# 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards

The 49th Australian Film Institute Awards ceremony, honoring the best in film and television of 2007, was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and broadcast on the Nine Network. Geoffrey Rush hosted the event for the second year in succession.
The nominees were announced on 24 October 2007 at the Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay. Deborra-Lee Furness, Sibylla Budd, Marny Kennedy, and AFI President James Hewison made the announcements. Romulus, My Father received the highest number of nominations, with a total of fifteen. The Home Song Stories had the second highest number with twelve and Clubland the third highest, with eleven.
The award winners were announced at two ceremonies; one on 5 December ("industry" categories) and the other on 6 December (top categories), 2007. Films that won multiple Australian Film Institute Awards include The Home Song Stories with a grand total of 8 and Romulus, My Father with a tally of 4.
The Home Song Stories performed exceptionally well, winning in 8 of its 12 nominated categories. The wins included, Best Direction (Tony Ayres), Best Actress in a Lead Role (Joan Chen), Best Screenplay (Tony Ayres), Achievement in Cinematogoraphy (Nigel Bluck), Achievement in Editing (Denise Haratzis), Best Original Score (Antony Partos), Best Achievement in Production Design (Melinda Doring) and the award for Achievement in Costume Design (Cappi Ireland).

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface; with nominees thereafter.

### Feature Film

| Best Film Romulus, My Father – Robert Connolly, John Maynard Noise – Trevor Blainey Lucky Miles – Jo Dyer, Lesly Dyer The Home Song Stories – Liz Watts, Michael McMahon | Best Direction Tony Ayres – The Home Song Stories Cherie Nowlan – Clubland Matthew Saville – Noise Richard Roxburgh – Romulus, My Father |
| Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted) |
| Tony Ayres – The Home Song Stories Keith Thompson – Clubland Helen Barnes, Michael James Rowland – Lucky Miles Mathew Saville – Noise Nick Drake – Romulus, My Father |
| Best Lead Actor | Best Lead Actress |
| Eric Bana – Romulus, My Father Brendan Cowell – Noise Qi Yuwu – The Home Song Stories Kodi Smit-McPhee – Romulus, My Father | Joan Chen – The Home Song Stories Kerry Armstrong – Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance Brenda Blethyn – Clubland Franka Potente – Romulus, My Father |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress |
| Marton Csokas – Romulus, My Father Frankie J. Holden – Clubland Richard Wilson – Clubland Russell Dykstra – Romulus, My Father | Emma Booth – Clubland Esme Melville – Romulus, My Father Sibylla Budd – The Bet Irene Chen – The Home Song Stories |
| Best Cinematography | Best Editing |
| Nigel Bluck – The Home Song Stories Mark Wareham ACS – Clubland Laszlo Baranyai ACS – Noise Geoffrey Simpson ACS – Romulus, My Father | Denise Haratzis ASE – The Home Song Stories Scott Gray – Clubland Geoff Hitchins – Noise Suresh Ayyar ASE – Romulus, My Father |
| Best Original Music Score | Best Sound |
| Antony Partos – The Home Song Stories Byrony Marks – Noise Roger Mason, Green Dragon – Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance Basil Hogios – Romulus, My Father | Emma Bortignon, Doron Kipen, Philippe Decrausaz – Noise Andrew Neil, Ian McLoughlin CAS, Liam Egan, Stephen Jackson-Vaughan – Clubland Sam Petty, Gary Wilkins CAS, Phil Heywood – Romulus, My Father Craig Carter, James Harvey, Andrew Neil, John Wilkinson – The Home Song Stories |
| Best Production Design | Best Costume Design |
| Melinda Doring – The Home Song Stories Nell Hanson – Clubland Paddy Reardon – Noise Robert Cousins – Romulus, My Father | Cappi Ireland – The Home Song Stories Emily Seresin – Clubland Ariane Weiss – Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance Jodie Fried – Romulus, My Father |

### Television

| Best Drama Series Love My Way: Series 3 – John Edwards, Claudia Karvan (Foxtel) All Saints: Series 10 – Bill Hughes, MaryAnne Carroll (Seven Network) Dangerous – John Edwards, Imogen Banks (Foxtel) | Best Miniseries or Telefeature The King – Jason Stephens (TV1) Bastard Boys – Brett Popplewell, Ray Quint (ABC) The Circuit – Ross Hutchens, Colin South (SBS) |
| Best Comedy Series Wilfred – Jenny Livingston (SBS) The Chaser's War on Everything: Series 2 – Andy Nehl, Julian Morrow, Jo Wathen (ABC) David Tench Tonight – Todd Abbott (Network Ten) Supernova: Series 2 – David Maher, David Taylor (Foxtel) | Best Light Entertainment Television Series RocKwiz – Brian Nankervis, Ken Connor, Peter Bain-Hogg, Joe Connor (SBS) The New Inventors – Anita Jorgensen (ABC) Spicks and Specks – Anthony Watt, Bruce Kane (ABC) The Sideshow with Paul McDermott – Ted Robinson, Pam Swain, Megan Harding (ABC) |
| Children's Television Drama Lockie Leonard – Kylie du Fresne (Nine Network) I Got a Rocket – Suzanne Ryan (Network Ten) The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky – Jacqueline Chan, Noel Price (ABC) The Sleepover Club: Series 2 – Susie Campbell (Nine Network) | Best Direction in Television The King – Mathew Saville (TV1) Bastard Boys – Ray Quint (ABC) Lockie Leonard: Episode 5 "Cyril" – Tony Tilse (Nine Network) The Circuit: Episode 6 "Home is Where the Past is" – Richard Frankland (SBS) Wilfred: Episode 3 "Dogs of War" – Tony Rogers (SBS) |
| Best Lead Actor – Drama Stephen Curry – The King (TV1) Daniel Frederiksen – Bastard Boys (ABC) Khan Chittenden – Dangerous (Foxtel) Ben Mendelsohn – Love My Way: Series 3 (Foxtel) | Best Lead Actress – Drama Claudia Karvan – Love My Way: Series 3 (Foxtel) Catherine McClements – Call Me Mum (SBS) Noni Hazlehurst – Stepfather of the Bride (ABC) Tammy Clarkson – The Circuit (SBS) |
| Best Guest or Supporting Actor – Drama David Ngoombujarra – The Circuit (SBS) Mark Priestley – All Saints: Series 10 (Seven Network) Jack Thompson – Bastard Boys (ABC) Justin Smith – Bastard Boys (ABC) | Best Guest or Supporting Actress – Drama Vicki Saylor – Call Me Mum (SBS) Lynette Curran – Call Me Mum (SBS) Justine Clarke – Love My Way: Series 3 (Foxtel) Monica Maughan – The King (TV1) |
| Best Performance in a Television Comedy Adam Zwar – Wilfred (SBS) Drew Forsythe – David Tench Tonight (Network Ten) Peter Kowitz – Supernova: Series 2 (Foxtel) Jason Gann – Wilfred (SBS) | Best Screenplay in Television Bastard Boys – Sue Smith (ABC) Lockie Leonard: Episode 15 'The Ladder of Love' – Keith Thompson (Nine Network) Love My Way: Series 3, Episode 6 "Cars Without Brakes" – Tony McNamara (Foxtel) The Circuit: Episode 6 "Home is Where the Past is" – Kelly Lefever (SBS) |

#### AFI Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television Screen Craft

* Paddy Reardon – Bastard Boys 'Call Me Mum & The King'. For "Production Design"

### Non-Feature Film

| Best Documentary | Best Direction in a Documentary |
| Forbidden Lie$ – Sally Regan, Anna Broinowski 4 – Joanna Buggy, Tim Slade Global Haywire – Claude Gonzalez Words From The City – Philippa Campey | Global Haywire – Bruce Petty Crude – Richard Smith Forbidden Lie$ – Anna Broinowski Words From The City – Rhys Graham, Natasha Gadd |
| Best Cinematography in a Documentary | Best Editing in a Documentary |
| Cuttlefish: The Brainy Bunch – Malcom Ludgate, Joel Peterson, Scott Carrithers 4 – Pieter de Vries Thunderheads – Klaus Toft, Cameron Davies, Mark Lamble Words From The City – Rhys Graham, Natasha Gadd | Forbidden Lie$ – Vanessa Milton, Alison Croft Cuttlefish: The Brainy Bunch – Carsten Orit Global Haywire – Sam Petty Words From The City – Paul Williams |
| Best Sound in a Documentary | Best Short Fiction Film |
| Global Haywire – Sam Petty Cuttlefish: The Brainy Bunch – Sam Hayward Forbidden Lie$ – Peter Smith, Craig Carter Words From The City – Peter Smith, Emma Bortignon | Spike Up – Anthony Maras, Kent Smith Boy's Own Story – Michael Petroni, Jamie Hilton Dugong – Melanie Brunt, Erin White Swing – Louise Pascale, Christopher Houghton |
| Best Short Animation | Best Screenplay in a Short Film |
| The Girl Who Swallowed Bees – Justine Kerrigan, Paul McDermott An Imaginary Life – Steve Baker Dust Echoes 2: "The Bat And The Butterfly" – Michael Wagner, Dave Jones The Goat That Ate Time – Lucinda Schreiber | Crossbow – David Michôd Boy's Own Story – Michael Petroni Dugong – Erin White Katoomba – Leon Ford |

#### AFI Award for Outstanding Achievement in Short Film Screen Craft

* Mark Lapwood ACS. Eclipse. For "Cinematography"

### Additional Awards

| International Award for Excellence in Filmmaking | News Limited Readers' Choice Award |
| Jill Bilcock, editor | Eric Bana |
| Best Young Actor | Best Visual Effects |
| Kodi Smit-McPhee – Romulus, My Father Corey McKernan – Lockie Leonard (Series 1) Irene Chen – The Home Song Stories Joel Lok – The Home Song Stories | Rogue – Andrew Hellen, Dave Morley, Jason Bath, John Cox Air Australia: Canvas & Sticks – David Rutherford, Reigy Skwarko, Paul Siciliano, Delon Govender Crocodile Dreaming – Kirsty Millar, Chad Malbon Spider – Mike Seymour |
| International Award for Best Actor | International Award for Best Actress |
| Dominic Purcell – Prison Break Eric Bana – Lucky You Julian McMahon – Nip/Tuck Hugh Jackman – The Prestige | Rose Byrne – Damages Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters Toni Collette – Little Miss Sunshine Jacinda Barrett – The Last Kiss |

### Individual Awards

| Award | Winner |
| Byron Kennedy Award | Curtis Levy |
| Raymond Longford Award | David Hannay |
| AFI Global Achievement Award | George Miller |
| AFI Fellowship | Nick Barkla |

## Multiple nominations

The following films received multiple nominations.
* 15 nominations: Romulus, My Father
* 12 nominations: The Home Song Stories
* 11 nominations: Clubland
* 9 nominations: Noise
* 3 nominations: Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance