AACTA launches international awards; announces dates for local awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has announced the dates of their two major awards ceremonies and launched an international awards which will take place just a month before the Oscars in the US.
The AACTA was formed in August by the Australian Film Institute and aims to improve national and international recognition of Australia’s screen practitioners.
The AACTA International Awards will recognise excellence within the categories of best film, best acting, writing and directing and is open to any international film, voted on by the Australian academy.
The launch comes as AACTA announce its two local awards dates.
I think it’s a mistake for AACTA to include this new ‘International Awards’ and to have the winners announced alongside the Australian Feature/TV winners. Australia wants to feel like a player when it comes to Oscar season but at what expense? Do you really need to award a best film/actor/actress with the likes of say Meryl Streep, Deniro, DeCaprio, Pitt (as examples), Spielberg at the same time when you’re trying to award Best Aussie Feature film of 2011 and garner attention for Aussie product? Some Oz films need that extra ‘feather in their cap’ so to speak before US distributors are willing to make a deal. Look at Fred Schepisi’s “The Eye of The Storm.” It has not been able to get a US deal yet. Adding the International Awards will only overshadow AACTA winners.