Supernatural folk horror film “Bring Her Back” was the major winner at this year’s Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, where Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, and Sarah Snook were also recognized. The AACTA awards celebrate achievements across the film, television, documentary, online and short form categories.
“Bring Her Back” nabbed awards for ten of its sixteen nominations, including Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Lead Actress in Film for star Sally Hawkins.
The miniseries, “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” followed closely behind with nine AACTA Award wins, including a Best Lead Actor win for Elordi, while the drama series “The Newsreader” continued its award-winning legacy with four wins, and Netflix’s “Apple Cider Vinegar” won the Award for Best Miniseries.
Home-grown talents Robbie, Elordi, and Robert Irwin took home the AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favorite Australian Actress, Favorite Australian Actor, and Favorite Media Personality, respectively. Snook received the 2026 AACTA Trailblazer Award for her outstanding individual contributions to the screen industry.
In addition to Snook, the Academy recognized individuals for their achievements, awarding Bruce Beresford the AACTA Longford Lyell Award, and Kristina Ceyton and Samantha Jennings the AACTA Byron Kennedy Award, while Kate Armon and Craig Smith received the AACTA Reg Grundy Award, and Clare Hughes took home the AACTA Brian Walsh Award.
Pop-culture podcast “Shameless” took home the inaugural Audience Choice Award for Best Podcast, while “Stranger Things (Season 5)” won Favorite TV Show and “Wicked: For Good” took nabbed Favorite Film.
Presented by the Foxtel Group, the 2026 AACTA Awards Ceremony took place Feb. 6 and was broadcasted at 7:30 p.m. AEDT. An extended AACTA Awards broadcast will be available on Binge and Foxtel on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The 2026 AACTA Awards ceremony is part of the AACTA Festival, taking place Feb. 4-8, offering a range of activities celebrating film, television and pop culture.
See the full list of winners below:
FILM
Best Casting in Film presented by Casting Networks: “Bring Her Back”
Best Cinematography in Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Costume Design in Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Direction in Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Editing in Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Indie Film: “Lesbian Space Princess”
Best Lead Actor in Film: Richard Roxburgh (“The Correspondent”)
Best Lead Actress in Film: Sally Hawkins (“Bring Her Back”)
Best Original Score in Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Production Design in Film: “The Correspondent”
Best Screenplay in Film: “The Correspondent”
Best Sound in Film: “Bring Her Back”
Best Supporting Actor in Film: Julian McMahon (“The Surfer”)
Best Supporting Actress in Film: Deborah Mailman (“Kangaroo”)
TELEVISION
Best Acting in a Comedy: Miranda Tapsell (“Top End Bub”)
Best Casting in Television: “Apple Cider Vinegar”
Best Children’s Program: “Play School: All Together”
Best Cinematography in Television: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Comedy Entertainment Program: “Hard Quiz”
Best Comedy Performer: Tom Gleeson (“Hard Quiz”)
Best Costume Design in Television: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Direction in Drama or Comedy: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Direction in Nonfiction Television: “The People vs Robodebt”
Best Documentary or Factual Program: “The People vs Robodebt”
Best Drama Series: “The Newsreader”
Best Editing in Television: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Entertainment Program: “Portrait Artist of the Year”
Best Factual Entertainment Program: “Alone Australia”
Best Lead Actor in a Drama: Jacob Elordi (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”)
Best Lead Actress in a Drama: Anna Torv (“The Newsreader”)
Best Lifestyle Program: “Grand Designs Australia”
Best Miniseries: “Apple Cider Vinegar”
Best Narrative Comedy Series: “Bump”
Best Original Score in Television: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Production Design in Television: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Reality Program: “The Great Australian Bake Off”
Best Screenplay in Television: “The Newsreader”
Best Sound in Television: “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”
Best Stand-Up Special: Celia Pacquola (“I’m As Surprised As You Are”)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Daniel Henshall (“The Newsreader”)
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Heather Mitchell (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”)
DOCUMENTARY
Best Cinematography in a Documentary: “The Kimberley”
Best Documentary: “Journey Home, David Gulpilil”
Best Editing in a Documentary: “Unbreakable – The Jelena Dokic Story”
Best Original Score in a Documentary: “Journey Home, David Gulpilil”
Best Sound in a Documentary: “Yurlu | Country”
SHORT FILM
Best Short Film: “I’m The Most Racist Person I Know”
ONLINE
Best Online Drama or Comedy: “A Series of Unfortunate Dates”
OTHER
Best Hair and Makeup: “Bring Her Back”
Best Original Song: “Here I Go” from “Lesbian Space Princess”
Best Soundtrack: “Mix Tape”
Best Visual Effects or Animation: “Tron: Ares”
INDIVIDUAL
2026 AACTA Longford Lyell Award Recipient: Bruce Beresford
2026 AACTA Byron Kennedy Award Recipients: Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings
2026 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Recipient: Kate Armon, Craig Smith
2026 AACTA Trailblazer Award Recipient: Sarah Snook
2026 AACTA Brian Walsh Award Recipient: Clare Hughes
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
Favourite TV Show: “Stranger Things “(Season 5)
Favourite Film: “Wicked: For Good”
Favourite Australian Actress: Margot Robbie
Favourite Australian Actor: Jacob Elordi
Favourite Media Personality: Robert Irwin
Favourite Australian Podcast: Shameless
Favourite Australian Music Video: The Kid LAROI – A Cold Play
Favourite Online Channel: Norris Nuts @norrisnuts
Favourite Digital Creator: Bridey Drake @brideydrake
Rabanne Breakthrough Artist: Mekonnen Knife
Source: variety.com
