The Babadook leads South Australian AACTA nominations

Acclaimed Adelaide films 52 Tuesdays and The Babadook have received multiple nominations for the 4th annual AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema, Television and the Arts) Awards. Horror flick The Babadook (which Exorcist director William Friedkin called the scariest film he’s ever seen while Babadook director Jennifer Kent just won a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best New Film) scored six nominations including Best Film, Best Direction and Best Lead Actress while coming-of-age drama 52 Tuesdays received nods for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing. On the small screen, locally produced series Anzac Girls nabbed three nominations and Sam Fox – Extreme Adventures was nominated for Best Children’s Television Series. Local short Welcome to Iron Knob scored a nomination for Best Short Fiction Film while Adelaide’s Christopher Houghton got a nod for Best Direction in a Documentary for Sons and Mothers and local costume designer Mariot Kerr was nominated for her work in Tracks. SA-shot films The Rover and Charlie’s Country have all received nominations as well. Political thriller The Code leads the charge for television with a whopping 10 nominations, in front of Josh Thomas‘ Please Like Me with six and legal black comedy Rake with five. On the silver screen, science fiction thriller Predestination dominates with nine nominations, in front of Russell Crowe‘s The Water Diviner (eight) and David Michod’s dystopian thriller The Rover (seven). The 4th AACTA Awards Ceremony will be broadcast on Network Ten on Thursday, January 29. 52 Tuesdays 4TH AACTA NOMINATIONS (MAIN CATEGORIES) Best Television Comedy Series • It’s A Date Series 2 • The Moodys • Please Like Me • Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, Series 3 • Utopia Best Television Drama Series • The Code • Janet King • Puberty Blues Season 2 • Rake Series 3 Best Telefeature Or Mini Series • Carlotta • Devil’s Playground • Inxs – Never Tear Us Apart • Secrets & Lies Best Direction In A Television Drama Or Comedy • The Code Episode 1 – Shawn Seet • Devil’s Playground Episode 1.4: The Forgiveness Of Sins – Tony Krawitz • Inxs – Never Tear Us Apart Part 1 – Daina Reid • Please Like Me Episode 2/07: Scroggin – Matthew Saville Best Screenplay In Television • The Code Episode 1 – Shelley Birse • The Moodys Episode 1: Australia Day – Trent O’donnell and Phil Lloyd • Please Like Me Episode 2/07: Scroggin – Josh Thomas • Rake Series 3 Episode 1 – Peter Duncan Best Lead Actor In A Television Drama • Luke Arnold, Inxs – Never Tear Us Apart • Richard Roxburgh, Rake Series 3 • Dan Spielman, The Code • Ashley Zukerman, The Code Best Lead Actress In A Television Drama • Danielle Cormack, Wentworth Series 2 • Ashleigh Cummings, Puberty Blues Season 2 • Marta Dusseldorp, Janet King • Kat Stewart, Offspring Season 5 Best Performance In A Television Comedy • Patrick Brammall, The Moodys • Debra Lawrance, Please Like Me • Celia Pacquola, Utopia • Josh Thomas, Please Like Me Best Film • The Babadook • Charlie’s Country • Predestination • The Railway Man • Tracks • The Water Diviner Best Direction • The Babadook, Jennifer Kent • Charlie’s Country, Rolf De Heer • Predestination, Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig • The Rover, David Michôd Best Original Screenplay • 52 Tuesdays, Matthew Cormack and Sophie Hyde • The Babadook, Jennifer Kent • Charlie’s Country, Rolf De Heer and David Gulpilil • The Water Diviner, Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios Best Lead Actor • Russell Crowe, The Water Diviner • David Gulpilil, Charlie’s Country • Damon Herriman, The Little Death • Guy Pearce, The Rover Best Lead Actress • Kate Box, The Little Death • Essie Davis, The Babadook • Sarah Snook, Predestination • Mia Wasikowska, Tracks