Masterclasses, after parties and big stars: Inside the 2025 AACTA awards

The AACTA awards are coming back to Gold Coast in 2025. From masterclasses to premieres to after parties, here’s everything you need to know.

One of the biggest red carpets in the Southern Hemisphere will roll out on the Gold Coast as the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards returns to the city for the second year.

More than 100 events, including outdoor screenings and master classes with Oscar winners, were announced at the 2025 program launch on Tuesday.

AACTA Launch. The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) launch their exciting AACTA Festival program at HOTA on the Gold Coast. AACTA's 2025 Festival. Picture: Nigel Hallett

AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said it was a “very groundbreaking event”.

“It’s the only one of its kind of scale in Australia,” he said.

“It draws the curtain back on how the industry works, really welcoming in new players, which is what we need for regeneration over time.

“There’ll be premieres, master classes with Oscar winners, events here on the outdoor stage, workshops, music, performances, comedy, karaoke — all sorts of things.”

Tourism and Events Queensland’s Richard Clarke said the 2025 awards would have a massive benefit to the state’s economy.

“(The AACTA awards) deliver real benefits to Queensland with more than $4m in economic benefit to the local economy, with even more expected for 2025,” he said.

“More than 7000 attendees are anticipated for the next year, including 1600 visitors travelling specifically for the event.

“It’s clear the AACTA festival is more than a spectacular industry celebration — it’s a significant driver of tourism and growth for the Gold Coast and, more broadly, our state.”

Gold Coast acting mayor Donna Gates said the return of the awards marked an exciting opportunity for the city.

“It puts the spotlight on our city and I think we’re doing our bit for the screen industry with the establishment of the Gold Coast Film Commission and, more recently, the announcement of our creative industries hub at Miami,” she said.

“ … Just to give you a statistic, the film industry for the 2023 year delivered $600 million to our city and over 4800 jobs.

“We’re just so excited that we’re heading down the path where we can push the fast forward on film in our city and make sure that we do our bit to delivering the jobs.”

AACTA Launch. The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) launch their exciting AACTA Festival program at HOTA on the Gold Coast. AACTA's 2025 Festival Ambassadors Clayton and Shane Jacobson at HOTA on the Gold Coast. Picture: Nigel Hallett

AACTA ambassadors Shane and Clayton Jacobson said they were incredibly excited to be a part of the 2025 instalment.

“Every other industry has a conference and then they have a Christmas party. We don’t have them so what’s great is that this is our entertainment conference, and it’s our Christmas party and our awards dinner all in one,” Shane Jacobson said.

“And we believe there’s food, so that’s very important to us.”

Nominees for the short film and documentary categories were also announced on Tuesday.

NOMINEES – SHORT FILM AND DOCUMENTARY

Over 100 productions were entered for consideration. The nominees for the 2025 AACTA Award for Best Short Film and Documentary are:

Short Film

And The Ocean Agreed – Tanya Modini, Luisa Martiri, Stephanie Dower – Screaming Birds

Before We Sleep – Josh Lacy, Michelle Walker, Mason Jay Lewis, Joshua Walsh – Top Tier Entertainment and Eastmount studios

Die Bully Die – Nathan Lacey, Nick Lacey, Matthew Backer, Drew Weston – Based Film

Favourites – Nick Russell, Nick Musgrove – Tandem Media

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

Why We Fight – Danielle Cormack, Nicole da Silva – Four One One Productions

Documentary

A Horse Named Winx – Janine Hosking (Dir.) – iKandy Films

Every Little Thing – Sally Aitken (Dir.), Bettina Dalton – WildBear Entertainment and Dogwoof & HHMI Tangled Bank Studios

Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line – Paul Clarke (Dir.), Carolina Sorensen, Mikael Borglund, Martin Fabinyi – Beyond Entertainment Pty Limited and Blink TV Production Pty Limited

Otto by Otto – Gracie Otto (Dir.), Cody Greenwood, Nicole O’Donohue, – Rush Films & Wildflower Films

Porcelain War – Brendan Bellomo (Dir.), Slava Leontyev (Dir.), Camilla Mazzaferro, Aniela Sidorska, Paula Du Pré Pesmen, Olivia Ahnemann – Finch No Worries and Imaginary Lane

The Musical Mind: A Portrait In Process – Scott Hicks (Dir.), Kerry Heysen, Jett Heysen-Hicks, David Chiem – Beyond May30 Entertainment Pty Ltd

Categories for 2025 AACTA awards.

TV/ Streaming

AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program

AACTA Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Program

AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program

AACTA Award for Best Drama Series

AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program

AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program

AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program

AACTA Award for Best Miniseries

AACTA Award for Best Narrative Comedy Series

AACTA Award for Best Reality Program

AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Television

AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup*

Film

AACTA Award for Best Film

AACTA Award for Best Indie Film

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Film

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in Film

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film

AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay in Film

AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in Film

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film

AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film

AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film

AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film

AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film

AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup*

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Film

*Note: Combined with scripted television candidates.

Short film

AACTA Award for Best Short Film

Documentary

AACTA Award for Best Documentary

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary

AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary

AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary

Online

AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy Series

Visual Effects or Animation

AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation