AACTA 2026: One Battle After Another Wins Big Internationally, Bring Her Back Dominates Local Awards

Big names, breakout wins and a clear split between global favourites and homegrown hits – the 2026 AACTA Awards had it all. While international titles made their mark at the AACTA International Awards, Australian productions firmly owned the spotlight at the local ceremony, delivering a night that celebrated both worldwide acclaim and national pride.

At the International Awards, One Battle After Another emerged as the standout film, securing the top honours for Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. The Warner Bros action thriller was the only title to take home multiple International Awards this year. Acting wins continued familiar awards-season patterns, with Timothée Chalamet picking up Best Actor for Marty Supreme and Rose

Byrne winning Best Actress for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.

The ceremony, presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, took place on Friday at the Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast. Alongside the film categories, television titles also found recognition, with Netflix’s Adolescence winning Best Drama Series and HBO Max’s The Studio taking home the Comedy Series prize.

Supporting acting honours at the International Awards went to Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein and Amy Madigan for Weapons, while Sentimental Value writers Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt won Best Screenplay.

On the Australian-only side of the awards, the Philippou Brothers’ horror film Bring Her Back dominated the film categories, collecting 10 wins from 15 nominations. The A24 and Sony release secured major trophies including Best Film, Best Direction and Best Lead Actress in Film for Sally Hawkins, underlining its strong showing across both creative and technical categories.

The Correspondent followed with three film wins, including Best Actor for Richard Roxburgh, while Lesbian Space Princess was the only other multiple film winner.

Television honours at the local AACTAs were led by Prime Video’s WWII drama The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which claimed nine awards, including Best Actor for Jacob Elordi, Best Direction and several craft prizes. The Newsreader finished next with four wins, taking Best Drama Series along with Best Actress for Anna Torv and Best Screenplay.

Individual honours were also handed out during the ceremony, recognising long-standing contributions and emerging voices across the industry.

“This year’s AACTA Awards recognize the remarkable depth and diversity of Australian screen talent,” AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said. “From critically acclaimed productions to audience favorites, the winners showcase the strength of our industry and the stories that continue to resonate locally and globally.”

Below is the complete list of winners from the 2026 AACTA International Awards, followed by the Australian AACTA Awards.

AACTA International Awards

FILM

AACTA International Award for Best Direction in Film
One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson

AACTA International Award for Best Film
One Battle After Another

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor in Film
Timothée Chalamet (as Marty Mauser) – Marty Supreme

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress in Film
Rose Byrne (as Linda) – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay in Film
Sentimental Value – Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt

AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film
Jacob Elordi (as The Creature) – Frankenstein

AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film
Amy Madigan (as Aunt Gladys) – Weapons

TELEVISION

AACTA International Award for Best Actor in a Series
Gary Oldman (as Jackson Lamb) – Slow Horses

AACTA International Award for Best Actress in a Series
Sarah Snook (as Marissa Irvine) – All Her Fault

AACTA International Award for Best Comedy Series
The Studio – Season 1

AACTA International Award for Best Drama Series
Adolescence – Season 1

AACTA Awards

FILM

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Film presented by Casting Networks
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Film
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film:
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Film:
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Indie Film
Lesbian Space Princess

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film
Richard Roxburgh – The Correspondent

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in Film
Sally Hawkins – Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film
The Correspondent

AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film
The Correspondent

AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film
Julian McMahon – The Surfer

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film
Deborah Mailman – Kangaroo

TELEVISION

AACTA Award for Best Acting in a Comedy
Miranda Tapsell – Top End Bub

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Television:
Apple Cider Vinegar

AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program
Play School: All Together

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Program
Hard Quiz

AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer
Tom Gleeson – Hard Quiz

AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television
The People vs Robodebt

AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program
The People vs Robodebt

AACTA Award for Best Drama Series
The Newsreader

AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program
Portrait Artist of the Year

AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program
Alone Australia

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama
Jacob Elordi – The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama
Anna Torv – The Newsreader

AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program
Grand Designs Australia

AACTA Award for Best Miniseries
Apple Cider Vinegar

AACTA Award for Best Narrative Comedy Series
Bump

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Reality Program
The Great Australian Bake Off

AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television
The Newsreader

AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television
The Narrow Road to the Deep North

AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special
Celia Pacquola: I’m As Surprised As You Are

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
Daniel Henshall – The Newsreader

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
Heather Mitchell – The Narrow Road to the Deep North

DOCUMENTARY

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary
The Kimberley

AACTA Award for Best Documentary
Journey Home, David Gulpilil

AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary
Unbreakable – The Jelena Dokic Story

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary
Journey Home, David Gulpilil

AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary
Yurlu | Country

SHORT FILM

AACTA Award for Best Short Film
I’m The Most Racist Person I Know

ONLINE

AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy
A Series of Unfortunate Dates

OTHER

AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup
Bring Her Back

AACTA Award for Best Original Song
Here I Go – Lesbian Space Princess

AACTA Award for Best Soundtrack
Mix Tape

AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation:
Tron: Ares

INDIVIDUAL

AACTA Longford Lyell Award
Bruce Beresford

AACTA Byron Kennedy Award
Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings

AACTA Reg Grundy Award
Kate Armon, Craig Smith

AACTA Trailblazer Award
Sarah Snook

AACTA Brian Walsh Award
Clare Hughes

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite TV Show
Stranger Things (Season 5)

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Film
Wicked: For Good

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Australian Actress
Margot Robbie

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Australian Actor
Jacob Elordi

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Media Personality
Robert Irwin

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Australian Podcast
Shameless

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Australian Music Video
The Kid LAROI – A Cold Play

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Online Channel
Norris Nuts @norrisnuts

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Digital Creator:
Bridey Drake @brideydrake

AACTA Audience Choice Award for Rabanne Breakthrough Artist
Mekonnen Knife