by FIlmInk Staff
● Ruff & Ruby is an online series that has been Nominated for a 2026 AACTA Award
● This marks the first AACTA Nomination for emerging Queensland Writer/Director Jessica Trinity Fisher
● This story spans 13 episodes with a total runtime of 30 minutes and was made by an entire Queensland Cast and Crew on a $10,000 grant
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has announced the Nominees for the 2026 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group, recognising outstanding achievements across film, television, documentary, short form and digital production.
Queensland series, Ruff & Ruby, is 1 of the 6 Nominees in the AACTA’s ‘Best Online Drama or Comedy Series’ category. There were originally 26 Contenders vying for a Nomination, which also included online series from major broadcasters.
Created by emerging Writer/Director, Jessica Trinity Fisher, Ruff & Ruby is a 13 episode series that has amassed almost 1 million views across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
Starring an all Queensland cast, led by Jacy Lewis (Ruff), and Josephine Olton (Ruby), this online series was shot entirely in Pine Mountain, Ipswich, with a crew of 34 Queenslanders.
Writer/Director Jessica Trinity Fisher said she was proud to have created a fiercely Queensland story made by Queenslanders here at home, with all post-production completed locally.
“I’m committed to creating more opportunities here in Queensland for filmmakers, especially emerging directors and local actors who don’t usually get a look in on larger scale productions.
“Our state attracts major productions that employ countless Queensland crew members who have some of the best technical abilities in the world, but our Queensland writers, directors, and actors still struggle to break into the Film Industry in a meaningful way.
“The performances our Queensland cast deliver in Ruff & Ruby stand strong alongside those you would see on bigger-scale productions.” Jess said.
Ruff & Ruby was 1 of 12 projects that received $10,000 in production funding support through Screen Queensland’s 2024 Channel Lab: Short Cuts initiative.
“We wouldn’t have been able to make Ruff & Ruby without this grant from Screen Queensland.
“As Independent filmmakers, our budgets are already so small and scrappy – this funding made all the difference to our team.”
Ruff & Ruby also won ‘Best Australian Web Series’ at the 2025 Gold Coast Film Festival and is a comedy/drama that follows young Ruby, a small town teenager, who tries to crack the case of her missing mother while being forced to live with her chaotic criminal aunt.
“I was inspired to write Ruff & Ruby because of the two women who raised me – my hardworking single mother and fierce Samoan grandmother who passed her love of storytelling down to me.
“Their essence is in all of the stories I tell as a writer/director.
“Growing up, I saw firsthand how powerful women are, which is why I am so deeply interested in creating more women focused stories on screen.”
Recently graduated from Griffith Film School’s Master’s Program, Jess was shortlisted for the Australian Writers’ Guild’s 2025 Emerging Writers’ Awards. She is also 1 of 5 participants in Screen Australia’s 2025 UNTAPPED Program, delivered in partnership with Australians in Film.
“As 1 of the 6 Nominees for the AACTA’s ‘Best Online Drama or Comedy Series’ category, Ruff & Ruby marks my first AACTA Nomination.
“This Nomination was only made possible by our hardworking cast and crew who battled the elements to get this 30 minute series made – from hail and humid Queensland heat to wrangling stray cows and calves out of the shot.
“We made this series with a great deal of grit and heart.
“This AACTA Nomination proves that small budgets don’t always beat big dreams.”
You can watch Ruff & Ruby now on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
The AACTA Awards will be presented during the AACTA Festival, held from 4–8 February 2026 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast.
