Boy Swallows Universe leads AACTA Industry Awards as Australian talent shines

The AACTA Industry Awards 2024 celebrated the best in Australian television and film, with Boy Swallows Universe leading the pack and Bluey adding to its growing list of accolades. FULL LIST

Felix Cameron and Trent Dalton pose for photographs during the Netflix global premiere of "Boy Swallows Universe".

Australian television and film productions took centre stage at the AACTA Industry Awards on Wednesday night, with Boy Swallows Universe dominating the television categories at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) on the Gold Coast.

The Brisbane-filmed adaptation of Trent Dalton’s best-selling novel secured six awards, including Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Sound.

Meanwhile, global hit Bluey continued its award-winning streak, taking home Best Original Score for Episode 2.

The night celebrated the creative talent behind Australia’s top productions, with appearances from some of the industry’s most recognisable faces, including Shane Jacobson.

Trent Dalton at the Premiere of Boy Swallows Universe. Picture: Josh Woning

Comedian and actor Stephen Curry hosted the event, keeping the audience entertained with a pun-filled and lighthearted ceremony.

“I’ve hosted the actors a few times now, and honestly, I love it. I’m so proud to be part of the industry. It’s kind of so better, so much better than doing a real job,” Curry said.

“Gold Coast is hotter than it was in Sydney and Melbourne, I shouldn’t have worn a tie.”

Tom Gleeson claimed one of the night’s biggest accolades, winning the coveted AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer.

In film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Better Man led the pack, each securing four wins.

The Mad Max prequel, filmed in New South Wales, was recognised for Best Cinematography, Costume Design, Production Design, and Sound, while Better Man, the Robbie Williams biopic, won Best Casting, Editing, Original Score, and Screenplay.

Further awards went to Furiosa for Best Hair and Makeup and Better Man for Best Visual Effects or Animation.

Travis Fimmel, Bryan Brown, Phoebe Tonkin, and Simon Baker, the cast of Boy Swallows Universe. Photo Steve Pohlner

The Best Soundtrack category delivered one of the night’s biggest surprises, with Jemma Burns winning for Heartbreak High - beating herself in the process, having also been nominated for her work on Boy Swallows Universe. She edged out fellow nominee Megan Washington for her work on How to Make Gravy, to take home the award.

Despite the competition, AACTA festival ambassador Shane Jacobson reflected on the broader significance of the event.

“Australian film industry is the winner tonight. The day there’s nothing to present is the day we’ve got trouble. So the whole film industry benefits,” he said.

Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney added “it’s so special, it’s very emotional, and of course it’s a ‘go Queensland’ for tonight,”

This marks the second consecutive year the AACTA Awards ceremony week has been held on the Gold Coast as part of a five-year agreement. The AACTA Industry Awards serve as a precursor to the main AACTA Awards gala, featuring a red carpet and star-studded ceremony at HOTA on Friday evening.

2025 AACTA INDUSTRY AWARDS WINNERS:

TV:

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Television presented by Casting Networks

• Boy Swallows Universe – Nikki Barrett

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Shelley Farthing-Dawe AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer Tom Gleeson - Hard Quiz

AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television

• Ladies in Black – Episode 2 – Marion Boyce

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 1 – Bharat Nalluri

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television

• Muster Dogs – Episode 3 – Sally Browning, Monica O’Brien

AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program

• Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian – Jo Siddiqui, Helen Barrow, Paulo Vivan, Laurie Critchley, Julie Hanna – Southern Pictures Pty Ltd (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Mark Perry

AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program presented by EMG/Gravity Media

• Spicks and Specks – Rowdie Walden, Michiko Smith, Anthony Watt – ABC (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program

• Grand Designs Australia – Brooke Bayvel, Michael Collett – Fremantle Australia (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television

• Bluey – Episode 2 – Joff Bush, Daniel O’Brien, Jazz Darcy, Joseph Twist AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television • Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Michelle McGahey

AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Sam Hayward, Scott Mulready, Danielle Wiessner, Nigel Christensen

FILM:

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Film presented by Casting Networks

• Better Man – Alison Telford, Kate Leonard, Kate Dowd

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Simon Duggan

AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film • Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Jenny Beavan

AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film presented by Spectrum Films

• Better Man – Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Susser, Jeff Groth, Patrick Correll

AACTA Award for Best Indie Film

• Birdeater – Jack Clark (Dir.), Jim Weir (Dir.), Ulysses Oliver, Stephanie Troost – Breathless Films and Fax Machine

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film

• Better Man – Batu Sener

AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Colin Gibson, Katie Sharrock

AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film

• Better Man – Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey

AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Robert Mackenzie, Ben Osmo, James Ashton, Yulia Akerholt, Jessica Meier, Tom Holkenborg

DOCUMENTARY

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary

• The Musical Mind: A Portrait In Process – Geoffrey Hall, Emerson Hoskin

AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary

• Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line – Gretchen Peterson

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary

• Mozart’s Sister – Jessica Wells

AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary

• Mozart’s Sister – Damian Jory

SHORT FILM

AACTA Award for Best Short Film

• Gorgo – Katie Amos, Veniamin Gialouris, Danielle Stamoulos – Australian Film, Television and Radio School

ONLINE

AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy

• Buried – Fran Derham, Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser – Frantales Productions

OTHER

AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Lesley Vanderwalt, Larry Van Duynhoven, Matteo Silvi, Luca Vannella

AACTA Award for Best Soundtrack

• Heartbreak High – Jemma Burns

AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation

• Better Man – Luke Millar, Andy Taylor, Craig Young, Tim Walker – Wētā