The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) announced Tuesday 14 films nominated across seven categories – Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress – for the 4th AACTA International Awards.
Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Birdman” led the way with seven nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Michael Keaton, Best Director for Inarritu and two Best Supporting Actress nominations, for Emma Stone and Naomi Watts.
“The Imitation Game” and “Boyhood” were both nominated for five awards each, while “Whiplash” was nominated for four awards and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was nominated for three. “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything,” with two nominations each, rounded out the films which landed multiple nominations.
Most nominees are Oscar frontrunners, though Australia’s hit horror “The Badabook” represented with a Best Actress nomination for Essie Davis. The other surprising nomination was for Any Serkis, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his motion-captured work in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”
“Nominations for the 4th AACTA International Awards again show consensus as well as some divergence among the Australian screen industry and our international peers regarding which outstanding performers, productions and practitioners should be recognised at the highest level,” said AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella in a statement. ” The AACTA International Awards add an Australian voice to the global screen conversation, and allow us to honour the world’s best, including outstanding Australians working on international productions. We look forward to celebrating at our biggest, best event yet, as the 4th AACTA International Awards form the centrepiece of the high-profile G’Day USA Gala in LA, creating a brand new, stand-out event.”
The awards will be handed out at the AACTA Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Jan 29. See the full list of nominations below.
AACTA International Award for Best Film
BIRDMAN
BOYHOOD
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
THE IMITATION GAME
WHIPLASH
AACTA International Award for Best Direction
BIRDMAN – Alejandro González Iñárritu
BOYHOOD – Richard Linklater
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL – Wes Anderson
THE IMITATION GAME – Morten Tyldum
WHIPLASH – Damien Chazelle
AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay
BIRDMAN – Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo
BOYHOOD – Richard Linklater
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL – Wes Anderson
THE IMITATION GAME – Graham Moore
WHIPLASH – Damien Chazelle
AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor
Steve Carell – FOXCATCHER
Benedict Cumberbatch – THE IMITATION GAME
Jake Gyllenhaal – NIGHTCRAWLER
Michael Keaton – BIRDMAN
Eddie Redmayne – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress
Essie Davis – THE BABADOOK
Felicity Jones – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Julianne Moore – STILL ALICE
Rosamund Pike – GONE GIRL
Reese Witherspoon – WILD
AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor
Ethan Hawke – BOYHOOD
Edward Norton – BIRDMAN
Mark Ruffalo – FOXCATCHER
Andy Serkis – DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
J.K. Simmons – WHIPLASH
AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette – BOYHOOD
Keira Knightley – THE IMITATION GAME
Emma Stone – BIRDMAN
Meryl Streep – INTO THE WOODS
Naomi Watts – BIRDMAN