for an actor.

“I know what you’re thinking. Budgets cuts.

“It is the 50th year of the AFI’s and as such I’d rather not be shithouse,” he said.

“Due to legal proceedings the AFI’s won’t be broadcast in Victoria tonight. But copies will be available at the Victoria Market.

“If you win an award, get up, give us a wave, piss off.”

Eric Bana presented the first award.

Actor Michael Caton presented a tribute to the memory of Heath Ledger, accepted by Ledger’s father, mother and sister. The emotional moment triggered a standing ovation in the theatre.

Marcia Hines sang.

Chris Lilley won the Byron Kennedy Award (incorrectly titled as the Bryon Kennedy Award).

The Nine telecast also skipped three awards (Best Miniseries/ Telefeature/ Short Run, AFI International Award for Best Actress and Best Documentary).

Best speech of the night was also cut from the broadcast when Black Balloon’s co-writer “Jimmy The Exploder” lashed out at an Age film critic. After apparently receiving a poor screenplay review, he used the “F” word in a bitter response which receives laugher, gasps and even a few standing ovations.

Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama:
Damian Walshe-Howling, Underbelly, Nine.

Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama:
Madeleine West, Underbelly, Nine.

Best Television Drama Series:
Underbelly, Nine.

Best Television Comedy Series:
Summer Heights High, ABC.

Best Performance in a Television Comedy:
Chris Lilley, Summer Heights High, ABC.

Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama:
Kat Stewart, Underbelly, Nine.

Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama:
Gyton Grantley, Underbelly, Nine.

Byron Kennedy Award:
Chris Lilley.

Best Telefeature, Miniseries or Short Run Series:
East West 101, SBS.

Best Screenplay in Television:
The Hollowmen, ABC.

Best Direction in Television:
Peter Andrikidis, Underbelly, Nine.

This post updates.

20 Responses

  1. You can all thank Paul Keating for the disgrace in the film industry. He created the mess when we was in power, all those years ago, and now we’re still trying to gain more momentum to make better movies.

  3. channel 10 should have the afi’s they know how to make a good show! last nights was so god dam boring!! did anyone else notice how big the woman from city homicide is?? maybe she is pregnant

  4. The AFI Awards are like holding a birthday party in a morgue! How can you celebrate movies that no body saw? Sadly our film industry has become a politically correct waste of celuloid – not to mention taxpayers’ dollars. We should be hanging our heads in shame instead of patting ourselves on the back.

    By far the best and most innovative product of the year was Underbelly and it lost the Best Script Award.to Hollow Men.

    No wonder our industry is in such a mess when the “experts” cannot even recognize a superb script.

  5. I watched some of it, and it really is a second rate and boring production/awards ceremony. Curry wasn’t funny, but then again ive never found him funny.

  6. On the whole, a worthy list of winners. One award that wasn’t broadcast – Most Annoying Person on Australian Television. Winner Julia Zemiro, just beating Julia Morris, Andrew O’Keefe and the bald git from Today.

  7. guanolad – how about helping the creation of a national film and television canon? the awards help build our history of film and television and what is regarded the most important texts within it. that to me is incredibly important in terms of the future, and in terms of now, it’s important in terms of recognition, promotion and opportunity.

  8. Gee what a surprise Underbelly wins everything and it’s aired on channel 9! *rolls eyes*

    Madeleine West looks like shit! And she was much better in Satisfaction.

  9. guanolad i kind of see your point but actually when aussie actors and behind the scene guys head overseas to look for work it does look like they have something on their resume if they have an award of some kind. the AFI’s might not be recognised by the academy as such but it has the potential to give those involved in the industry a slight leg up in any industry job.

  10. Marvelously entertaining and brilliant to see Underbelly win nearly every award (darn you working dog!!)

    Thought it would be a bore but i loved every minute even Marcia Hines:)

    And lowie the logies are a joke but the silver logies are awarded by the industry.

  11. @Randolf “how about acknowledgement or promotion overseas?”

    But do they really? If so, if there’s tangible results from a locally given award, then okay, maybe. But I’m not aware of any. Even the Oscars don’t really mean that much in the end.

    I once worked on a New Zealand movie that won a lot of awards, but it didn’t garner any recognition overseas or give the Director or actors any more opportunity.

    It’s nice to be recognised by your peers, I suppose, but beyond that I don’t see any useful value.

  12. A patchy – at times shoddy – effort I thought. If they weren’t going to show all the awards, at least mention who won them. For example, Mark Hartley’s wonderful (AFI award winning, it seems) doco ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ deserved recognition. So much for promoting the local film industry – at least 15 of the film award receiptants were not acknowledged in any way by the AFI during their telecast. Still, the sponsors would have been happy.

  14. Shattered that they didn’t show East West 101 winning the most deserving award of the night. Totally glad Madeline West won however, and also totally in love with her after her acceptance speech.

  16. The AFI’s should be regarded so much higher than The Logies, where best actor really means hottest actor. Atleast this awards ceremony has some merit behind it.

  18. GuanoLad, how about the fact that these award shows give recognition to actors and shows that are made in Australia, and promote the australian film industry. “It’s not like they have any real consequence”… how about acknowledgment or promotion overseas?

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