I’ve been attending the AACTA Awards for years, and every year I leave with the same feeling: this could be so much better. The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts has the right idea, an annual celebration of the best Australian screen work, but the execution has been muddled by an identity crisis that’s been going on for far too long.

The Core Problem

AACTA doesn’t know whether it wants to be the Oscars or the Logies. It tries to be both, and the result is an event that doesn’t fully satisfy either ambition. The ceremony combines film and television awards, which makes sense on paper but means the evening lurches between celebrating a micro-budget indie film and a commercial television series with completely different audiences and industry dynamics.

The international component is even more confusing. AACTA gives awards to international films and performances, which presumably aims to raise the awards’ global profile. But it mostly just dilutes the focus on Australian work. When an international star wins an AACTA award, they rarely attend the ceremony, and the moment that should be celebrating an Australian achievement instead acknowledges someone working in a different industry on the other side of the world.

The Timing Issue

AACTA’s timing has been inconsistent and often awkward. In some years the ceremony falls before the major festivals have screened their Australian premieres, which means eligible films haven’t been widely seen by the voting membership. In other years it falls too close to the international awards calendar and gets lost in the noise.

The timing problem isn’t just about the ceremony date. The eligibility window and voting timeline affect which films are competitive. A film that releases early in the year has a disadvantage compared to one that releases just before the voting period, because recency bias is a real factor in awards voting.

The Membership Question

AACTA’s voting membership has grown, which is generally positive. A larger, more diverse voting body should produce results that better reflect the breadth of Australian screen work. But the membership expansion has also introduced voters who may not have seen all the nominated work, which is a common problem with industry awards.

The Academy has attempted to address this with online screeners and screening programs, but participation in viewing all nominated work requires significant time commitment, and not everyone makes it.

What They Get Right

To be fair, there are things AACTA does well. The craft awards, for cinematography, editing, sound, production design, and other technical disciplines, are genuinely meaningful recognition for practitioners who rarely get public acknowledgment. These awards matter to the people who receive them and to the broader industry.

The industry events around the ceremony, including panels, masterclasses, and networking functions, provide real value. These elements contribute to the professional development of the Australian screen community in ways that extend beyond the awards themselves.

What Should Change

First, commit to an identity. Either be an awards ceremony exclusively for Australian screen work, or split the evening into distinct film and television components with separate ceremonies. The current hybrid approach serves neither medium well.

Second, drop the international awards. They add nothing to AACTA’s credibility and take time and attention away from Australian work. The Oscars exist for international recognition. AACTA should focus on what only it can do: recognise and celebrate the best of Australian cinema and television.

Third, fix the timing. Lock in a date that works for the Australian production and release calendar and stick with it. Consistency matters for building audience awareness and industry participation.

Fourth, make the ceremony watchable. AACTA broadcasts have struggled with pacing, hosting, and production quality. If you want the Australian public to care about these awards, the show itself needs to be engaging. That means better production values, tighter scripting, and a tone that’s celebratory without being self-congratulatory.

Why It Matters

Awards ceremonies might seem trivial, but they serve an important function. They generate media coverage for Australian films and performances. They boost the profiles of filmmakers and actors, which helps them attract funding for future projects. And they contribute to a sense of national film culture that benefits the entire industry.

A well-run AACTA Awards ceremony could be a genuine cultural event that raises the profile of Australian cinema. Right now, it’s falling short of that potential. The Australian screen industry deserves better, and the Academy has the resources and the mandate to deliver it. They just need the courage to make some tough decisions about what AACTA actually is.