2009 australian film critics’ association awards winners

Time and time again, critics are reviled for merely being experts at exercising bitter resentment: so the oft-proclaimed mantra goes, film critics are nothing but failed filmmakers. But here we say rubbish! Film critics have the terrific ability to stir emotions, thoughts, arguments and laughter, while simultaneously summing up the most convoluted of plots in three short lines. How do they do it? Who knows. On Thursday March 11^th the AFCA released their list of the best films released in Australia in 2009, and it was a doozy of a list…

The Best Australian Film of 2009 was Robert Connelly’s universally lauded BALIBO, with the stop-motion animation MARY & MAX and the stunning SAMSON & DELILAH nipping at its heels in the “Commended” section. The Best Overseas Film was Tomas Alfredson’s dark and creepy Vampire thriller LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, with the AFCA placing MOON, THE WRESTLER and UP in the “Commended” section. Best Documentary was awarded to Terence Davies’ bittersweet eulogy of a film OF TIME AND THE CITY while Michael Moore’s CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY and Werner Herzog’s ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD were both “Commended”. And here’s hoping that the two films to receive praise in the “Best Unreleased Film” category will soon be given an audience: congratulations to Philippe Grandrieux’s UN LAC for its win and AI NO MUKIDASHI for its commendation in this category.