2010 Inside Film Awards: Nominations and Predictions

Not to be confused with The Australian Film Institute Awards, the Inside Film Awards are set to take place at the City Recital Hall Angel Place in Sydney on November the 14th. Picking up the most nominations, it has long been established that 2010 was the year of Animal Kingdom.

The top category of Best Feature Film is comprised of four nominees: David Michod’s crime drama, the tale of Australian WWI miners Beneath Hill 60, Bruce Beresford’s Mao’s Last Dancer, and Stuart Beattie’s big concept thriller, Tomorrow When The War Began. The cateogry should be representative of the tussle between Animal Kingdom and Mao’s Last Dancer in the other categories – with Animal Kingdom winning all kudos. Here are the rest of the IF Awards categories and predictions.

Best Director:
The heavyweight in this category is Bruce Beresford with Mao’s Last Dancer, who has tasted a great amount of overseas success with films such as Driving Miss Daisy. The newcomer is David Michod, with his explosive first feature Animal Kingdom stunning audiences going back to the Sundance Film Festival. Rachel Perkins joins the list with her third feature Bran Nue Dae, while actor turned director Jeremy Sims rounds out the nominations for Beneath Hill 60.

Prediction: Despite the box-office success of Mao’s Last Dancer, David Michod will win the award, an impressive feat for his first feature.

Best Script:
Three familiar films films again feature with Michod for Animal Kingdom, Jan Sardi for Mao’s Last Dancer and Beattie for Tomorrow When The War Began. Animal Kingdom is the only nominee to be written directly for the screen with the other nominees stemming from highly successful novels, particularly Tomorrow When The War Began which has a large following particularly among younger readers.

Prediction: David Michod will make it two for two – with his depth of character and interplay superbly crafted to invoke emotion from the viewer.

Best Actor:
The nominees are Ben Mendolsohn for Animal Kingdom, Chi Cao for the lead in Mao’s Last Dancer, Deniz Akdeniz for Tomorrow When The War Began, and Joel Edgerton for The Waiting City.

Prediction: Chi Cao’s impressive performance in Mao’s Last Dancer will be the runner-up to Ben Mendolsohn’s perf as the menacing and unpredictable crime family leader in Animal Kingdom.

Best Actress:
The nominees are Caitlin Stasey for Tomorrow When The War Began, Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom, Joan Chen for Mao’s Last Dancer and Radha Mitchell for The Waiting City.

Prediction: Jacki Weaver’s matriarchal enforcer will steal the award from a very tightly contested group, although Joan Chen could cause a surprise.

Best Sound:
Nominees: Sam Petty, Rob MacKenzie & Philippe Decrausaz (Animal Kingdom), John Dennison, Tony Vaccher & Craig Butters (Bright Star), Robert Sullivan, Liam Egan, Mark Cornish &Tony Murtagh (Beneath Hill 60)

Prediction: Beneath Hill 60

Best Music
Nominees: Cezary Skubiszewski, Jimmy Chi & Kuckles (Bran Nue Dae), Christopher Gordon (Mao’s Last Dancer), Johnny Klimek & Reinhold Heil (Tomorrow When The War Began)

Prediction: Bran Nue Dae – It’s hard to beat out a musical for best music.

Best Cinematography
Nominees: Greig Fraser (Bright Star), Peter James (Mao’s Last Dancer), Denson Baker (The Waiting City).

Prediction: Greig Fraser’s sublime work in Campion’s under-appreciated film should triumph in this category.

Best Production Design
Nominees: Clayton Jauncey (Beneath Hill 60), Felicity Abbott (Bran Nue Dae), Janet Patterson (Bright Star)

Prediction: Showcasing her skill-set in Bright Star, Janet Patterson’s expertise is indisputable.

Best Editing
Nominees: Luke Doolan (Animal Kingdom), Alexandre De Franceschi (Bright Star), Veronika Jenet (The Waiting City)

Prediction: Luke Doolan (Animal Kingdom)