By Travis Johnson
Deborah Mailman will be the 2017 recipient of the national screen industry award – the Chauvel Award – at the 15th annual Gold Coast Film Festival, making her the first ever Indigenous recipient.
Established in 1992, the award is named for influential Australian filmmaker Charles Chauvel, and acknowledges individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Australian screen industry and culture. Previous award recipients have also included producer Anthony Buckley, directors George Miller, Rolf de Heer and Gillian Armstrong, actors Bryan Brown and Geoffrey Rush, cinematographer John Seale and documentary makers Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson, and last year, actor/producer Claudia Karvan.
Mailman first came to prominence after her turn in 1992’s Radiance, going on to appear in Mental, Bran Nue Dae, Dear Claudia, The Monkey’s Mask, Rabbit Proof Fence, The Book of Revelation, Lucky Miles, and The Sapphires. Over the course of her career, she has won both the AFI and Film Critics’ Circle Award for Most Outstanding Actress, among many other honours.
The presentation on Saturday 22 April, will be followed by a special event: David Stratton In Conversation With Deborah Mailman, an intimate look at Mailman’s career on and off the screen.
For more information, head to the Gold Coast Film Festival’s Official Site.
