1890s–1930s

Australian filmmakers were at the forefront of cinema and film, having created what is considered the first feature-length narrative film with the release of The Story of the Kelly Gang and other early films by directors John Gavin, W. J. Lincoln and Alfred Rolfe.

Notable Australian films of the 1890s: Passengers Alighting from Ferry Brighton at Manly (1896) – first film produced and screened in Australia The Melbourne Cup (1896) – multiple reel sports documentary of the Melbourne Cup Carnival Patineur Grotesque (1897) – comedy roller-skater routine originally filmed in 1896 Prince Ranjitsinhji Practising Batting in the Nets (1897) – featuring Ranjitsinhji one of the earliest surviving cricket films Social Salvation (1898) – documentary about living conditions produced by Herbert Booth for the Salvation Army in Australia Notable Australian films of the early 1900s: Soldiers of the Cross (1900) – religious drama produced by the Limelight Department of the Salvation Army Inauguration of the Commonwealth (1901) – multiple reel documentary of the Federation of Australia The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) – world's first feature-length film Moora Neya, or The Message of the Spear (1911) – one of the first films to depict Indigenous Australians The Sentimental Bloke (1919) – made by Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell, one of the first, best known and most successful silent era films with a first-person narrative,The Oxford History of World Cinema, 1997, Oxford University Press the best-known partnership in Australian film at that time Robbery Under Arms (1920) Director - Kenneth Brampton. Captain Starlight - Kenneth Brampton. Ben Marsden - Stephen Australia Fitzgerald For the Term of His Natural Life (1927) – based on the novel by Marcus Clarke; the most expensive Australian silent film ever made Notable Australian films of the 1930s: On Our Selection (1932) – comedy based on the Dad and Dave stories by Steele Rudd In the Wake of the Bounty (1933) – first film to star Errol Flynn, an iconic Australian "swashbuckler" character The Squatter's Daughter (1933) – directed by Ken G. Hall, one of the most popular Australian films of the 1930s

1940s–1970s

The mid-1900s had a slow start for Australian film, although the first Academy Award was won for an Australian film, Kokoda Front Line!. The industry picked back up during the 1970s with one of the first internationally released films, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and with the success of the series of Mad Max franchise films.

Notable Australian films of the 1940s–1950s: Forty Thousand Horsemen (1940) – one of the most successful films of its day Kokoda Front Line! (1942) – first Australian film to win an Oscar, for Best Documentary Feature in 1942 Sons of Matthew (1949) – popular drama by Charles Chauvel Jedda (1955) – first Australian film to have two indigenous lead actors Conquest of the Rivers (1958) – AFI winner for Best Film Hard to Windward (1958) – AFI winner for Best Film Edge of The Deep (1959) – AFI winner for Best Film The Power Makers (1959) – AFI winner for Best Film

Notable Australian films of the 1960s: Three in a Million (1960) – AFI winner for Best Film Bypass to Life (1962) – AFI winner for Best Film Night Freighter (1962) – AFI winner for Best Film The Land That Waited (1963) – AFI winner for Best Film The Dancing Class (1964) – AFI winner for Best Film I, the Aboriginal (1964) – AFI winner for Best Film The Legend of Damien Parer (1965) – AFI winner for Best Film Stronger Since The War (1965) – AFI winner for Best Film Clay (1965) – Cannes Festival official entry They're a Weird Mob (1966) – said to have been one factor leading to the founding of the Australian film industry; based on the novel of the same title Concerto for Orchestra (1966) – AFI winner for Best Film Cardin in Australia (1967) – AFI winner for Best Film The Change at Groote (1968) – AFI winner for Best Film The Talgai Skull (1968) – AFI winner for Best Film Jack and Jill: A Postscript (1969) – AFI winner for Best Film Skippy and the Intruders (1969) – spin-off of the Skippy the Bush Kangaroo TV series

Notable Australian films of the 1970s: Three To Go: Michael (1970) – AFI winner for Best Film Nickel Queen (1970) Homesdale (1971) – AFI winner for Best Film Walkabout (1971) – first film appearance of David Gulpilil Stork (1972) – AFI winner for Best Film Wake in Fright (1971) Marco Polo Jr. Versus the Red Dragon (1972) – Australia's first animated feature film Libido (1973) – AFI winner for Best Film 27A (1973) – AFI winner for Best Film The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) – directed by Peter Weir Stone (1974) – directed by Sandy Harbutt Sunday Too Far Away (1975) – AFI winner for Best Film, acclaimed for its realistic character portrayal Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) – one of the first Australian films to reach an international audience; based on the book of the same title The Devil's Playground (1976) – AFI winner for Best Film The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1976) – multi-award-winning film Don's Party (1976) - won six AFI Awards, including Best Direction and Best Screenplay. Based on the 1971 play of the same name Storm Boy (1977) – AFI winner for Best Film The Getting of Wisdom (1977) – nominated for 5 AFI Awards and winner of Best Adapted Screenplay Newsfront (1978) – winner of 8 AFI awards including Best Film and Best Actor: Bill Hunter. Mouth to Mouth (1978) – AFI nominee Kim Krejus Mad Max (1979) – held world record as the highest profit-to-cost ratio of a motion picture; introduced Mel Gibson to an international audience My Brilliant Career (1979) – AFI winner for Best Film Tim (1979) – winner of 3 AFI Awards, including Best Actor: Mel Gibson

1980s

The Man from Snowy River was a highly acclaimed Australian film released in the 1980s, along with Crocodile Dundee which boosted the nation's economy and tourism industry. The Year My Voice Broke is also held in high regard.

Notable Australian films of the 1980s: Breaker Morant (1980) – nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay; AFI winner for Best Film Gallipoli (1981) – AFI winner for Best Film; Gallipoli is an important historical Australian event Mad Max 2 (1981) – AFI winner for Best Direction, Costume Design, Editing, Production Design and Sound Lonely Hearts (1982) – AFI winner for Best Film Running on Empty (1982) – classic Australian drag racing movie The Man from Snowy River (1982) – award-winning, iconic film BMX Bandits (1983) – earliest film appearance of Nicole Kidman Careful, He Might Hear You (1983) – AFI winner for Best Film Phar Lap (1983) – based on the successful New Zealand racehorse The Slim Dusty Movie (1984) – based on the Australian country musician and singer Slim Dusty Annie's Coming Out (1984) – AFI winner for Best Film Fortress (1985) – won American Cinema Editors for direction of Photography in 1986 Bliss (1985) – AFI winner for Best Film Burke & Wills (1985) – AFI nominations for Best Music Score and Best Cinematography Crocodile Dundee (1986) – received international acclaim; nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay Malcolm (1986) – AFI winner for Best Film; one of the first films starring Colin Friels For Love Alone (1986) – five AFI Award nominations; nominated for a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival; starring Hugo Weaving, Sam Neill, and Naomi Watts in her first film appearance The Lighthorsemen (1987) – about an Australian Light Horse unit The Year My Voice Broke (1987) – often cited by critics as the best Australian film in the past 25 years; AFI winner for Best Film Dogs in Space (1987) – cult film set in the post-punk "little band scene" in Melbourne in 1979. Ground Zero (1987) – Aboriginals and service personnel exposed to dangerous radiation levels, either carelessly or as "human guinea pigs" Rikky and Pete (1988) – directed by Nadia Tass Ghosts… of the Civil Dead (1988) – directed by John Hillcoat Sebastian and the Sparrow (1988) – directed by Scott Hicks Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark) (1989) – AFI winner for Best Film and Meryl Streep Best Actress Oscar Nominee Houseboat Horror (1989) – featuring Alan Dale from Neighbours Dead Calm (1989) – included on The New York Times Top 1000 Movies list

1990s

The 1990s saw the release of the successful Muriel's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 1994 and The Castle in 1997. Strictly Ballroom was also a successful and influential release.

Notable Australian films of the 1990s: Death in Brunswick (1990) Flirting (1990) – AFI winner for Best Film The Big Steal (1990) – AFI winner for Best Actor, Best Score, and Best Screenplay Proof (1991) – AFI winner for Best Film; one of the first major films starring Russell Crowe and Hugo Weaving Romper Stomper (1992) – multi-award-winning film; one of the first major films starring Russell Crowe Strictly Ballroom (1992) – nominated for Golden Globe, with additional 16 wins and 11 further nominations; AFI winner for Best Film The Piano (1993) – New Zealand co-production; won 3 Oscars and received a further 5 nominations; AFI winner for Best Film Sirens (1994) – starred Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Sam Neill and Elle Macpherson Bad Boy Bubby (1994) – won four AFI awards: Best Director (Rolf de Heer), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Nicholas Hope), Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing Metal Skin (1994) – FCCA award for best actor Aden Young, Ben Mendelsohn; AFI award for best achievement in sound and best achievement in production design Muriel's Wedding (1994) – AFI winner for Best Film; had worldwide success; the first major film for Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) – cult classic; now a performing musical production; the first large-scale appearance of Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving The Sum of Us (1994) – Russell Crowe, Jack Thompson Dad and Dave: On Our Selection – Leo McKern, Joan Sutherland and Geoffrey Rush Angel Baby (1995) – AFI winner for Best Film All Men Are Liars (1995) – starred Toni Pearen, David Price, and John Jarratt Babe (1995) – won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects; nominated for a further six Così – AFI winner for best screenplay; 2 other nominations; ensemble piece starring Barry Otto, Toni Colette, David Wenham and Ben Mendelsohn Shine (1996) – AFI winner for Best Film; Geoffrey Rush won Best Actor Oscar Idiot Box (1996) – starring Ben Mendelsohn and Jeremy Sims Hotel de Love (1996) – Aden Young, Saffron Burrows Love and Other Catastrophes (1996) – nominated for 5 AFI awards Dating the Enemy (1996) – starring Guy Pearce and Claudia Karvan Romeo + Juliet (1996) – a modern version of the Shakespeare tragedy, directed by Baz Luhrmann Love Serenade (1996) – director/writer Shirley Barret with actors Miranda Otto and Rebecca Frith Kiss or Kill (1997) – AFI winner for Best Film Doing Time for Patsy Cline (1997) – 10 AFI nominations; winner of 4, including Best Actor The Castle (1997) – low-budget box-office success, received national acclaim Year of the Dogs (1997) – documentary film; AFI winner of Best Editing in a Non-Feature Film Road to Nhill (1997) – won the Golden Alexander award at the International Thessaloniki film festival The Wiggles Movie (1997) Blackrock (1997) – nominated for 5 AFI awards; the movie debut of Heath Ledger Oscar and Lucinda (1997) – nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design; nominated for 7 AFI Awards and winner of 5; starring Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett Crackers (1998) Dead Letter Office (1998) – Miranda Otto Radiance (1998) – nominated for 6 AFI Awards; winner for Best Actress: Deborah Mailman The Boys (1998) – nominated for 13 AFI awards; winner of 5, including Best Director The Interview (1998) – AFI winner for Best Film Paperback Hero (1998) – Hugh Jackman, Claudia Karvan Two Hands (1999) – AFI winner for Best Film Soft Fruit (1999) – written and directed by Christina Andreef

2000s