ROLF DE HEER - TEN CANOES TRIUMPHS AT AFI AWARDS

TEN CANOES TRIUMPHS AT AFI AWARDS

Aboriginal drama TEN CANOES was the big winner at Thursday's (07DEC06) Australian Film Institute Awards, taking home Best Film and Best Director at the Melbourne ceremony. ROLF DE HEER's movie - which is Australia's first native language movie - was named Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound at the star-studded ceremony in the Victoria city's Exhibition Centre. Writer/director Heer was also honoured with a Byron Kennedy Award for his contribution to the Australian film industry. Meanwhile, Hollywood star HEATH LEDGER picked up the International Award for Best Actor for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, while RACHEL GRIFFITHS was acknowledged for her performance in seminal TV series SIX FEET UNDER with the International Award for Best Actress. Other winners included EMILY BARCLAY as Best Lead Actress for THE SUBURBAN MAYHEM and SHANE JACOBSON as Best Leader Actor for KENNY The main film category winners include: International Award for Best Actor: HEATH LEDGER - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN International Award for Best Actress: RACHEL GRIFFITHS - SIX FEET UNDER Best Supporting Actor: ANTHONY HAYES - THE SUBURBAN MAYHEM Best Supporting Actress: SUSIE PORTER - THE CATERPILLAR WISH Best Lead Actress: EMILY BARCLAY - THE SUBURBAN MAYHEM Best Lead Actor: SHANE JACOBSON - KENNY Award for Excellence in Filmmaking: DION BEEBE - MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA L'Oreal Paris AFI Award for Best Film: TEN CANOES Best Original Screenplay: ROLF DE HEER - TEN CANOES Best Direction: ROLF DE HEER AND PETER DJIGIRR - TEN CANOES Best Cinematography: IAN JONES - TEN CANOES Best Adapted Screenplay: LUKE DAVIES, NEIL ARMFIELD - CANDY Best Editing: TANIA NEHME - TEN CANOES Best Sound: JAMES CURRIE, TOM HEUZENROEDER, MICHAEL BAKALOFF, RORY MCGREGOR - TEN CANOES Best Original Music Score: MICK HARVEY - THE SUBURBAN MAYHEM Byron Kennedy Award for excellence in filmmaking - ROLF DE HEER Outstanding Achievement in Television Screen Craft for his work: JOSEPH H PICKERING.