The 2026 Aacta Awards saw Australian film and television talent shine in a star-studded ceremony held on Friday in the Gold Coast. The horror-thriller 'Bring Her Back', directed by the Adelaide brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, dominated the night with an impressive 10 wins out of 16 nominations. This milestone marks the brothers' second major award win following their 2024 breakout film 'Talk to Me'.
'Bring Her Back', a sinister foster mother story, took home top prizes in direction, best film, leading actress (Sally Hawkins), and every technical category, showcasing the filmmakers' mastery of craft. The film's awards sweep came as no surprise, given its critical acclaim and commercial success.
Jacob Elordi, fresh from his Critics' Choice Movie Awards win for his portrayal of the Creature in Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein', made a winning comeback at the Aacta ceremony with best lead actor in a drama for his role as army surgeon Dorrigo Evans in 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North'. This performance marks a significant milestone in Elordi's career, putting him firmly in the running for Oscar, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild awards.
Elordi also took home the audience choice award for favourite Australian actor, solidifying his status as a leading man. Currently promoting 'Wuthering Heights', Elordi accepted his awards via pre-recorded video link, further emphasizing his growing international appeal.
Other notable winners included 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' itself, which won nine Aacta awards from 12 nominations, including best supporting actress for Heather Mitchell. The miniseries 'Apple Cider Vinegar', about wellness fraudster Belle Gibson, took home just two awards – best miniseries and best casting.
Meanwhile, 'The Newsreader' secured four wins, including best drama series, leading actress (Anna Torv) and supporting actor (Daniel Henshall). 'Bump' won the award for best narrative comedy series, while 'Top End Bub' took home the award for acting in a comedy.
Veteran film-maker Bruce Beresford was posthumously recognized with the Longford Lyell lifetime achievement award, honoring his significant contributions to Australian cinema.
The Aacta Awards ceremony, hosted by comedian Celeste Barber and featuring prominent guests such as Sarah Snook, Brian Cox, Phoebe Tonkin, and Dacre Montgomery, celebrated a remarkable year of Australian film and television talent.
'Bring Her Back', a sinister foster mother story, took home top prizes in direction, best film, leading actress (Sally Hawkins), and every technical category, showcasing the filmmakers' mastery of craft. The film's awards sweep came as no surprise, given its critical acclaim and commercial success.
Jacob Elordi, fresh from his Critics' Choice Movie Awards win for his portrayal of the Creature in Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein', made a winning comeback at the Aacta ceremony with best lead actor in a drama for his role as army surgeon Dorrigo Evans in 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North'. This performance marks a significant milestone in Elordi's career, putting him firmly in the running for Oscar, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild awards.
Elordi also took home the audience choice award for favourite Australian actor, solidifying his status as a leading man. Currently promoting 'Wuthering Heights', Elordi accepted his awards via pre-recorded video link, further emphasizing his growing international appeal.
Other notable winners included 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' itself, which won nine Aacta awards from 12 nominations, including best supporting actress for Heather Mitchell. The miniseries 'Apple Cider Vinegar', about wellness fraudster Belle Gibson, took home just two awards – best miniseries and best casting.
Meanwhile, 'The Newsreader' secured four wins, including best drama series, leading actress (Anna Torv) and supporting actor (Daniel Henshall). 'Bump' won the award for best narrative comedy series, while 'Top End Bub' took home the award for acting in a comedy.
Veteran film-maker Bruce Beresford was posthumously recognized with the Longford Lyell lifetime achievement award, honoring his significant contributions to Australian cinema.
The Aacta Awards ceremony, hosted by comedian Celeste Barber and featuring prominent guests such as Sarah Snook, Brian Cox, Phoebe Tonkin, and Dacre Montgomery, celebrated a remarkable year of Australian film and television talent.
! It's amazing to see these brothers making waves with 'Bring Her Back' – their mastery of craft is honestly impressive. And Jacob Elordi, I was on the edge of my seat watching him in 'Frankenstein', his comeback at the Aacta ceremony was a major wow moment 
. The miniseries like 'The Newsreader' and 'Apple Cider Vinegar' are giving me all the feels too - it's great to see some Aussie talent getting international recognition 
. And Bruce Beresford being posthumously recognized with that lifetime achievement award, what a tribute 
! But you know what they say... back in my day we didn't have all these fancy awards ceremonies...
. And Jacob Elordi is just on fire 
, I mean, 'Frankenstein' to 'The Narrow Road'... he's got that Oscar mojo working for him.
! From 'Apple Cider Vinegar' to 'The Newsreader', these shows are bringing the heat. I mean, who doesn't love a good wellness scandal or a gripping drama series?
. It's always great to see Aussie talent getting the recognition they deserve.
... Elordi is just so charming and talented, I don't know how he's going to top this year 
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. sally hawkins totally deserved best leading actress, she was on fire in that film 
. he's definitely got the oscar game in him now. congrats to all the winners too, especially bruce beresford's posthumous lifetime achievement award 
. it's amazing to see aussie film and tv talent shining so brightly 
! Been wanting to try all the delicious food, visit the ancient temples, and relax in an onsen 
. Have you ever been to Japan? I've heard the scenery is just stunning, especially during cherry blossom season 
. Oh wait, what was this thread about again? The Aacta Awards, right? Anyway, congrats to all the winners! Sally Hawkins is so talented, and Jacob Elordi's comebacks are always exciting 
. Bruce Beresford, RIP - I didn't know he passed away 
. Can we talk more about Japan now or what? 
. I don't know how many people actually watch these or care who wins what award. The winners are usually pretty obvious from all the hype around their films, but still it's kinda nice to see some Aussie talent shine on the big stage 
. But honestly, the ceremony itself is just so formulaic and boring - it feels like they're just going through the motions, hosting awards that no one actually asked for 
. I mean, who thought a video link was a good idea for acceptance speeches? It's just so... automated 
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. It's amazing to see all these talented Aussies getting recognized internationally and putting our country on the map 
. It's amazing to see Aussie actors like Anna Torv and Daniel Henshall taking home top prizes in their respective categories 
. The whole ceremony just felt so celebratory and fun, with Celeste Barber bringing the laughs as host. I'm already counting down to next year's Aacta Awards!