The Event Centre at The Star, Sydney, shone a little brighter last week when it hosted the Australian equivalent of the Academy Awards.

Offspring star Patrick Brammall MCed the events

Over 1200 of Australia’s top film and television-making talents gathered at The Star Sydney over two days. The first event, the AACTA luncheon held on Tuesday 28 January, was MC’ed by Offspring actor Patrick Brammall and honoured the technical side of the business, as well as short films, television, animation and documentary.

The Star Event Centre in event mode

The second event held on the evening of Thursday 30 January was the glittering finale that attracted the high wattage celebrities including newly ‘crowned’ Order of Australia recipients Geoffrey Rush and Jackie Weaver, along with Oscar-nominee Cate Blanchett.

Australian actor Jackie Weaver attended both events

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards are Australia’s equivalent of the Oscars and the BAFTAs and are determined by accredited screen professionals, who are members of the Australian Academy, through an annual voting process.

Geoffrey Rush made a speech at both functions

The AACTA Awards are a continuum of the Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, that began in 1958.

 
The winners from the luncheon gather with their awards