The supernatural folk horror film Bring Her Back was the main winner at this year’s Australian Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, with Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi and Sarah Snook also recognized. The AACTA Awards celebrate achievement across film, television, documentary, online and short form categories.
Bring Her Back won 10 of the 16 nominations it received, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Sally Hawkins.
The miniseries “The Narrow Road to the North” followed closely with nine AACTA Awards, including a Best Actor win for Elordi, while the drama series “The Newsreader” followed suit with four wins, and Netflix’s “Apple Cider Vinegar” took home the award for Best Miniseries.
Homegrown talent Robbie, Elordi and Robert Irwin won the AACTA Audience Choice Awards for Favorite Australian Actress, Favorite Australian Actor and Favorite Media Personality respectively. Snook received the 2026 AACTA Trailblazer Award for outstanding personal contributions to the screen industry.
In addition to Snook, the Academy honored Bruce Beresford with the AACTA Longford Lyell Award, Christina Seyton and Samantha Jennings with the AACTA Byron Kennedy Award, Kate Armon and Craig Smith with the AACTA Reg Grundy Award, and Claire Hughes with the AACTA Brian Walsh Award.
Pop culture podcast “Shameless” won Best Podcast at the inaugural Audience Choice Awards, while “Stranger Things (Season 5)” won Favorite TV Show and “Wicked: For Good” won Favorite Movie.
The 2026 AACTA Awards Ceremony, hosted by Foxtel Group, was held on February 6 and broadcast at 7:30pm AEDT. An extended broadcast of the AACTA Awards will be available on Binge and Foxtel from 7:30pm on February 7th.
The 2026 AACTA Awards Ceremony will feature a variety of activities celebrating film, television and pop culture as part of the AACTA Festival, which runs from February 4th to 8th.
See the complete list of winners below.
film
Best Casting Award in a Movie presented by Casting Networks: “Bring Her Back”
Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture: “Bring Her Back”
Best Movie Costume Design: “Bring Her Back”
Best Director: “Bring Her Back”
Best Film Editing: “Bring Her Back”
Best Picture: “Bring Her Back”
Best Independent Film: “Lesbian Space Princess”
Best Actor in a Movie: Richard Roxburgh (The Correspondent)
Best Actress in a Motion Picture: Sally Hawkins (“Bring Her Back”)
Film Music Award: “Bring Her Back”
Best Production Design Award: “The Correspondent”
Best screenplay for a movie: “The Correspondent”
Best Film Sound Award: “Bring Her Back”
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Julian McMahon (The Surfer)
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Deborah Mailman (“Kangaroo”)
tv set
Best Comedy Performance: Miranda Tapsell (“Top End Babs”)
Best Casting Award for Television: “Apple Cider Vinegar”
Best Children’s Program: “Playschool: Together”
Television Category Cinematography Award: “The Narrow Road to Okukita”
Best Comedy Entertainment Program: “Hard Quiz”
Best Comedy Performer: Tom Gleeson (“Hard Quiz”)
Television Costume Design Award: “Oku no Hosomichi”
Best Director in a Drama or Comedy Category: “The Narrow Road to the North”
Best Director for Non-Fiction Television: “The People vs. Robo-Debt”
Best documentary or factual program: “The People vs. Robo-Debt.”
Best Drama Series: “The Newsreader”
Television Editing Award: “Oku no Hosomichi”
Best Entertainment Program: “Portrait Artist of the Year”
Best factual entertainment program: “Alone Australia”
Best Actor in a Drama: Jacob Elordi (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”)
Best Actress in a Drama: Anna Torv (“The Newsreader”)
Best Lifestyle Program: Grand Designs Australia
Best Miniseries Award: “Apple Cider Vinegar”
Best Narrative Comedy Series: “Bump”
Best Original Score Award in the Television Category: “The Narrow Road to Okuhoku”
Best Production Design Award in the Television Category: “The Narrow Road to Okuhoku”
Best reality show: “The Great Australian Bake Off”
Best Screenplay for Television: “Newsreader”
Television Sound Award: “The Narrow Road to Okukita”
Best Stand-Up Special: Celia Pacuola (“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 Road to the Back”)
documentary
Best Cinematography in the Documentary Category: “The Kimberly”
Best Documentary: “Journey Home, David Gulpilil”
Best Documentary Editing: “Unbreakable – The Story of Jelena Dokic”
Best Original Music Documentary: “Journey Home, David Gulpilil”
Best Documentary Sound Award: “Yurlu | Country”
short film
Best Short Film: “I’m the most racist person I know”
online
Best Online Drama or Comedy: “A Series of Unhappy Dates”
other
Best Hair & Makeup Award: “Bring Her Back”
Best Original Song Award: “Here I Go” from “Lesbian Space Princess”
Best Soundtrack Award: “Mixtape”
Best Visual Effects or Animation: Tron: Ares
individual
2026 AACTA Longford Lyell Award Winner: Bruce Beresford
2026 AACTA Byron Kennedy Award Winners: Christina Seiton, Samantha Jennings
2026 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Winners: Kate Armon, Craig Smith
2026 AACTA Trailblazer Award Winner: Sarah Snook
2026 AACTA Brian Walsh Award Winner: Claire Hughes
Audience Choice Award
Favorite TV show: “Stranger Things” (Season 5)
Favorite movie: “Wicked: For Good”
Favorite Australian actress: Margot Robbie
Favorite Australian actor: Jacob Elordi
Favorite media personality: Robert Irwin
Favorite Australian podcast: Shameless
Favorite Australian music video: The Kid LAROI – A Cold Play
Favorite online channel: Norris Nuts @norrisnuts
Favorite digital creator: Bridey Drake @brideydrake
Rabanne Breakthrough Artist: Mekonnen Knife
