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.^[1]

49th Australian Film Institute Awards
Date	5–6 December 2007
Site	Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hosted by	Geoffrey Rush
Highlights
Best Film	Romulus, My Father
Best Direction	Tony Ayres The Home Song Stories
Best Actor	Eric Bana Romulus, My Father
Best Actress	Joan Chen The Home Song Stories
Supporting Actor	Marton Csokas Romulus, My Father
Supporting Actress	Emma Booth Clubland
Most awards	The Home Song Stories (8)
Most nominations	Romulus, My Father (15)
Television coverage
Network	Nine Network
← 2006 Australian Film Institute Awards 2008 →

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.^[2] 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.^[3][4][5][6]

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.^{[7][8][9][10]}

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