2001 Australian Film Institute Awards

← 2000
Australian Film Institute Awards
2002 →

The 43rd Australian Film Institute Awards (generally known as the 2001 AFI Awards), were a series of awards presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI). The awards celebrated the best in Australian feature film, television, documentary and short film productions of 2001. The ceremony took place at the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings on 16 November 2001.^[1]

Winners and nominees

The nominations were announced on 27 October 2001. Leading the feature film nominees was Lantana, based on the play Speaking in Tongues by Andrew Bovell, with a total of 13 nominations. It was nominated in every category except for Best Cinematography.^[2]^[3] The ABC drama SeaChange, about a city lawyer who relocates to the coastal town of Pearl Bay and becomes a local magistrate, gained the most television nominations with a total of nine.^[4]

Two new awards were introduced this year; the AFI Screenwriting Prize, sponsored by Harper's Bazaar magazine and the only award that carried a cash prize (A$10,000), and an award for Global Achievement.^[5]

Ray Lawrence's psychological thriller, Lantana, exploring complex relationships between characters in the film, received the most awards for any production, securing all seven top awards. Kerry Armstrong won the Best Actress Award for her performance in the film, and in an unprecedented occurrence, also won Best Actress in a Television Drama Series for her role in SeaChange.^[5] In the television category SeaChange, The Secret Life of Us, My Brother Jack and My Husband, My Killer all secured two awards apiece.^[6]

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

Feature film

Best Film	Best Direction
Lantana – Jan Chapman Moulin Rouge! – Martin Brown, Baz Luhrmann and Fred Baron The Bank – John Maynard The Dish – Santo Cilauro, Michael Hirsh, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy and Rob Sitch	Ray Lawrence – Lantana Baz Luhrmann – Moulin Rouge! David Caesar – Mullet Robert Connolly – The Bank
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role	Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anthony LaPaglia – Lantana Ewan McGregor – Moulin Rouge! Ben Mendelsohn – Mullet David Wenham – The Bank	Kerry Armstrong – Lantana Alice Ansara – La Spagnola Lola Marceli – La Spagnola Nicole Kidman – Moulin Rouge!
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role	Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Vince Colosimo – Lantana Alex Dimitriades – La Spagnola Richard Roxburgh – Moulin Rouge! Andrew S. Gilbert – Mullet	Daniela Farinacci – Lantana Lourdes Bartolome – La Spagnola Rachael Blake – Lantana Belinda McClory – Mullet
Best Original Screenplay	Best Adapted Screenplay
Robert Connolly – The Bank Anna-Maria Monticelli – La Spagnola David Caesar – Mullet Chris Anastassiades – Yolngu Boy	Andrew Bovell – Lantana Richard Lowenstein – He Died with a Felafel in His Hand Daniel Keene – Silent Partner Anne Kennedy – The Monkey's Mask
Best Cinematography	Best Editing
Donald M. McAlpine ACS/ASC – Moulin Rouge! Steve Arnold ACS – La Spagnola Tristan Milani ACS – The Bank Brad Shield – Yolngu Boy	Jill Bilcock – Moulin Rouge! Alexandre de Franceshi – La Spagnola Karl Sodersten – Lantana Ken Sallows – Yolngu Boy
Best Original Music Score	Best Sound
Cezary Skubiszewski – La Spagnola Paul Kelly, Shane O'Mara, Steve Hadley, Bruce Haymes and Peter Luscombe – Lantana Alan John – The Bank Edmund Choi – The Dish	Andy Nelson, Roger Savage and Guntis Sics – Moulin Rouge! Peter Grace, Phil Judd and Andrew Plain – La Spagnola Syd Butterworth, Andrew Plain and Robert Sullivan – Lantana Phil Heywood, Sam Petty and Andrew Ramage – The Bank
Best Production Design	Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin – Moulin Rouge! Dee Molineaux – La Spagnola Kim Buddee – Lantana Luigi Pittorino – The Bank	Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie – Moulin Rouge! Margot Wilson – La Spagnola Margot Wilson – Lantana Annie Marshall – The Bank

Television

Best Episode in a Television Drama Series	Best Episode in a Long Running Television Drama Series
SeaChange: Series 3, Episode 8 "I Name Thee Bay of Pearls" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith Love Is a Four-Letter Word: Episode 13 "Split" (ABC) –Rosemary Blight and Tim Pye SeaChange: Series 3, Episode 13 "Half Life" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith The Games: Series 2, Episode 10 "Solar" (ABC) – John Clarke, Ross Stevenson and Mark Ruse The Secret Life of Us: Episode 16 "The Butterfly Effect" (ABC) – John Edwards and Amanda Higgs	Something in the Air: Episode 224 "That One Defining Moment" (ABC) – Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson and Alan Hardy All Saints: Series 4, Episode 22 "The Sign" (Seven Network) – Di Drew Something in the Air: Episode 227 "Into Thy Hands" (ABC) – Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson and Alan Hardy Something in the Air: Episode 244 "Living in the Past" (ABC) – Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson and Alan Hardy
Best Children's Television Drama	Best Telefeature or Mini Series
Cybergirl: "Episode 1" (Network Ten) – Jonathan M. Shiff and Daniel Scharf Crash Zone: Series 2, Episode 11 "Skin Deep" (Seven Network) – Patricia Edgar and Bernadette O'Mahoney Li'l Horrors: Episode 13 "Trouble Double" (ABC) – Stuart Menzies and Tony Wright Thunderstone III: Series 3, Episode 13 "Episode 52" (Network Ten) – Jonathan M. Shiff and Daniel Scharf	My Brother Jack (Network Ten) – Sue Milliken, Andrew Wiseman and Richard Keddie Changi (ABC) – Bill Hughes Do or Die (Seven Network) – John Edwards and Lavinia Warner My Husband, My Killer (Network Ten) – David Gould, Des Monaghan and Anthony Buckley
Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama	Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
*Samuel Johnson – The Secret Life of Us* (Network Ten)** John Howard – SeaChange (ABC) William McInnes – SeaChange (ABC) Nicholas Bell – The Games (ABC)	*Kerry Armstrong – SeaChange* (ABC)** Kate Beahan – Love Is a Four Letter Word (ABC) Sigrid Thornton – SeaChange (ABC) Gina Riley – The Games (ABC) Claudia Karvan – The Secret Life of Us (Network Ten)
Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama	Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama
*Gary Day – Blue Heelers: Series 8, Episode 29 "The Poisoned Fruit - Part 2" (Seven Network)* Steve Adams – Something in the Air: Episode 224 "That One Defining Moment" (ABC) Travis McMahon – Stingers: Series 4, Episode 2 "Rich Man's World" (Nine Network) Damian Walshe-Howling – The Secret Life of Us: Episode 10 "State of Limbo" (Network Ten)	*Catherine McClements – The Secret Life of Us:* Episode 11 "Love Sucks" (Network Ten)** Carol Burns – Blue Heelers: Series 8, Episode 3 "Deadly Fascination" (Seven Network) Joanne Priest – Love Is a Four Letter Word: Episode 13 "Split" (ABC) Rhondda Findleton – Stingers: Series 4, Episode 5 "Fool To Want You" (Nine Network)
Best Lead Actor in a Tele-feature or Mini Series	Best Lead Actress in a Telefeature or Mini Series
*David Field – My Husband, My Killer* (Network Ten)** Geoff Morrell – Changi (ABC) Simon Lyndon – My Brother Jack (Network Ten) William McInnes – My Brother Jack (Network Ten)	*Angie Milliken – My Brother Jack* (Network Ten)*^[1] Greta Scacchi – The Farm* (ABC)^[2] Ellouise Rothwell – My Brother Jack (Network Ten)
Best Direction	Best Screenplay
*Peter Andrikidis – My Husband, My Killer* (Network Ten)** Rowan Woods – Do or Die (Seven Network) Ken Cameron – My Brother Jack (Network Ten) Stuart McDonald – SeaChange: Series 3, Episode 8 "I Name Thee Bay of Pearls" (ABC) Roger Hodgman – The Secret Life of Us: Episode 16 "The Butterfly Effect" (Network Ten)	*John Clarke and Ross Stevenson – The Games: Series 2, Episode 10 "Solar" (ABC)* John Doyle – Changi (ABC) Andrew Knight and Andrea Denholm – SeaChange: Series 3, Episode 8 "I Name Thee Bay of Pearls" (ABC) Hannie Rayson and Andrea Denholm – SeaChange: Series 3, Episode 11 "Love in the Time of Coleridge" (ABC)

Non-feature film

Best Documentary	Best Direction in a Documentary
Facing the Music – Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson Cunnamulla – Dennis O'Rourke Playing the Game: "Episode 3" – Andrew Ogilvie and Peter du Cane Wonderboy – Andrew Wiseman and Richard Keddie	Dennis O'Rourke – Cunnamulla Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson – Facing the Music Vanessa Gorman – Losing Layla Andrew Wiseman – Wonderboy
Best Short Fiction Film	Best Short Animation
The Big House – Rachel Ward Delivery Day – Jane Manning Inja (Dog) – Steve Pasvolsky Saturn's Return – Wenona Byrne	Living with Happiness – Sarah Watt Bad Baby Amy – Anthony Lucas The Collective – Norah Mulroney The Exploding Woman – Nancy Allen
Best Screenplay in a Short Film	Best Cinematography in a Non-Feature Film
Kris Mrksa – Sparky D Comes to Town Khoa Do – Delivery Day Steve Pasvolsky – Inja (Dog) Rachel Ward – The Big House	Kim Batterham – One Night the Moon John Brawely – Bird in the Wire Andre Fleuren – City of Dreams Wade Fairley – Island Life: Macquarie Island
Best Editing in a Non-Feature Film	Best Sound in a Non-Feature Film
Emma Hay – Secret Safari Melanie Sandford – Australians At War: "Episode 3" Rebecca Murphy – Rubber Gloves Merlin Cornish and Robert Forsyth – Stump	Robin Anderson, Andrew Plain and Robert Sullivan – Facing the Music Julian Ellingworth and John Patterson – Australians At War: "Episode 3" Sam Petty and Yulia Ackerholt – ICQ Katy Wood – The Collective

Additional Awards

Young Actor's Award	Best Foreign Film
John Sebastian Pilakui – Yolngu Boy Joshua Jay – All Saints: Series 4, Episode 22 "The Sign" (Seven Network)	Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Ang Lee and James Schamus Almost Famous – Ian Bryce and Cameron Crowe Billy Elliot – Tessa Ross, David M. Thompson and Natascha Wharton In the Mood for Love – Wong Kar-Wai
Open Craft AFI Award – Television	Open Craft AFI Award – Non Feature Film
Do or Die (Seven Network) – Shawn Seet (for Editing) Love is a Four Letter Word: Episode 13 "Split" (ABC) – Henry Dangar and Nicole La Macchia (for Editing) My Brother Jack (Network Ten) – Jo Ford (for Production Design) My Husband, My Killer (Network Ten) – Peter Best (for Original Score)	One Night the Moon – Mairead Hannan, Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly (for Original Score) Circa – Sally Bongers and Paul Elliot (for Original Concept & Realisation) Harvey – Peter McDonald (for Special Effects) Australians At War: "Episode 3" – Michael Caulfield (for Screenplay)

Individual Awards

Award	Winner
Byron Kennedy Award	Ian David
Raymond Longford Award	David Stratton
Global Achievement Award	Russell Crowe
AFI Screenwriting Prize	Andrew Bovell

Multiple nominations

The following films received multiple nominations.

13 nominations: Lantana
11 nominations: La Spagnola
10 nominations: Moulin Rouge!
9 nominations: The Bank

Notes

1.^ The AACTA website (incorrectly) lists Greta Scacchi as the winner of Best Lead Actress in a Telefeature or Mini Series as opposed to Angie Milliken.

References

^ Krauth, Kirsten (30 November 2001). "OnScreen editorial". RealTime — Australia - Media Arts I Performance I Hybrid Arts I The World. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ Maddox, Garry (16 November 2001). "The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ Maddox, Garry (27 October 2001). "The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ "Winners & Nominees". www.aacta.org. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b George, Sandy (19 November 2001). "Lantana makes history at AFI awards". Screen. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ Boland, Michaela (16 November 2001). "'Lantana' dominates Oz awards". Variety. Retrieved 20 January 2024.

External links

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

AACTA Awards

Australian Film Institute (AFI)
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)

Australian
Feature film

International
Feature film

Television

Best Comedy Series
Best Drama Series
Best Children's Series
Best Children's Animation
Best Telefeature, Mini Series or Short Run Series
Best Light Entertainment Series
Best Reality Series
Best Comedy Performance
Best Actor – Drama
Best Actress – Drama
Best Guest or Supporting Actor – Drama
Best Guest or Supporting Actress – Drama
Best Direction – Drama or Comedy
Best Direction – Light Entertainment or Reality Series
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Editing
Best Original Score
Best Production Design
Best Sound

Documentary
and Short film

Best Feature Length Documentary
Best Documentary Television Program
Best Short Animation
Best Short Fiction Film
Best Cinematography – Documentary
Best Director – Documentary
Best Editing – Documentary
Best Original Music Score– Documentary
Best Sound – Documentary

Special awards

Retired awards

AFI Members' Choice Award
Best Documentary
Best Documentary Under One Hour
Best Experimental Film
Best Foreign Film
Global Achievement Award
International Best Actor
International Best Actress
International Award Excellence in Filmmaking
Jury Prize
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay in a Short Film
Best Sponsored Documentary
Best Television Documentary
Best Young Actor
Screen Content Innovation Award
Outstanding Achievement in Television Screen Craft
Outstanding Achievement in Short Film Screen Craft

Ceremonies

AFI Awards	1958 1959 1960 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974–75 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
AACTA Awards (Australia)	2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2024
AACTA Awards (International)	2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2024