1999 Australian Film Institute Awards Explained

Number:	41
Award:	Australian Film Institute Awards
Site:	Sydney, Australia
Best Film:	Two Hands
Most Wins:	Film: Two Hands (5) TV: The Day of the Roses (3)
Most Nominations:	Film: Two Hands (11) TV: SeaChange (7)
Network:	SBS
Last:	1998
Next:	2000

The 41st Australian Film Institute Awards (generally known as the AFI Awards) were held on 13 November 1999.^[1] Presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the awards celebrated the best in Australian feature film, documentary, short film and television productions of 1999. The nominations were announced on 13 October 1999. Two Hands received the most nominations in the feature film category with eleven, while SeaChange received seven nominations in the television category.^[2]

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.^[3]

Feature film

Best Film	Best Achievement in Direction
Two Hands – Marian Macgowan Praise – Martha Coleman Siam Sunset – Al Clark Soft Fruit – Helen Bowden	Gregor Jordan – Two Hands Bill Bennett – In a Savage Land John Curran – Praise Christina Andreef – Soft Fruit
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role	Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Russell Dykstra – Soft Fruit Hugh Jackman – Erskineville Kings Richard Roxburgh – Passion Heath Ledger – Two Hands	Sacha Horler – Praise Maya Stange – In a Savage Land Jeanie Drynan – Soft Fruit Michela Noonan – Strange Fits of Passion
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role	Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Bryan Brown – Two Hands Andrew S. Gilbert – Paperback Hero Roy Billing – Siam Sunset Mitchell Butel – Strange Fits of Passion	Sacha Horler – Soft Fruit Claudia Karvan – Passion Emily Woof – Passion Susie Porter – Two Hands
Best Original Screenplay	Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Source
Gregor Jordan – Two Hands Max Dann, Andrew Knight – Siam Sunset Christina Andreef – Soft Fruit Elise McCredie – Strange Fits of Passion	Andrew McGahan – Praise
Best Achievement in Cinematography	Best Achievement in Editing
Martin McGrath – Passion Danny Ruhlmann – In a Savage Land Dion Beebe – Praise Malcolm McCulloch – Two Hands	Lee Smith – Two Hands Suresh Ayyar – Fresh Air Alexandre de Franceshi – Praise Nicholas Beauman – Siam Sunset
Best Achievement in Sound	Best Original Music Score
Toivo Lember, Gethin Creagh, Peter Smith, Wayne Pashley – In a Savage Land Andrew Plain, Phil Judd, Guntis Sics, Annie Breslin, Jane Paterson – Passion Brent Berge, Andrew Plain, Antony Gray, Gethin Creagh, Phil Tipene – Praise Lee Smith, Ross Linton, Phil Heywood, Peter Townend, Tim Jordan, Nick Breslin – Two Hands	David Bridie – In a Savage Land Dirty Three – Praise Antony Partos – Soft Fruit Cezary Skubiszewski – Two Hands
Best Achievement in Production Design	Best Achievement in Costume Design
Murray Picknett – Passion Nicolas McCallum – In a Savage Land Michael Philips – Praise Steven Jones-Evans – Siam Sunset	Terry Ryan – Passion Edie Kurzer – Fresh Air Emily Seresin – Praise Emily Seresin – Two Hands

Non-feature film

Best Documentary	Best Direction in a Documentary
Hephzibah – Curtis Levy A Calcutta Christmas – Denise Haslem Original Schtick – Peter George, Bronwyne Smith Sadness – Michael McMahon, Megan McMurchy	Maciej Wszelaki – Original Schtick Maree Delofski – A Calcutta Christmas Curtis Levy – Hephzibah Tony Ayres – Sadness
Best Short Fiction Film	Best Short Animation Film
Above The Dust Level – Carla Drago Break & Enter – Amanda Brotchie Liu Awaiting Spring – Andrew Soo Wind – Ivan Sen	Cousin – Adam Elliot HeadSpace – Chris Backhouse Project Vlad – Aaron Rogers Slim Pickings – Anthony Lucas
Best Screenplay in a Short Film	Best Achievement in Cinematography in a Non-Feature Film
Trudy Hellier – Break & Enter Adam Elliot – Cousin Richard Frankland – Harry's War Sarah Rossetti – Pilbara Pearl	David Parer – Island of The Vampire Birds Ross Emery – 117 Maciej Wszelaki – Original Schtick Allan Collins – Wind
Best Achievement in Editing in a Non-Feature Film	Best Achievement in Sound in a Non-Feature Film
Veronika Jenet – Hephzibah Jane Usher – Original Schtick Nash Edgerton – Bloodlock Adolfo Cruzado – Liu Awaiting Spring	Pat Fiske, Livia Ruzic, Peter Walker – Sadness Luke Dunn Gielmuda – Project Vlad Paul Finlay, Mark Tarpey, Peter Walker – The Astonishing Ashtons Craig Butters, Kuji Jenkins, John Patterson, Tony Vaccher – Wind

Television

Best Episode in a Television Drama Series	Best Television Mini-Series or Telefeature
Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC) – Steve Knapman SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 13, "Law And Order" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 8, "Manna From Heaven" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 9, "Playing With Fire" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith	The Day of the Roses - (Network Ten) – Simone North, Tony Cavanaugh Aftershocks (SBS) – Julia Overton Halifax f.p. – "Swimming With Sharks" (Nine Network) – Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson, Robyn Sinclair The Potato Factory (Seven Network) – Anthony Buckley, Des Monaghan
Best Episode in a Television Drama Series (Long)	Best Children's Television Drama
All Saints – Series 2, Episode 17: "Head To Head" (Seven Network) – Jo Porter Home and Away – Episode 2646 (Seven Network) – Russell Webb Neighbours – Episode 3388 (Network Ten) – Peter Dodds Neighbours – Episode 3389 (Network Ten) – Peter Dodds	See How They Run – Episode 1 (ABC) – Josephine Ward Crash Zone – Series 1, Episode 1, "The Dream Team" (Seven Network) – Patricia Edgar Minty – Episode 11, "All The World's A Stage" (ABC) – Sue Taylor The Adventures of Sam – Episode 11, "Not Quite Paradise" (ABC) – Noel Price
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama	Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama
Jeremy Sims – Aftershocks (SBS) David Tredinnick – Halifax f.p. – "Swimming With Sharks" (Nine Network) John Howard – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 13, "Law And Order" (ABC) Samuel Johnson – Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC)	Jill Forster – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 8, "Manna From Heaven" (ABC) Lisa McCune – The Potato Factory (Seven Network) Sonia Todd – The Potato Factory (Seven Network) Catherine McClements – Water Rats – Series 4, Episode 17, "Hi Honey I'm Home" (Nine Network)
Best Achievement in Direction in a Television Drama	Best Screenplay in a Television Drama
Peter Fisk – The Day of the Roses (Network Ten) Esben Storm – Crash Zone, Series 1, Episode 1, "The Dream Team" (Seven Network) Graeme Harper – See How They Run – Episode 1 (ABC)	John Misto – The Day of the Roses (Network Ten) Deborah Cox – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 13, "Law And Order" (ABC) Andrew Knight, Deborah Cox – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 8, "Manna From Heaven" (ABC) Kris Wyld – Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC)

Additional awards

Raymond Longford Award	Byron Kennedy Award
John Politzer	Baz Luhrmann Catherine Martin
Young Actors' Award	Best Foreign Film
Abbie Cornish – Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC)	Life Is Beautiful – Elda Ferri, Gianluigi Braschi Elizabeth – Alison Owen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner The Thin Red Line – Robert Michael Giesler, John Roberdeau, Grant Hill The Truman Show – Scott Rudin
Open Craft Award
Francis Kelly (for original concept) – Bush Mechanics Michaela French (for concept and imagery) – Flux Luigi Pittorino (for production design) – Sadness Ian Brown (for design) – Trinidad

External links

• The Australian Film Institute | Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts official website

Notes and References

1. News: TV Guide. 8 November 1999. The Riverine Herald. 6 January 2023.
2. News: Film Buff – AFI Nominations. 19 October 1999. Tharunka. 6 January 2023.
3. Web site: Winners & Nominees – 1999. Australian Film Institute. 5 January 2023.