The AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), for an Australian screenplay "written directly and originally for the screen". Prior to the establishment of the Academy in 2011, the award was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI) at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (more commonly known as the AFI Awards). It was first handed out in 1978 when the award for Best Screenplay (which was first presented at the 1974-75 awards) was split into two categories: Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. The award has since been presented intermittently from 1978-1979, 1983-1987, 1989, 1993-2006, and then from 2008-present.
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 films and screenwriters in bold and in yellow background have won are the winners. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning screenplay first and then the other nominees.Winners and nominees by year: 1978: 1979: 1983: 1984: 1985: 1986: 1987: 1989: 1993: 1994: 1995: 1996: 1997: 1998: 1999: 2000: 2001: 2002: 2003: 2004: 2005: 2006: 2007: 2008: 2009: 2010: 2011: Additional nominees for 2002 and 2006:
Year Film Screenwriter(s) 1970s1978NewsfrontBob Ellis and Phillip NoyceThe Last WaveTony Morphett, Petru Popescu and Peter WeirMouth to MouthJohn DuiganPatrickEverett De Roche1979In Search of AnnaEsben StormKostasLinda AronsonMad MaxJames McCausland and George MillerPalm BeachAlbie Thoms 1980s1983BuddiesJohn DingwallThe ClinicGreg MillinMan of FlowersPaul Cox and Bob EllisPhar LapDavid Williamson1984My First WifePaul Cox and Bob EllisFast TalkingKen CameronSilver CityThomas Keneally and Sophia TurkiewiczStreet HeroJan Sardi1985FranGlenda HamblyThe Boy Who Had EverythingStephen WallaceA Street to DieBill BennettUnfinished BusinessBob Ellis1986MalcolmDavid ParkerThe More Things Change...Michael Brindley and Moya WoodShort ChangedBob MerrittYoung EinsteinDavid Roach and Yahoo Serious1987The Year My Voice BrokeJohn DuiganBelindaPamela GibbonsGround ZeroMac Gudgeon and Jan SardiHigh TideLaura Jones1989SweetieJane Campion and Gerard LeeGeorgiaMac GudgeonGhosts... of the Civil DeadGene Conkie, Evan English and John HillcoatIslandPaul Cox 1990s1993The PianoJane CampionThe Nostradamus KidBob EllisOn My OwnGill Dennis, John Frizzell and Antonio TibaldiThis Won't Hurt a BitChris Kennedy1994Bad Boy BubbyRolf de HeerThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertStephan ElliottMuriel's WeddingP. J. HoganThe Roly Poly ManKym Goldsworthy1995Angel BabyMichael RymerAll Men Are LiarsGerard LeeMushroomsAlan MaddenVacant PossessionMargot Nash1996ShineJan SardiChildren of the RevolutionPeter DuncanFloating LifeEddie L. C. Fong and Clara LawLove and Other CatastrophesHelen Bandis, Yael Bergman and Emma-Kate Croghan1997The CastleSanto Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy and Rob SitchDoing Time for Patsy ClineChris KennedyKiss or KillBill BennettRoad to NhillAlison Tilson1998The InterviewGordon Davie and Craig MonahanAmyDavid ParkerDance Me to My SongRolf de Heer, Heather Rose and Frederick StahlDead Letter OfficeDeb Cox1999Two HandsGregor JordanSiam SunsetMax Dann and Andrew KnightSoft FruitChristina AndreefStrange Fits of PassionElise McCredie 2000s2000Russian DollStavros Kazantzidis and Allanah ZitsermanBetter Than SexJonathan TeplitzkyMe Myself IPip KarmelMy Mother FrankMark Lamprell2001The BankRobert ConnollyLa SpagnolaAnna Maria MonticelliMulletDavid CaesarYolngu BoyChris Anastassiades2002Walking on WaterRoger MonkBeneath CloudsIvan SenThe Man Who Sued GodJohn Clarke and Don WatsonThe TrackerRolf de Heer2003Japanese StoryAlison TilsonCrackerjackMick and Richard MolloyGettin' SquareChris NystTravelling NightKathryn Millard2004SomersaultCate ShortlandThe Finished PeopleKhoa Do, Rodney Anderson, Joe Le and Jason McGoldrickLove's BrotherJan SardiTom WhiteDaniel Keene2005Look Both WaysSarah WattLittle FishJacquelin PerskeThe PropositionNick CaveWolf CreekGreg McLean2006Ten CanoesRolf de Heer2:37Murali K. ThalluriKennyShane and Clayton JacobsonSuburban MayhemAlice Bell2008The Black BalloonElissa Down and Jimmy JackHey, Hey, It's Esther BlueburgerCathy RandallThe JammedDee McLachlanThe SquareMatthew Dabner and Joel Edgerton2009Samson and DelilahWarwick ThorntonCedar BoysSerhat CaradeeMary and MaxAdam ElliotMy Year Without SexSarah Watt 2010s2010Animal KingdomDavid MichôdBeneath Hill 60David RoachBright StarJane CampionDaybreakersThe Spierig Brothers AACTA Awards2011(1st)Griff the InvisibleLeon FordThe Loved OnesSean ByrneMad BastardsBrendan FletcherRed HillPatrick Hughes2012(2nd)Wish You Were HereKieran Darcy-Smith and Felicity PriceBurning ManJonathan TeplitzkyMentalP. J. HoganNot Suitable for ChildrenMichael Lucas2013(3rd)The RocketKim Mordaunt100 Bloody AcresColin and Cameron CairnesDriftMorgan O'NeillMystery RoadIvan Sen2014(4th)The BabadookJennifer Kent52 TuesdaysMatthew Cormack and Sophie HydeCharlie's CountryDavid Gulpilil and Rolf de HeerThe Water DivinerAndrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight2015(5th)Paper PlanesRobert Connolly and Steve WorlandCut SnakeBlake AyshfordKill Me Three TimesJames McFarlandMad Max: Fury RoadNico Lathouris, Brendan McCarthy and George Miller2016(6th)Hacksaw RidgeAndrew Knight and Robert SchenkkanDown UnderAbe ForsytheGoldstoneIvan SenPawnoDamian Hill2017(7th)Ali's WeddingAndrew Knight and Osamah SamiThe Butterfly TreePriscilla CameronThe Death and Life of Otto BloomCris JonesHounds of LoveBen YoungSweet CountrySteven McGregor and David Tranter1%Matt NableBrothers' NestJaime BrowneUpgradeLeigh Whannell 2020sNitramShaun GrantEllie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)Monica ZanettiThe FurnaceRoderick MacKayHigh GroundChris AnastassiadesJune AgainJJ Winlove
See also AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay AACTA Award for Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay AACTA Awards
References
External links The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Official website