AACTA Award nominee Lucy Coleman signs Netflix deal for Hot Mess

Aussie director Lucy Coleman spent $3000 on making her indie film. Now the AACTA Award nominee has turned heads at Netflix.

Exclusive: Forget the year from hell – 2020 just keeps getting better for Sydney writer and director Lucy Coleman, who has earned her first AACTA nomination for the indie film she’s just sold to Netflix.

The 31-year-old spent $3000 to make her hilarious indie film, Hot Mess, which has attracted the attention of the international streaming platform, now streaming it to audiences worldwide.

But her success doesn’t end there, with Coleman’s next dark comedy film, Exposure, the product of being mentored by Snowtown and True Story Of The Kelly Gang screenwriter, Shaun Grant, through funds provided by Impact Imagine, Ron Howard’s talent ‘lab.’

“That project’s out to market right at the moment,” Coleman told News Corp Australia, “and we’ve had some very cool expressions of interest.”

Hot Mess wowed critics at last year’s Seattle Film Festival and should also help launch the career of lead actor and comic Sarah Gaul, who plays a struggling playwright who becomes obsessed with her reluctant new beau.

Movie director Lucy Coleman and actress Sarah Gaul. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Gaul was spotted by Coleman in her one-woman play and the pair became best friends and creative collaborators.

Coleman said: “I see us working together for the rest of our lives … she’s such an important person in my life now.”

Coleman wrote, directed and played publicist for the film, she shot around Sydney’s inner-west, drawing on favours from friends to make her shoestring budget go far.

“It was just one of those films we had to push and push ourselves. Everything that we had to be off our own backs … it’s just taken a little bit longer,” Coleman said.

While the local film and TV industry has battled against COVID restrictions and no Federal funding support for its largely freelance workers, Coleman broke through with even more work – writing for a new anthology series, Shakespeare Now, a co-prod between Brisbane-based production company, Hoodlum and Margot Robbie’s production team, Lucky Chap.

AND THE NOMINATIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S AACTA AWARDS ARE:

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DRAMA SERIES

* Bloom, Stan

* Doctor Doctor, Nine

* Halifax Retribution, Nine

* The Heights, ABC

* Mystery Road, ABC

* Wentworth, Foxtel

Get your Freak on … Pamela Rabe is nominated for Foxtel drama, Wentworth Pic: Supplied/Foxtel

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINISERIES

* The Gloaming, Stan

* Hungry Ghosts, SBS

* Operation Buffalo, ABC

* The Secrets She Keeps, 10

* Stateless, ABC

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY SERIES

* Upright, Foxtel

* Rosehaven, ABC

* At Home Alone Together, ABC

* Black Comedy, ABC

* The Other Guy, Stan

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

* Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, ABC

* Australian Lockdown Comedy Festival, Stan

* Australian Amazon Original Stand-up Specials, Amazon Prime

* Drunk History Australia, 10

* LOL: Last One Laughing Australia, Amazon Prime

All for laughs … Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor star in comedy hit, Rosehaven. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

* Eurovision: Australia Decides, SBS

* Hard Quiz, ABC

* Have You Been Paying Attention?, 10

* Lego Masters Australia, Nine

* The Voice Australia, Nine

* The Weekly, ABC

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

* Gogglebox Australia, Foxtel/10

* Hamish & Andy’s ‘Perfect’ Holiday, Nine

* Love On The Spectrum, ABC

* The Project, 10

* Who Do You Think You Are?, SBS

* You Can’t Ask That, ABC

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAM

* Better Homes and Gardens, Seven

* Jimmy Shu’s Taste Of The Territory, SBS

* The Living Room, 10

* Luke Nguyen’s Railway Vietnam, SBS

* Restoration Australia, ABC

* Selling Houses Australia, Foxtel

Smash hit … new MasterChef judges Melissa Long, Jock Zonfrillo and Andy Allen. Picture: Supplied/10

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST REALITY PROGRAM

* The Amazing Race Australia, 10

* Australian Survivor: All Stars, 10

* The Block, Nine

* I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, 10

* MasterChef Australia, 10

* The Real Dirty Dancing, Seven

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST CHILDRENS PROGRAM

* Are You Tougher Than Your Ancestors?, ABC

* Bluey, ABC

* First Day, ABC

* The InbestigatorsS, ABC

* Little J & Big Cuz, NITV

* Mustangs FC, ABC

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

* Fayssal Bazzi, Stateless (ABC)

* Bryan Brown, Bloom (Stan)

* Jai Courtney, Stateless (ABC)

* Ewen Leslie, Operation Buffalo (ABC)

* Aaron Pedersen, Mystery Road (ABC)

Desert storm … Aaron Pedersen stars as Jay Swan in the AACTA-nominated, ABC drama series, Mystery Road Pic: Supplied/ABC

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

* Jada Alberts, Mystery Road (ABC)

* Rebecca Gibney, Halifax: Retribution (Nine)

* Asher Keddie, Stateless (ABC)

* Pamela Rabe, Wentworth (Foxtel)

* Yvonne Strahovski, Stateless (ABC)

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV COMEDY

* Tim Minchin, Upright (Foxtel)

* Milly Alcock, Upright (Foxtel)

* Celia Pacquola, Rosehaven (ABC)

* Luke McGregor, Rosehaven (ABC)

* Anne Edmonds, At Home Alone Together (ABC)

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

* Rob Collins, Mystery Road (ABC)

* Darren Gilshenan, Stateless (ABC)

* Damon Herriman, The Commons (Stan)

* Callan Mulvey, Mystery Road (ABC)

* Ed Oxenbould, Bloom (Stan)

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

* Cate Blanchett, Stateless (ABC)

* Jacqueline McKenzie, Bloom (Stan)

* Ngaire Pigram, Mystery Road (ABC)

* Tasma Walton, Mystery Road (ABC)

* Jacki Weaver, Bloom (Stan)

Beloved … Jackie Weaver and Bryan Brown both scored nominations for their roles in Stan drama, Bloom. Picture: Supplied/Stan

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM

* Babyteeth

* H Is For Happiness

* I Am Woman

* The Invisible Man

* True History Of The Kelly Gang

* Relic

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST INDIE FILM

* A Boy Called Sailboat

* Hot Mess

* Koko: A Red Dog Story

* A Lion Returns

* Standing Up For Sunny

* Unsound

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION

* Shannon Murphy, Babyteeth

* John Sheedy, H Is For Happiness

* Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man

* Natalie Erika James, Relic

* Justin Kurzel, True History Of The Kelly Gang

Kelly gang … director Justin Kurzel with actor Charlie Hunnam on the set of the True History of the Kelly Gang Picture: Stan

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM

* George Mackay, True History Of The Kelly Gang

* Sam Neill, Rams

* Richard Roxburgh, H Is For Happiness

* Toby Wallace, Babyteeth

* Hugo Weaving, Measure For Measure

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM

* Tilda Cobham-Hervey, I Am Woman

* Laura Gordon, Undertow

* Elisabeth Moss, The Invisible Man

* Lupita Nyong’o, Little Monsters

* Eliza Scanlen, Babyteeth

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM

* Fayssal Bazzi, Measure For Measure

* Russell Crowe, True History Of The Kelly Gang

* Aaron Jeffery, The Flood

* Ben Mendelsohn, Babyteeth

* Wesley Patten, H Is For Happiness

Baby steps … Eliza Scanlen impressed in feature film, Babyteeth Picture: Supplied

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM

* Emma Booth, H Is For Happiness

* Essie Davis, Babyteeth

* Bella Heathcote, Relic

* Deborah Mailman, H Is For Happiness

* Doris Younane, Measure For Measure

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY

* Rita Kalnejais, Babyteeth

* Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters

* Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man

* Natalie Erika James, Christian White, Relic

* Shaun Grant, True History Of The Kelly Gang

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

* Andrew Commis, Babyteeth

* Brad Shield, Bloody Hell

* Geoffrey Hall, Escape From Pretoria

* Bonnie Elliott, H Is For Happiness

* Stefan Duscio, The Invisible Man

Reddy and able … Tilda Cobham-Hervey in film I Am Woman. Picture: Supplied/Tony Mott

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST EDITING

* Steve Evans, Babyteeth

* Dany Cooper, I Am Woman

* Andy Canny, The Invisible Man

* Nick Fenton, True History Of The Kelly Gang

* Julie-Anne De Ruvo, Nick Meyers, Undertow

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SOUND

* Sam Hayward, Angus Robertson, Rick Lisle, Nick Emond, Babyteeth

* Robert Mackenzie, Ben Osmo, Pete Smith, Tara Webb, I Am Woman

* P.K Hooker, Will Files, Paul “Salty” Brincat, The Invisible Man

* Robert Mackenzie, John Wilkinson, Steve Burgess, Glenn Newnham, Relic

* Frank Lipson, Steve Single, Andrew Neil, Andrew Ramage, True History Of The Kelly Gang

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

* Amanda Brown, Babyteeth

* Craig Armstrong, Dirt Music

* Nerida Tyson-Chew, H Is For Happiness

* Rafael May, I Am Woman

* Jed Kurzel, True History Of The Kelly Gang

Happy days … Deborah Mailman as Penelope Benson in H is for Happiness. Picture: David Dare Parker

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

* Sherree Philips, Babyteeth

* Michael Turner, Ritchie Dehne, I Am Woman

* Alex Holmes, Katie Sharrock, The Invisible Man

* Robert Perkins, Miss Fisher And The Crypt Of Tears

* Karen Murphy, Rebecca Cohen, True History Of The Kelly Gang

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST COSTUME DESIGN

* Terri Lamera, H Is For Happiness

* Emily Seresin, I Am Woman

* Zohie Castellano, Olivia Simpson, Measure For Measure

* Nina Edwards, Standing Up For Sunny

* Alice Babidge, True History Of The Kelly Gang

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY

* Brazen Hussies

* Brock: Over The Top

* Looky, Looky, Her Comes Cooky

* Firestarter: The Story Of Bangarra

* Slim

* Suzi Q

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY OR FACTUAL PROGRAM

* Ambulance Australia, 10

* Fight For Planet A: Our Climate Challenge, ABC

* Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story, 10

* Maralinga Tjarutja, ABC

* Murder In The Outback: The Falconio and Lees Mystery, Seven

* Shaun Micallef’s On The Sauce, ABC

In her shoes … Rebecca Gibney returns in reboot drama, Halifax: Retribution. Picture: Daniel Asher Smith

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ONLINE DRAMA OR COMEDY

* Ding Dong I’m Gay

* Girl, Interpreted

* Halal Gurls

* KGB

* Love In Lockdown

* Patricia Moore

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT

* Bounce Patrol

* Chloe Ting

* Do Go On

* Fairbairn Films

* The Norris Nuts

AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM

* Chicken

* Chlorine

* I Want To Make A Film About Women

* The Mirror

* The Moogai

* Idol

The 2020 AACTA Awards Ceremony, presented by Foxtel will be staged on Monday 30 November 2020 at The Star Sydney, held across two sittings due to reduced capacity to meet COVID restrictions. A reimagined celebration will be broadcast on Channel 7 on Wednesday 2 December, along with highlights from the 2020 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Ceremony.

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Originally published as AACTA Award nominee Lucy Coleman signs Netflix deal for Hot Mess