Australians in Film (AiF) is a

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

-based

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

organization that serves the Australian community working in the film and television industry. It awards the annual Heath Ledger Scholarship to emerging Australian actors, as well as several other programs which help actors and

filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

s to develop their careers.

History

Australians in Film was founded in Los Angeles,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, in May 2001, to celebrate and support Australian film and TV makers and their work. In 2008, Australians in Film established the annual Heath Ledger Scholarship, named in honor of Australian actor

Heath Ledger Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, he moved to the United States in 1998 to further develop his film care ...

, who was an ambassador of the group. In 2012 the organization established an Annual Benefit Dinner to raise funds for scholarships and career development programs. The honorees at the first event included

John Polson John Polson (born 6 September 1965) is an Australian actor, director and founder of Tropfest. Polson is perhaps best known for his role starring opposite Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson in '' The Sum of Us'' (1994). In February 2001, Polson ...

Liam Hemsworth Liam Hemsworth (born 13 January 1990) is an Australian actor. He played the roles of Josh Taylor (Neighbours), Josh Taylor in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' and Marcus in the children's television series ''The Elephant Princess''. In American fi ...

and

Yvonne Strahovski Yvonne Jaqueline Strzechowski (born 30 July 1982), known professionally as Yvonne Strahovski (), is an Australian actress. She is known for roles as Sarah Walker in the spy comedy drama series '' Chuck'' (2007–2012), Hannah McKay in the dra ...

. In 2013, Australians in Film launched the

Orry-Kelly Orry-Kelly was the professional name of Orry George Kelly (31 December 1897 – 27 February 1964), an Australian-American Cinema of the United States, Hollywood costume designer. Until being overtaken by Catherine Martin (designer), Catherin ...

International Award for Australians who have achieved in the film and TV business overseas. In 2015, Australians in Film announced that

Foxtel NXE Australia Pty Ltd, trading as the Foxtel Group, is an Australian pay television company that operates cable television, direct-broadcast satellite, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April ...

will become the naming rights sponsor of the Breakthrough Awards.

Description

AiF is based at the

Raleigh Studios Raleigh Studios is a studio facility located in Hollywood, Los Angeles and has been under the ownership of Raleigh Enterprises since 1979. The location has been active since 1915. Before Raleigh, the studio was run by the Famous Players Film Comp ...

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

, occupying a shared workspace known as Charlie's. AiF has over 700 members, who included actors, filmmakers and people from the U.S. film industry.

Governance and funding

producer Emma Cooper is chair of the board that oversees the organisation. AiF is supported by

Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...

Screen NSW ---> Screen NSW, formerly known as the New South Wales Film and Television Office, or FTO, and before that the New South Wales Film Corporation, is a brand name that is part of Create NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales that is re ...

Screen Queensland Screen Queensland is an agency of the Queensland Government which seeks to expand the production of movies, television series, and computer games within Queensland, Australia. It provides financial support to attract producers to use Queensland a ...

Film Victoria VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victoria State Government's creative and economic screen development agency. It supports screen industry professionals, infrastructure, projects and events, promoting the state of Victoria as ...

AFTRS The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), formerly Australian Film and Television School, is Australia's national screen arts and broadcast school. Opened to students in 1973 as Film and Television School (FTS), after accredita ...

and the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

(

Victorian College of the Arts The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is the arts school at the University of Melbourne in Australia. It is part of the university's Faculty of Fine Arts and Music (FFAM). It is located near the Melbourne city centre on the Southbank campus ...

), as well as commercial partners including

Ausfilm Ausfilm is an Australian government-industry partnership that acts as a national content attraction organisation. Ausfilm connects the international film community with Australia's screen incentives, talent and facilities and is composed of abou ...

Animal Logic Animal Logic (also known as Animal Logic VFX) is an Australian visual effects and computer animation digital studio based at Disney Studios in Sydney, New South Wales in Australia, Vancouver in Canada, and Rideback Ranch in Los Angeles, Califo ...

Bird in Hand winery Bird in Hand is a winery located near the town of Woodside in the Adelaide Hills wine region of South Australia. History The Nugent family, founders of Bird in Hand, have a long association with Adelaide through the health-care work of Dr Mich ...

, Yowie Chocolates,

Penfolds Penfolds is an Australian wine producer that was founded in Adelaide in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia, and his wife Mary Penfold. It is one of Australia's oldest wineries, and is currently ...

and Raynor & Associates.

Programs and awards

AiF runs a number of programs to help Australian actors and filmmakers to develop their careers. Untapped (for emerging writers and directors), Talent Gateway (for established writers and directors), and Global Producers Exchange (for

producers Producer(s), The Producer(s), or co-producer(s) may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *Producer, a stakeholder of economic production * Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes t ...

) are programs presented by

and supported by

VicScreen VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victoria State Government's creative and economic screen development agency. It supports screen industry professionals, infrastructure, projects and events, promoting the state of Victoria as a ...

, and the

South Australian Film Corporation South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are managed ...

. AiF is also home to Charlie's, a creative co-working space and industry incubator founded in 2016 by Screen NSW,

, and Film Victoria (now VicScreen), named after

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

and originally intended as a "soft landing" for Australian professionals new to Hollywood. It and has grown and expanded since then, and is located at AiF headquarters in West Hollywood.

Heath Ledger Scholarship

The Heath Ledger Scholarship includes a $US10,000 cash prize; a return economy flight to the US; and administrative and educational support for the actor's career. Winners include: *2009

Oliver Ackland Oliver Ackland (born 9 November 1979) is an Australian actor. Biography In 2009 he was awarded the inaugural Heath Ledger scholarship by Australians in Film. Ackland starred in Ben Lucas' '' Wasted on the Young'', which premiered at the 2010 ...

*2010

Bella Heathcote Isabella Heathcote (born 27 May 1987) is an Australian actress. Following her film debut in ''Acolytes'' (2008), she had a recurring role as Amanda Fowler on the television soap opera ''Neighbours'' (2009). She gained further recognition for he ...

*2011

Ryan Corr Ryan Corr is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles in the Australian drama series ''Packed to the Rafters'', '' Love Child'' and '' Underbelly'', along with film roles in '' Wolf Creek 2'' (2013), '' The Water Diviner'' (2014), '' Holdi ...

*2012

Anna McGahan Anna McGahan (born 2 May 1988) is an Australian actress and playwright. She is best known for playing the roles of Nellie Cameron on the television series, '' Underbelly: Razor'' (2011), Lucy in '' House Husbands'' (2012–2014), and Rose And ...

*2013 James Mackay *2014

Cody Fern Cody Fern (born 6 July 1988) is an Australian actor and director. Following his feature debut in '' The Tribes of Palos Verdes'' (2017), he portrayed murder victim David Madson in the FX series '' The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American ...

*2015

Matt Levett Matt Levett is an Australian actor known for his recurring role in the Australian period drama ''A Place to Call Home (TV series), A Place to Call Home''. Levett is also notable for his role in the 2014 mini series ''Devil's Playground (TV seri ...

*2016

Ashleigh Cummings Ashleigh Cummings (born 11 November 1992) is an Australian actress. She became known for her role as Robyn Mathers in '' Tomorrow, When the War Began''. The film, based on the book of the same name, earned Cummings a nomination for Best Young ...

*2017

Mojean Aria Mojean Aria is an Australian actor known for his work in film and television who gained wider recognition for his role as Gether Bax in the Apple TV+ series '' See''. Early life and career Aria was born in Sydney, Australia. He first started t ...

*2018

Charmaine Bingwa Charmaine Bingwa (born 13 November 1985) is an Australian actress. She is known for her role as Carmen Moyo in the CBS series ''The Good Fight'' (2021–2022). She has appeared in films including ''Black Box'' (2020) and ''Emancipation'', alongs ...

*2021

Rahel Romahn Rahel Romahn (born ) is a Kurdish-Iraqi born Australian actor. Early life Born in Kurdistan, in Northern Iraq, Romahn's family fled Saddam Hussein’s regime when he was three, initially hiding in Turkey for a year, then emigrating to Austral ...

Breakthrough Award winners

*2010

Chris Hemsworth Christopher Hemsworth (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian actor. Born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, and Bulman, Northern Territory, he rose to prominence playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series ''Home and Away'' (2004� ...

and

Ryan Kwanten Ryan Christian Kwanten (born 28 November 1976) is an Australian actor and producer. He played Vinnie Patterson from 1997 to 2002 in the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away''. After his stint ended, he joined the American teen drama series '' ...

*2011

Joel Edgerton Joel Edgerton (born 23 June 1974) is an Australian actor and filmmaker. He is known for his portrayal of Will McGill on the first two seasons of the Australian drama series'' The Secret Life of Us'' (2001–02), and for playing Owen Lars in t ...

Teresa Palmer Teresa Mary Palmer (born 26 February 1986) is an Australian actress and model. Following her film debut in '' Wolf Creek'' (2005), Palmer had supporting roles in films such as '' The Grudge 2'' (2006), '' Bedtime Stories'' (2008), ''The Sorcer ...

, and

David Michôd David Michôd ( ;) is an Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for directing the critically acclaimed crime drama '' Animal Kingdom'' (2010) and dystopian drama '' The Rover'' (2014). He also co-wrote '' ...

*2012

, and

*2013

Jacki Weaver Jacqueline Ruth Weaver (born 25 May 1947) is an Australian theatre, film, and television actress. Her accolades include five AACTA Awards (including the Longford Lyell Award) and a National Board of Review Award, in addition to nominations ...

Sullivan Stapleton Sullivan Stapleton (born 14 June 1977) is an Australian actor who is best known for his roles in the television series ''The Secret Life of Us'', '' Strike Back'' and '' Animal Kingdom''. He also starred in the NBC crime drama '' Blindspot''. S ...

, and

Alex O'Loughlin Alex O'Loughlin (born 24 August 1976) is an Australian actor. He is known for his portrayal of Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett on CBS' remake of the TV series ''Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series), Hawaii Five-0'' (2010–2020). He had starri ...

*2014

Margot Robbie Margot Elise Robbie ( ; born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Her work includes both blockbuster and independent films, and her accolades include nominations for three Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and six BAFT ...

and

Brenton Thwaites Brenton Thwaites (born ) is an Australian actor. Beginning his career in his home country in 2011, he had a starring role on the series '' Slide'' and later appeared on the soap opera ''Home and Away''. Since moving to the United States, Thwait ...

*2015

Elizabeth Debicki Elizabeth Debicki (born 24 August 1990) is an Australian actress. Born in Paris and raised in Melbourne, she studied acting at the University of Melbourne. Her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors ...

*2016

Jai Courtney Jai Stephen Courtney (; born 15 March 1986) is an Australian actor. Born and raised in Sydney, Courtney started his career as a teenager with small roles in film and television, and studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing ...

Garth Davies Garth Smith (born Garth Davies, 10 December 1955), sometimes credited as Garth, is an English musician, known as the original bassist of the Bolton-formed punk rock band Buzzcocks. Smith played with Buzzcocks during their first concert in Apri ...

*2017 Alethea Jones,

Warwick Thornton Warwick Thornton is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. His debut feature film '' Samson and Delilah'' won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and the award for Best Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awar ...

Katherine Langford Katherine Langford (born 29 April 1996) is an Australian actress. After appearing in several independent films, she had her breakthrough starring as Hannah Baker in the Netflix television series ''13 Reasons Why'' (2017–2018), which earned ...

, and Danielle Macdonald *2018

Keiynan Lonsdale Keiynan Lonsdale ( ; born 19 December 1991) is an Australian actor, dancer, and singer-songwriter. He is known for roles such as Oliver Lloyd in the ABC series ''Dance Academy'' (2012–2013), Wally West/ Kid Flash in the CW series ''The Flash ...

Eliza Scanlen Eliza Jane Scanlen (born 6 January 1999) is an Australian actress. She rose to prominence portraying Tabitha Ford in the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'' (2016), before receiving critical acclaim for playing a troubled teenager in the HB ...

James Wan James Wan (born 26 February 1977) is an Australian filmmaker. He has primarily worked in the horror fiction, horror genre as the co-creator of the ''Saw (franchise), Saw'' and Insidious (film series), ''Insidious'' franchises and the creator of ...

, and

Mia Wasikowska Mia Wasikowska ( ; born 25 October 1989) is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut on the Australian television drama '' All Saints'' in 2004, followed by her feature film debut in '' Suburban Mayhem'' (2006). She first became known t ...

International honorees

*2012

"PR Newswire"
/ref> *2013

Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962) is an Australian film director, producer, writer, and actor whose various projects extend from film and television into opera, theatre, music, and the recording industries. He is regarded by ...

, Blue-Tongue Films and Steve Papazian (of

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

) *2014 Greg Coote (formerly of

Dune Entertainment RatPac Entertainment, LLC was an American media and entertainment company that financed and produced motion pictures, television, documentaries, live theater, and podcasts. The company was owned by Brett Ratner and James Packer. History Dune ...

Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen he has received several accolades including three AACTA Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. For his starring role as Jac ...

Zareh Nalbandian Zareh () is an Armenian masculine given name, derived from a legendary king mentioned in chapter 1.31 of Movses Khorenatsi's ''History of Armenia''. The name is of Iranian origin. It was in use among Armenians from the second centuryBCE to the fo ...

(of

), and Fred Baron (of

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

) *2015

Bruna Papandrea Bruna Papandrea (born 1971) is an Australian film and television producer and the founder of production company Made Up Stories. Prior to Made Up Stories, Papandrea co-founded the production company Pacific Standard with Reese Witherspoon. ...

Bill Mechanic William M. Mechanic (born May 12, 1950) is an American film producer. He is the chairman and CEO of Pandemonium Films. Mechanic serves on the board of counselors for USC School of Cinematic Arts, and the board of BFI Southbank (formerly know ...

and

Dion Beebe Dion Beebe A.C.S. A.S.C. ( ; born 18 May 1968) is an Australian–South African cinematographer. Early life and education Originally from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, his family moved to Cape Town, South Africa, in 1972. Dion studied ...

*2016

Sir Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. He directs films in the science fiction, crime, and historical epic genres, with an atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. He ranks among the highest ...

, Greg Basser and

*2017

Tim Minchin Timothy David Minchin Order of Australia#Levels of membership, AM (born 7 October 1975) is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician, poet, composer, and songwriter. Minchin has released six CDs, five DVDs, and live comedy shows that he ...

, Paul Steinke & Mary Ann Hughes and

Luke Davies Luke Davies (born 1962) is an Australian writer of poetry, novels and screenplays. His best known works are '' Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction'' (which was adapted for the screen in 2006) and the screenplay for the film ''Lion'', which ea ...

*2018 Lee Smith, Mark Johnson

References

External links

*{{official, https://australiansinfilm.org/hls/ * * Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles