Adelaide Now
Jessica Leo
October 28, 2009

 

YOUNG South Australian 'Last Ride' actor Tom Russell and locally produced film 'Beautiful Kate' are our state's big hopes in this year's AFI Awards.

In the Australian equivalent of the Oscars, Beautiful Kate - which was filmed at Wilpena Pound last year - has received 10 nominations, including the coveted best film AFI award.

In the hotly contested category, the Rachel Ward directed film will go up against Balibo, Blessed, Mao's Last Dance, Mary and Max and Samson & Delilah.

Ward's directorial skills have also been recognised in the best direction and best adapted screenplay categories.

However, the big local success story is Glen Osmond Primary School student Tom Russell, 11, who has been nominated in the AFI Young Actor Award category for his first feature film role opposite Hugo Weaving in locally produced film Last Ride.

The film, which was shot in six weeks around the state - taking in areas including Port Augusta, the Flinders Ranges and Lake Gairdner - centres on a criminal on the run (Weaving) with his young son, Chook (Russell) in tow.

Last Ride has also been nominated in the best cinematography category.

Adelaide director Scott Hick's Philip Glass documentary Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts  has earned a nomination in the best sound category - a similar accolade to the film's Emmy nomination - which it missed out on - earlier this year.

Also, former Adelaidean Anthony LaPaglia has been nominated for an AFI International Award for best actor for his role in drama series Without A Trace, slotting in alongside fellow expat Aussie Russell Crowe (for State of Play), Martin Henderson (House) and Guy Pearce (Bedtime Stories).

In the female equivalent category Rose Byrne (Damages) and Treatment's Melissa George and Mia Wasikowska are nominated alongside Emmy Award winner Toni Collette (United States of Tara).

Lapaglia has also earned a nod in the best lead actor category for his role in political film Balibo.

The 2009 Samsung Mobile AFI Awards, hosted by Julia Zemiro, will be held at Melbourne's Regent Theatre on Saturday December 12.