# 1999 Australian Film Institute Awards

The 41st Australian Film Institute Awards (generally known as the AFI Awards) were held on 13 November 1999. Presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the awards celebrated the best in Australian feature film, documentary, short film and television productions of 1999. The nominations were announced on 13 October 1999. Two Hands received the most nominations in the feature film category with eleven, while SeaChange received seven nominations in the television category.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

### Feature film

| Best Film | Best Achievement in Direction |
| Two Hands – Marian Macgowan Praise – Martha Coleman Siam Sunset – Al Clark Soft Fruit – Helen Bowden | Gregor Jordan – Two Hands Bill Bennett – In a Savage Land John Curran – Praise Christina Andreef – Soft Fruit |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |
| Russell Dykstra – Soft Fruit Hugh Jackman – Erskineville Kings Richard Roxburgh – Passion Heath Ledger – Two Hands | Sacha Horler – Praise Maya Stange – In a Savage Land Jeanie Drynan – Soft Fruit Michela Noonan – Strange Fits of Passion |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Bryan Brown – Two Hands Andrew S. Gilbert – Paperback Hero Roy Billing – Siam Sunset Mitchell Butel – Strange Fits of Passion | Sacha Horler – Soft Fruit Claudia Karvan – Passion Emily Woof – Passion Susie Porter – Two Hands |
| Best Original Screenplay | Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Source |
| Gregor Jordan – Two Hands Max Dann, Andrew Knight – Siam Sunset Christina Andreef – Soft Fruit Elise McCredie – Strange Fits of Passion | Andrew McGahan – Praise |
| Best Achievement in Cinematography | Best Achievement in Editing |
| Martin McGrath – Passion Danny Ruhlmann – In a Savage Land Dion Beebe – Praise Malcolm McCulloch – Two Hands | Lee Smith – Two Hands Suresh Ayyar – Fresh Air Alexandre de Franceshi – Praise Nicholas Beauman – Siam Sunset |
| Best Achievement in Sound | Best Original Music Score |
| Toivo Lember, Gethin Creagh, Peter Smith, Wayne Pashley – In a Savage Land Andrew Plain, Phil Judd, Guntis Sics, Annie Breslin, Jane Paterson – Passion Brent Berge, Andrew Plain, Antony Gray, Gethin Creagh, Phil Tipene – Praise Lee Smith, Ross Linton, Phil Heywood, Peter Townend, Tim Jordan, Nick Breslin – Two Hands | David Bridie – In a Savage Land Dirty Three – Praise Antony Partos – Soft Fruit Cezary Skubiszewski – Two Hands |
| Best Achievement in Production Design | Best Achievement in Costume Design |
| Murray Picknett – Passion Nicolas McCallum – In a Savage Land Michael Philips – Praise Steven Jones-Evans – Siam Sunset | Terry Ryan – Passion Edie Kurzer – Fresh Air Emily Seresin – Praise Emily Seresin – Two Hands |

### Non-feature film

| Best Documentary | Best Direction in a Documentary |
| Hephzibah – Curtis Levy A Calcutta Christmas – Denise Haslem Original Schtick – Peter George, Bronwyne Smith Sadness – Michael McMahon, Megan McMurchy | Maciej Wszelaki – Original Schtick Maree Delofski – A Calcutta Christmas Curtis Levy – Hephzibah Tony Ayres – Sadness |
| Best Short Fiction Film | Best Short Animation Film |
| Above The Dust Level – Carla Drago Break & Enter – Amanda Brotchie Liu Awaiting Spring – Andrew Soo Wind – Ivan Sen | Cousin – Adam Elliot HeadSpace – Chris Backhouse Project Vlad – Aaron Rogers Slim Pickings – Anthony Lucas |
| Best Screenplay in a Short Film | Best Achievement in Cinematography in a Non-Feature Film |
| Trudy Hellier – Break & Enter Adam Elliot – Cousin Richard Frankland – Harry's War Sarah Rossetti – Pilbara Pearl | David Parer – Island of The Vampire Birds Ross Emery – 117 Maciej Wszelaki – Original Schtick Allan Collins – Wind |
| Best Achievement in Editing in a Non-Feature Film | Best Achievement in Sound in a Non-Feature Film |
| Veronika Jenet – Hephzibah Jane Usher – Original Schtick Nash Edgerton – Bloodlock Adolfo Cruzado – Liu Awaiting Spring | Pat Fiske, Livia Ruzic, Peter Walker – Sadness Luke Dunn Gielmuda – Project Vlad Paul Finlay, Mark Tarpey, Peter Walker – The Astonishing Ashtons Craig Butters, Kuji Jenkins, John Patterson, Tony Vaccher – Wind |

### Television

| Best Episode in a Television Drama Series | Best Television Mini-Series or Telefeature |
| Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC) – Steve Knapman SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 13, "Law And Order" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 8, "Manna From Heaven" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 9, "Playing With Fire" (ABC) – Sally Ayre-Smith | The Day of the Roses - (Network Ten) – Simone North, Tony Cavanaugh Aftershocks (SBS) – Julia Overton Halifax f.p. – "Swimming With Sharks" (Nine Network) – Roger Le Mesurier, Roger Simpson, Robyn Sinclair The Potato Factory (Seven Network) – Anthony Buckley, Des Monaghan |
| Best Episode in a Television Drama Series (Long) | Best Children's Television Drama |
| All Saints – Series 2, Episode 17: "Head To Head" (Seven Network) – Jo Porter Home and Away – Episode 2646 (Seven Network) – Russell Webb Neighbours – Episode 3388 (Network Ten) – Peter Dodds Neighbours – Episode 3389 (Network Ten) – Peter Dodds | See How They Run – Episode 1 (ABC) – Josephine Ward Crash Zone – Series 1, Episode 1, "The Dream Team" (Seven Network) – Patricia Edgar Minty – Episode 11, "All The World's A Stage" (ABC) – Sue Taylor The Adventures of Sam – Episode 11, "Not Quite Paradise" (ABC) – Noel Price |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama |
| Jeremy Sims – Aftershocks (SBS) David Tredinnick – Halifax f.p. – "Swimming With Sharks" (Nine Network) John Howard – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 13, "Law And Order" (ABC) Samuel Johnson – Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC) | Jill Forster – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 8, "Manna From Heaven" (ABC) Lisa McCune – The Potato Factory (Seven Network) Sonia Todd – The Potato Factory (Seven Network) Catherine McClements – Water Rats – Series 4, Episode 17, "Hi Honey I'm Home" (Nine Network) |
| Best Achievement in Direction in a Television Drama | Best Screenplay in a Television Drama |
| Peter Fisk – The Day of the Roses (Network Ten) Esben Storm – Crash Zone, Series 1, Episode 1, "The Dream Team" (Seven Network) Graeme Harper – See How They Run – Episode 1 (ABC) | John Misto – The Day of the Roses (Network Ten) Deborah Cox – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 13, "Law And Order" (ABC) Andrew Knight, Deborah Cox – SeaChange – Series 2, Episode 8, "Manna From Heaven" (ABC) Kris Wyld – Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC) |

### Additional awards

| Raymond Longford Award | Byron Kennedy Award |
| John Politzer | Baz Luhrmann Catherine Martin |
| Young Actors' Award | Best Foreign Film |
| Abbie Cornish – Wildside – Series 2, Episode 19 (ABC) | Life Is Beautiful – Elda Ferri, Gianluigi Braschi Elizabeth – Alison Owen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner The Thin Red Line – Robert Michael Giesler, John Roberdeau, Grant Hill The Truman Show – Scott Rudin |
| Open Craft Award |
| Francis Kelly (for original concept) – Bush Mechanics Michaela French (for concept and imagery) – Flux Luigi Pittorino (for production design) – Sadness Ian Brown (for design) – Trinidad |