FEMALE DIRECTORS LEAD AFI AWARDS
Female directors look set to dominate this year’s (10) Australian Film In stitute (AFI) awards - a record number of women have scored nominations f or the coveted best film prize.
Eight of the 19 movies in contention for the top feature film honour ha ve been made by female directors, more than in any other year, and pictur es on the shortlist include Jane Campion’s Bright Star, Rachel Perkins’ A boriginal musical Bran Nue Dae, and Daina Reid’s romantic comedy, I Love You Too.
Other leading nominees include Peter Spierig’s vampire movie Daybreaker s, and father-and-son tale The Boys Are Back, directed by Scott Hicks.
AFI Chief Executive Damian Trewhella insists Kathryn Bigelow’s historic Best Director win at the 2010 Oscars has paved the way for strong female representation in the film industry.
He says, "Rachel Perkins has got the hit of the year on her hands thus far with Bran Nue Dae, and Jane Campion has got a lot of recognition glob ally for Bright Star. In an international industry where women are still significantly under-represented, Australia is heading in the right direct ion." AFI-nominated directed Perkins adds, "We’ve had an industry that’s real ly worked to find a place for women. We’re far more advanced than the ind ustry in the States in that regard. I think the arts is pretty progressiv e in that way." The 2010 AFI awards will be handed out in Melbourne, Australia in Decem ber (10).
Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)
