A great week full of awards for the Bunya Group was also capped off by The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson writer, director and star Leah Purcell becoming the first Australian to receive the Asia Pacific Screen Awards Jury Grand Prize.
Earlier in the week, Bunya received a stunning 13 nominations at the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and TV Arts) awards, 3 SPA (Screen Producers Association) award nominations, one Casting Guild of Australia nomination, one Australian Directors Guild award nomination, two awards from the Saint Tropez Festival des Antipodes and then topped it all off with a standing ovation at the iconic State Theatre Sydney Film Festival premiere of The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, by Oombarra Productions and Bunya Productions.
The swag of awards were spread out among three Bunya productions: the feature film High Ground, the Amazon comedy series The Moth Effect and the ADG nomination to director Wayne Blair for helming episode 4, series 2 Mystery Road.
Leah Purcell received the top award given out by the Asia Pacific Screen Academy from APSA international jury member and Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley. The event took place on the Gold Coast and the First Nation filmmaker graciously accepted via video.
Bunya is also currently in production on Mystery Road: Origin, for the ABC and All3Media International. and has just finished filming True Colours, for SBS and About Premium Content,
Upcoming 2022 releases include: Loveland, directed by Ivan Sen (Mystery Road), which premieres Valentine’s Day in cinemas in Australia, and The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, released in theatres by Village Roadshow in mid 2022.
The comedy series The Moth Effect continues to attract big audiences streaming on Amazon Prime in major territories worldwide and the documentary The Leadership also continues to garner acclaim, premiering at more international film festivals as the DVD release finally arrives.
THE MOTH EFFECT (BUNYA ENTERTAINMENT)
AACTA Award nomination for Best Comedy Entertainment Program
SPA (Screen Producers Association) Comedy Program or Series Production of the Year
HIGH GROUND (BUNYA PRODUCTIONS)
AACTA Award nomination for Best Film
AACTA Award nomination for Best Direction in Film -Stephen Johnson
AACTA Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in Film – Simon Baker
AACTA Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in Film – Jacob Junior Nayinggul
AACTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Film – Sean Mununggurr
AACTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Film – Jack Thompson
AACTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Film – Esmerelda Marimowa
AACTA Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay – Chris Anastassiades
AACTA Award nomination for Best Costume Design – Erin Roche
AACTA Award nomination for Best Editing – Jill Bilcock, Karryn de Cinque, Hayley Miro Browne
AACTA Award nomination for Best Cinematography – Andy Commis
AACTA Award nomination for Best Casting – Anousha Zarkesh
SPA (Screen Producers Association) Feature Film Production of the Year nomination – High Ground
Casting Guild of Australia nomination for Best Casting in a Feature Film 2021 – Anousha Zarkesh, High Ground
Saint Tropez Festival des Antipodes, Audience Award 2021- High Ground
Saint-Tropez Festival des Antipodes 2021, Jury Award for Best Actor, Jacob Junior Nayinggul, High Ground
MYSTERY ROAD SERIES 2 (BUNYA PRODUCTIONS)
Australian Directors Guild (ADG) Best Direction in a TV Drama Series Episode – Wayne Blair, Series 2 Episode 4
SPA (Screen Producers Association) Drama Series Production of the Year nomination – Mystery Road Series 2
