The Australian Directors’ Guild today announced nominees for the 2020 ADG Awards, to be announced in Sydney at an Awards ceremony at the City Recital Hall on October 19.
A record 202 entries were received this year, up from 117 in 2019.
The Awards celebrate the outstanding work of Australian screen directors over the past year across 19 categories including film, television, online, music and advertising.
Six directors will vie for the Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget $1M or over). They are
Thomas Wright for Acute Misfortune, Sophie Hyde for Animals, John Sheedy for H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence for Hearts and Bones, Natalie Erika James for Relic and Wayne Blair for Top End Wedding.
Some of Australia’s most exciting young cinema talent are represented in the nominations for the Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget under $1M) category. Nominees are Josephine Mackerras for Alice, Imogen Thomas for Emu Runner, Lucy Coleman for Hot Mess, Luke Sullivan for Reflections In The Dust and Samuel Van Grinsven for Sequin In A Blue Room.
The nominees for Best Direction in a Documentary Feature are Ian Darling for The Final Quarter, Maya Newell for In My Blood It Runs, Peter Hegedus for LILI and Allan Hardy for Viva The Underdogs.
Sophie Hyde and Jeffrey Walker have both been nominated twice in this year’s awards. They are two of the four directors nominated for Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Mini-Series. The nominees are Mat King for Bloom – Episode 5, Sophie Hyde for The Hunting – Episode 4, Jeffrey Walker for Lambs Of God – Episode 1 and Emma Freeman for Stateless – Episode 3.
The nominees for Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Drama Series are Jeffrey Walker for The Commons – Episode 1, Nash Edgerton for Mr. Inbetween – Episode 4 Season 2, Peter Andrikidis for Reckoning – Episode 4, Tony Krawitz for Secret City – Episode 1 Season 2, Rachel Perkins for Total Control – Episode 4 and Kevin Carlin for Wentworth – Episode 10 Season 7.
Rebecca O’Brien has been nominated for Best Direction in a Children’s TV or SVOD Drama Program for The Unlisted – Episode 13, a role she received support through the ADG/Gender Matters shadow directing program. Lucy Gaffy and Darlene Johnson also supported previously through this program have been nominated today.
“At these challenging times, it is more important than ever that we come together as a creative community to celebrate our achievements of the past year. Australian directors are creating fine work across all forms and genres and these nominations reflect the depth of talent in this country,” said ADG Executive Director Diana Burnett.
A full list of nominees across all 19 categories is below.
Any Australian Directors’ Guild member can submit for the ADG Awards. The judging panels are drawn from ADG membership (Full Members). The ADG also offers Associate Membership. In order to support the industry, particularly emerging directors, the ADG has offered free Associate membership for the past three months.
This year the Awards Ceremony returns to Sydney’s iconic City Recital Hall and will be followed by a Gala Dinner at the Ivy Ballroom. There are several ticketing options available.
PRESENTATION CEREMONY
ADG Members FREE Admission (RSVP is essential)
Students FREE Admission (RSVP is essential)
General Admission $50
PRESENTATION CEREMONY & GALA DINNER
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Gala Dinner is available only to screen guild and
ASDACS members at this time.
ADG Members $150
ASDACS and other screen guilds members $175
Tickets are available here: https://australiandirectorsguildawards2020.eventbrite.com.au/
The ADG Awards recognise excellence in the craft and art of directing, as well as honouring individual contributions by Australian screen directors to the screen industry. The Awards are the only opportunity for Australian directors and their work to be acknowledged by their directing peers. The Awards cover the breadth of screen directing with categories across feature film, documentary, television, subscription video on demand, commercial, short film, animation, online, music video and interactive media.
Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget $1M or over)
Thomas Wright – Acute Misfortune
Sophie Hyde – Animals
John Sheedy – H is for Happiness
Ben Lawrence – Hearts and Bones
Natalie Erika James – Relic
Wayne Blair – Top End Wedding
Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget under $1M)
Josephine Mackerras – Alice
Imogen Thomas – Emu Runner
Lucy Coleman – Hot Mess
Luke Sullivan – Reflections In The Dust
Samuel Van Grinsven – Sequin In A Blue Room
Best Direction in a Documentary Feature
Ian Darling – The Final Quarter
Maya Newell – In My Blood It Runs
Peter Hegedus – LILI
Allan Hardy – Viva The Underdogs
Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Drama Series
Jeffrey Walker – The Commons – Episode 1
Nash Edgeton – Mr. Inbetween – Episode 4 Season 2
Peter Andrikidis – Reckoning – Episode 4
Tony Krawitz – Secret City – Episode 1 Season 2
Rachel Perkins – Total Control – Episode 4
Kevin Carlin – Wentworth – Episode 10 Season 7
Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Mini-Series
Mat King – Bloom – Episode 5
Sophie Hyde – The Hunting – Episode 4
Jeffrey Walker – Lambs Of God – Episode 1
Emma Freeman – Stateless – Episode 3
Best Direction in a Documentary Series
Rosie Jones – The Cult Of The Family – Episode 1
Cian O’Clery – Love On The Spectrum – Episode 1
Genevieve Clay Smith – Perspective Shift – Episode 1
Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Comedy Series
Matthew Moore – Diary Of An Uber Driver – Episode 2
Amanda Brotchie – The Letdown – Episode 1
Trent O’Donnell – The Letdown – Episode 4 Season 2
Matthew Saville – Upright – Episode 5
Best Direction in a Children’s TV or SVOD Drama Program
Kacie Anning – Hardball – Episode 6
Isaac Elliot – The Legend of Burnout Barry
Lucy Gaffy – The Unlisted – Episode 10
Rebecca O’Brien – The Unlisted – Episode 13
Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Drama Serial
Renee Webster – The Heights – Episode 15
Darlene Johnson – The Heights – Episode 22
Arnie Custo – Home and Away – Episode 7117
Danny Raco – Home and Away – Episode 7225
David Gould – Home and Away – Episode 7271
Tony Gardiner – Neighbours – Episode 8325
Best Direction in an Animated Project
Jo Boag – Alice Miranda: Friends Forever
Holly Hargraeves – Bonnie The Elephant
Best Direction in Commercial Content
Nicholas Carlton – A Future For All Of Us (Australian Greens)
Lucy Coleman – Koala Presents: Mattress (Ex)orcism (Koala Mattress)
Craig Melville – Unexpected Journeys (TBWA)
Allan Hardy – Volvo Penta Makes Australian Farming Possible (Allabah Pastural Co.)
Best Direction in Commercial Advertisement
Ven Gia – Made Here. By Us. (Corowa Distilling Co.)
Luke Shanahan – Little Fibs (NZ Post)
Tim Bullock – New–Australia Land (Meat and Livestock Australia)
Best Direction in an Online Drama Series
Husein Alicajic – One Sided // The Acquired Inability To Escape
Best Direction in an Online Comedy Series
Max Miller- Aunty Donna: Glennridge Secondary College
Michael O’Neill- Australia’s Best Street Car Racer
Miley Tunnecliffe- Molly and Cars
Eliza Reilly- Sheilas
Best Direction in a Documentary Short Subject
Dr. Karen Pearlman – I Want To Write A Film About Women
Stefan Bugryn – War Mothers: Unbreakable
Logan Much – We’re All In This together
Rob Innes – Youth On Strike!
Best Direction in a Music Video
Lucy Knox – I’m Not Afraid (Artist: G Flip)
Lucy Knox – If I Could Give You (Artist: Clare Bowditch)
Matthew Thorne – The Only Boy Racer Left On The Island (Artist: The Howl & The Hum)
Nick Waterman – Ready (Artist: Montaigne)
Riley Blakeway – Whenever You Are (Artist: Kodaline)
Best Direction in an Interactive or Immersive Title
Matthew Sleeth – A Drone Opera – 3 Channel Gallery Installation
Best Direction in a Short Film
Simon Croker – All Good Things
Melissa Anastasi – Chlorine
Sam Lara – Featherweight
Michael Shanks – Rebooted
Lydia Rui – This Perfect Day
Lewis Attey – Three Stories Inside a Rental Van
Best Direction in a Student Film
Dylan Ferenc Nyerges- Arthur, Blessed
Alies Sluiter – Ayaan
Alex Wu- Idol
Peter Skinner- Lost Boy
Eva Justine Torkkola- ЩОСЬ В ЛIСI ЗДОХЛО (Something Has Died In The Forest)
Naomi Fryer- This River
