‘Carol’ Leads Nominations in Australian Academy’s International Awards

Carol, Todd Haynes’ 1950s-set lesbian love story starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, is a clear favorite of Australian industry members, receiving a total of five nominations from seven possible categories in the fifth Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) International Awards, which were unveiled Tuesday.

Carol was nominated for best film, best direction and best screenplay, while Blanchett will vie for best actress honors and Mara will compete for the best supporting actress nod.  

Carol leads financial drama The Big Short, which was nominated in four categories including best film, best direction (Adam McKay), best actor (Steve Carell) and best supporting actor (Christian Bale).

Mad Max: Fury Road, which picked up a best film nod among a total of six awards at December’s AACTA domestic Australian awards, received three international noms including best film, best direction (George Miller) and best actress (Charlize Theron).

The Martian, The Revenant and Steve Jobs also received three mentions each.

Spotlight, The Martian and Revenant rounded out the best film nominations, joining Carol and Mad Max: Fury Road in the top category.

The remaining 11 films nominated for the AACTA International Awards all received mentions in acting categories, including The Danish Girl and Sicario, which received two noms each.

Competition in the best lead actress category is fierce, with three nominees — Blanchett, Brie Larson (Room) and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) — also having been nominated for SAG Awards and Golden Globes for these performances. Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Emily Blunt (Sicario) are also in the running.

Meanwhile, Steve Carell (Big Short), Matt Damon (Martian), Leonardo DiCaprio (Revenant), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs) and Eddie Redmayne (Danish Girl) will all vie for best lead actor honors.

“Now in our fifth year, the AACTA International Awards add a unique Australian voice to the International discussion of screen excellence,” AFI | AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said in a statement. “On the one hand, our young Academy’s Awards have become a reliable early forecaster of which performers, practitioners and productions will be recognized by our international peers via the Oscars and the BAFTAs. On the other hand, as our Chapter members are almost all Australians, they add a uniquely Australian perspective to the conversation, clearly evident this year, with a number of nominations for outstanding Australians who have excelled on the international stage.”

The AACTA International Awards are voted on by 150 Australians who are members of the organization’s international chapter, with many of them also members of the U.S Academy and BAFTA. This year’s AACTA International Award winners will be announced during a ceremony in Los Angeles on Jan. 29.

In total, 17 features are vying for awards in seven categories. The full list of nominees follows:

AACTA International Award for Best Film

The Big Short

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Spotlight

AACTA International Award for Best Direction

Adam McKay — The Big Short

Todd Haynes — Carol

George Miller — Mad Max: Fury Road

Ridley Scott — The Martian

Alejandro González Iñárritu — The Revenant

AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay

Phyllis Nagy — Carol

Alex Garland — Ex Machina

Drew Goddard — The Martian

Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer — Spotlight

Aaron Sorkin — Steve Jobs

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor

Steve Carell — The Big Short

Matt Damon — The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio — The Revenant

Michael Fassbender — Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne — The Danish Girl

AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress

Cate Blanchett — Carol

Emily Blunt — Sicario

Brie Larson — Room

Saoirse Ronan — Brooklyn

Charlize Theron — Mad Max: Fury Road

AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale — The Big Short

Paul Dano — Love and Mercy

Benicio Del Toro — Sicario

Joel Edgerton — Black Mass

Mark Rylance — Bridge of Spies

AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress

Judy Davis — The Dressmaker

Jennifer Jason Leigh — The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara — Carol

Alicia Vikander — The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet — Steve Jobs