SYDNEY — Harvey Wenstein will receive the inaugural Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts’ (AACTA) International Fellowship, the screen organization said Wednesday.
The fellowship, the first of its kind in the history of the Australian Academy, is designed to honor the outstanding contribution of an international citizen and his or her impact on the Australian screen arts industry.
AACTA president Geoffrey Rush said, “Harvey is a fearless and inspired champion of screen story who, during his tenure at Miramax and now The Weinstein Company has produced a staggering 271 films — 75 of which have won Academy Awards.”
“I worked with Harvey on Shakespeare in Love and more recently on The King’s Speech, and I look forward to honoring him later this month at the inaugural Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts International Fellowship ceremony,” Rush added.
Said Weinstein, “Australia produces some fine screen talent, and I have had the pleasure of working with some incredible performers and filmmakers who call Australia home. I thank the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts for honoring me as their inaugural International Fellowship recipient.”
AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella noted that Australian screen productions and co-productions such as Rogue, The Quiet American, The Piano, Holy Smoke and most recently The Sapphires have all “benefited from Weinstein’s wisdom and investment, which has repeatedly proven instrumental to the success of performers and productions in North America.”
Rush will present Weinstein with the fellowship Nov. 23 as part of the Canberra International Film Festival’s Body of Work program.
Awarding the fellowship effectively signals the start of the AACTA Awards season. The AACTA Awards were started in 2011 and are a continuum of the pre-eminent film and TV awards here, the AFI Awards.
The nominees for the third annual AACTA Awards will be announced in December while the awards will be handed out at functions in Sydney and Los Angeles in late January.
The 14 Australian features in competition for the 2014 AACTA’s are 100 Bloody Acres; Adoration; Blinder; Dead Europe; Drift; Goddess; The Great Gatsby; Mystery Road; Patrick; Return to Nim’s Island; The Rocket; Satellite Boy; Save Your Legs! and The Turning.
