The AACTA Award for Best Direction is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The award is presented at the annual AACTA Awards, which hand out accolades for achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films.
From 1969 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards). When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current award being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Direction.
The record for most wins is three, held by Baz Luhrmann, and ten other directors have won twice. The record for most nominations is seven, held jointly by Paul Cox and Bruce Beresford.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year of film release; the ceremonies are usually held the same year. The director in bold and in dark blue background have received a special award; those in bold and in yellow background have won a regular competitive award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. Within each year, the table lists the winning director first and then the other nominees. Note: User must select years listed on page to view winners of that decade/year.Additional winners and nominees references:
Year Director(s) Film 1970s 1971Peter WeirHomesdale 1972Tim BurstallStork 1973Eric PorterMarco Polo Junior Versus the Red Dragon 1974/5John PowerBilly and Percy1976Fred SchepisiThe Devil's PlaygroundTim BurstallEnd PlayBert DelingPure SPeter WeirPicnic at Hanging Rock1977Bruce BeresfordDon's PartyChris LöfvénOzPhilippe MoraMad Dog MorganHenri SafranStorm Boy1978Phillip NoyceNewsfrontJohn DuiganMouth to MouthFred SchepisiThe Chant of Jimmie BlacksmithPeter WeirThe Last Wave1979Gillian ArmstrongMy Brilliant CareerDonald CrombieCathy's ChildGeorge MillerMad MaxEsben StormIn Search of Anna 1980s1980Bruce BeresfordBreaker MorantJohn HoneyManganinnieStephen WallaceStirSimon WincerHarlequin1981Peter WeirGallipoliBruce BeresfordThe ClubJohn DuiganWinter of Our DreamsClaude WhathamHoodwink1982George MillerMad Max 2Paul CoxLonely HeartsMichael PattinsonMoving OutCarl SchultzGoodbye Paradise1983Carl SchultzCareful, He Might Hear YouPaul CoxMan of FlowersPeter WeirThe Year of Living DangerouslySimon WincerPhar Lap1984Paul CoxMy First WifeGil BrealeyAnnie's Coming OutKen CameronFast TalkingSophia TurkiewiczSilver City1985Ray LawrenceBlissBill BennettA Street to DieBob EllisUnfinished BusinessGlenda HamblyFran1986Nadia TassMalcolmBruce BeresfordThe Fringe DwellersPaul CoxCactusGeorge OgilvieShort Changed1987John DuiganThe Year My Voice BrokeGillian ArmstrongHigh TideBruce Myles and Michael PattinsonGround ZeroRoger ScholesThe Tale of Ruby Rose1988Vincent WardThe Navigator: A Medieval OdysseyPino AmentaBoulevard of Broken DreamsCraig LahiffFeverDon McLennanMull1989Fred SchepisiEvil AngelsPaul CoxIslandBen LewinGeorgiaPhillip NoyceDead Calm 1990s1990Ray ArgallReturn HomePaul CoxGolden BraidJerzy DomaradzkiStruck by LightningStephen WallaceBlood Oath1991Jocelyn MoorhouseProofRolf de HeerDingoJackie McKimmieWaitingJohn RuaneDeath in Brunswick1992Baz LuhrmannStrictly BallroomGillian ArmstrongThe Last Days of Chez NousBruce BeresfordBlack RobeGeoffrey WrightRomper Stomper1993Jane CampionThe PianoMichael JenkinsThe Heartbreak KidJames RicketsonBlackfellasVincent WardMap of the Human Heart1994Rolf de HeerBad Boy BubbyStephan ElliottThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertP. J. HoganMuriel's WeddingAlkinos TsilimidosEverynight ... Everynight1995Michael RymerAngel BabyRichard FranklinHotel SorrentoMargot NashVacant PossessionJohn RuaneThat Eye, the Sky1996Scott HicksShinePaul CoxLust and RevengePeter DuncanChildren of the RevolutionClara LawFloating Life1997Bill BennettKiss or KillDavid CaesarIdiot BoxChris KennedyDoing Time for Patsy ClineSamantha LangThe Well1998Rowan WoodsThe BoysAna KokkinosHead OnCraig MonahanThe InterviewRachel PerkinsRadiance1999Gregor JordanTwo HandsChristina AndreefSoft FruitBill BennettIn a Savage LandJohn CurranPraise 2000s2000Andrew DominikChopperPip KarmelMe Myself IJonathan TeplitzkyBetter Than SexKate WoodsLooking for Alibrandi2001Ray LawrenceLantanaDavid CaesarMulletRobert ConnollyThe BankBaz LuhrmannMoulin Rouge!2002Ivan SenBeneath CloudsTony AyresWalking on WaterRolf de HeerThe TrackerPhillip NoyceRabbit-Proof Fence2003Sue BrooksJapanese StoryGregor JordanNed KellyPaul MoloneyCrackerjackJonathan TeplitzkyGettin' Square2004Cate ShortlandSomersaultKhoa DoThe Finished PeopleJan SardiLove's BrotherAlkinos TsilimidosTom White2005Sarah WattLook Both WaysJohn HillcoatThe PropositionGreg McLeanWolf CreekRowan WoodsLittle Fish2006Peter Djigirr and Rolf de HeerTen CanoesPaul GoldmanSuburban MayhemClayton JacobsonKennyRay LawrenceJindabyne2007Tony AyresThe Home Song StoriesCherie NowlanClublandRichard RoxburghRomulus, My FatherMatthew SavilleNoise2008Elissa DownThe Black BalloonPeter DuncanUnfinished SkyNash EdgertonThe SquareDee McLachlanThe Jammed2009Warwick ThorntonSamson and DelilahBruce BeresfordMao's Last DancerRobert ConnollyBaliboRachel WardBeautiful Kate 2010s2010David MichôdAnimal KingdomJulie BertuccelliThe TreeJane CampionBright StarJeremy SimsBeneath Hill 60 AACTA Awards2011(1st)Justin KurzelSnowtownDaniel NettheimThe HunterFred SchepisiThe Eye of the StormKriv StendersRed Dog2012(2nd)Wayne BlairThe SapphiresKieran Darcy-SmithWish You Were HereCate ShortlandLoreJonathan TeplitzkyBurning Man2013(3rd)Baz LuhrmannThe Great GatsbyKim MordauntThe RocketIvan SenMystery RoadThe Turning EnsembleThe Turning2014(4th)Jennifer KentThe BabadookRolf de HeerCharlie's CountryDavid MichôdThe RoverThe Spierig BrothersPredestination2015(5th)George MillerMad Max: Fury RoadNeil ArmfieldHolding the ManJocelyn MoorhouseThe DressmakerJeremy SimsLast Cab to Darwin2016(6th)Mel GibsonHacksaw RidgeMartin Butler and Bentley DeanTannaRosemary MyersGirl AsleepIvan SenGoldstone2017(7th)Garth DavisLionCate ShortlandBerlin SyndromeJeffrey WalkerAli's WeddingBen YoungHounds of Love2018(8th)Warwick ThorntonSweet CountrySimon BakerBreathBruce BeresfordLadies in BlackJoel EdgertonBoy Erased2019(9th)Jennifer KentThe NightingaleMirrah FoulkesJudy and PunchAnthony MarasHotel MumbaiDavid MichôdThe King 2020s2020(10th)Shannon MurphyBabyteethNatalie Erika JamesRelicJustin KurzelTrue History of the Kelly GangJohn SheedyH Is for HappinessLeigh WhannellThe Invisible Man2021(11th)Justin KurzelNitramRobert ConnollyThe DryGlendyn IvinPenguin BloomStephen Maxwell JohnsonHigh GroundRoderick MacKayThe Furnace2022(12th)Baz LuhrmannElvisHannah Barlow and Kane SenesSissyGeorge MillerThree Thousand Years of LongingLeah PurcellThe Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly JohnsonThomas M. WrightThe Stranger2023(13th)Danny Philippou and Michael PhilippouTalk to MeJub ClercSweet AsNoora NiasariShaydaGoran StolevskiOf an AgeWarwick ThorntonThe New Boy2024(14th)Michael GraceyBetter ManColin Cairnes and Cameron CairnesLate Night with the DevilAdam ElliotMemoir of a SnailGeorge MillerFuriosa: A Mad Max SagaNick WatermanHow to Make Gravy2025(15th)Danny and Michael PhilippouBring Her Back Kate WoodsKangaroo Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese Lesbian Space Princess Kriv Stenders The Correspondent Bruce Beresford The Travellers
Notes
A: From 1958-2010, the awards were held during the year of the films release. However, the 1974-75 awards were held in 1975 for films released in 1974 and 1975, and the first AACTA Awards were held in 2012 for films released in 2011. B: The Turning Ensemble consists of the seventeen people who directed their individual segments in the film. They are: Jonathan auf der Heide, Tony Ayres, Simon Stone, Jub Clerc, Robert Connolly, Shaun Gladwell, Rhys Graham, Justin Kurzel, Yaron Lifschitz, Anthony Lucas, Claire McCarthy, Ian Meadows, Ashlee Page, Stephen Page, Warwick Thornton, Marieka Walsh, Mia Wasikowska and David Wenham.
References
External links Official website of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts