Australian Writers’ Guild announces Lifetime Achievement

The Australian Writers’ Guild has announced a Lifetime Achievement Award, to be awarded to writer Laura Jones.

A joint initiative of the AWG and Foxtel, the award is decided by a unanimous vote of the AWG National Executive Committee and recognises significant contribution to the Australian screen industry.

Laura Jones’ screenwriting credits include the films Angela’s Ashes, Possession, A Thousand Acres, Oscar and Lucinda, The Portrait of a Lady, An Angel at My Table and High Tide. Her TV credits include The Bush Gang, Spring & Fall, Patrol Boat, The Oracle, Cass, Say You Want Me and Certain Women.

“Laura’s characters and stories resonate powerfully with audiences and bring a uniquely Australian perspective to the world,” said Bruce Meagher, Foxtel’s Group Director of Corporate Affairs. “She has achieved a sustained critical and commercial success throughout an entire career which is a brilliant feat for an Australian feature film writer. We are delighted that Laura is the inaugural recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“Laura Jones is one of Australia’s preeminent writers and rightfully deserving of this inaugural award,” said the Australian Writers’ Guild President, Jan Sardi. “She has not only brought an Australian voice to the world, but has a unique ability to finely translate the written word into cinema magic.”

The award will be presented during the 2016 National Screenwriters’ Conference in March.