The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) announced its nominees in the film and newly-created television categories for its 10th AACTA International Awards.
Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” leads the film nominations, earning six nods, including best film, best direction in a film and nods for stars Frances McDormand, David Strathairn and Swankie. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” follows with five nominations. The late Chadwick Boseman earned two nominations posthumously for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (for which Boseman’s co-star Viola Davis was also nominated) and “Da 5 Bloods.”
For the past ten years, the AACTA International Awards have honored excellence in film, with awards in seven categories (best film, best direction, best screenplay, best lead actor, best lead actress, best supporting actor and best supporting actress). But in 2021, the Australian Academy expanded the awards to include four television awards (best drama series, best comedy series, best actor in a series and best actress in a series).
Nominees for the AACTA International Award for best drama series are “The Crown,” “I May Destroy You,” “The Mandalorian,” “Mystery Road” and “The Queen’s Gambit,” with “Afterlife,” “The Great,” “Schitt’s Creek,” “Sex Education” and “What We Do in the Shadows” earning top marks in the comedy series category.
“2020 was an extraordinary year for the global screen industry. We all experienced varying degrees of lockdowns but one thing that united us all was the enjoyment and escapism we got from film and television and audiences devoured content in astonishing numbers,” AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said of the nominees. “Shows like ‘Normal People,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘I May Destroy You’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’ were watched across the world and our own productions like ‘Mystery Road’ stood up alongside the best.”
He continued, highlighting some nominated Aussies: “Creatives like Margot Robbie who produced the black comedy thriller, ‘Promising Young Woman,’ Tony McNamara who created ‘The Great,’ ‘Babyteeth’s’ Eliza Scanlen and Ben Mendelsohn, ‘Mrs. America’s’ Cate Blanchett and ‘The Undoing’s’ Nicole Kidman also continued to showcase the abounding contribution Australians make to the international screen industry.”
Typically held in Los Angeles, the 10th annual awards will be presented via a highlights package of acceptance speeches, debuting on AACTA’s YouTube channel Saturday, March 6 AEDT / Friday, March 5 PST.
“Even though we can’t hold an event in Los Angeles this year,” Trewhella added. “We thought it very important to still shine a light on the best of the global screen industry, give our members the opportunity to have their say too and mark another excellent year of work.”
Read the full list of nominees below:
AACTA International Award for Best Film
“The Father”
“Minari”
“Nomadland
“Promising Young Woman”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”
AACTA International Award for Best Direction in Film
Pete Docter – “Soul”
Emerald Fennell – “Promising Young Woman”
David Fincher – “Mank”
Aaron Sorkin – “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Chloé Zhao – “Nomadland”
AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay in Film
“The Father”
“Mank”
“Nomadland”
“Promising Young Woman”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”
AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor in Film
Riz Ahmed – “Sound of Metal”
Chadwick Boseman – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Adarsh Gourav – The White Tiger
Anthony Hopkins – “The Father”
Gary Oldman – “Mank”
AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress in Film
Viola Davis – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Vanessa Kirby – “Pieces of a Woman”
Frances McDormand – “Nomadland”
Carey Mulligan – “Promising Young Woman”
Eliza Scanlen – “Babyteeth”
AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film
Sacha Baron Cohen – “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Chadwick Boseman – “Da 5 Bloods”
Ben Mendelsohn – “Babyteeth”
Mark Rylance – “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
David Strathairn – “Nomadland”
AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film
Maria Bakalova – “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Olivia Colman – “The Father”
Saoirse Ronan – “Ammonite”
Amanda Seyfried – “Mank”
Swankie – “Nomadland”
AACTA International Award for Best Drama Series
“The Crown”
“I May Destroy You”
“The Mandalorian”
“Mystery Road”
“The Queen’s Gambit”
AACTA International Award for Best Comedy Series
“Afterlife”
“The Great”
“Schitt’s Creek”
“Sex Education”
“What We Do in the Shadows”
AACTA International Award for Best Actor in a Series
Jason Bateman – “Ozark”
Hugh Grant – “The Undoing”
Daniel Levy – “Schitt’s Creek”
Paul Mescal – “Normal People”
Aaron Pedersen – “Mystery Road”
AACTA International Award for Best Actress in a Series
Cate Blanchett – “Mrs America”
Daisy Edgar-Jones – “Normal People”
Nicole Kidman – “The Undoing”
Catherine O’Hara – “Schitt’s Creek”
Anya Taylor-Joy – “The Queen’s Gambit”
