Australians in Film to Honor Emmy nominated Director Kate Dennis, Oscar nominated Screenwriter Luke Davies and Disney Executives Mary Ann Hughes and Paul Steinke at the 2017 Australians in Film Awards and Benefit Dinner in Los Angeles. Patrick Brammall will host the annual awards and fundraiser at NeueHouse Hollywood on Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

LOS ANGELES, CA, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 – Australians in Film (AiF) will host the sixth annual AiF Awards and Benefit Dinner on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in Los Angeles. The fundraising event returns to the Neuehouse Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard and will be hosted by actor, Patrick Brammall (CBS All Access and Funny or Die’s No Activity).

Director Kate Dennis (The Handmaid’s Tale) will be presented with the Create NSW Annette Kellerman Award with Vogue Australia, which honors trailblazing women in Hollywood; screenwriter Luke Davies (Lion) will receive The Fox Studios Australia International Award, which recognises an Australian creative working behind the camera who has achieved excellence internationally; and Disney executives Mary Ann Hughes and Paul Steinke will be honoured with the Ausfilm International Award for their significant contribution to the Australian film industry.

Kate Marks, President of Australians in Film, commented, “AiF is extremely proud of Luke and Kate and the celebrated work they are producing for audiences globally. Mary Ann and Paul have always been big supporters of the Australian screen industry and we are thrilled to honor them at our Awards.  Their work at Disney has created many jobs back home, provided opportunities for our technicians to develop their skills and injected millions of dollars into the Australian economy.”

Kate Dennis, one of Australia’s most successful television directors, will receive the Create NSW Annette Kellerman Award with Vogue Australia. Dennis started her career in Australia where she directed five seasons of the critically acclaimed Offspring. Most recently she directed two episodes of the critically acclaimed series The Handmaid’s Tale, which earned her a 2017 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Director for a Drama Series. Her other credits include, GLOW, Party Tricks, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Rake (series 2 & 3), Time of Our Lives, Love My Way, The Secret Life of Us, Rush and Secrets and Lies, forwhich she was nominated for an Australian Directors’ Guild Award in 2015. Dennis recently wrapped on the ten part series Harrow starring Ioan Gruffudd.

Kate Dennis on receiving the award, “I am so thrilled to accept this honour from Australians in Film. The Australian film community here in LA is so full of talent, and so full of support — I feel lucky to be a part of it.”

The Fox Studios Australia International Award will be awarded to internationally renowned screenwriter, award-winning novelist and poet Luke Davies. Davies adapted the screenplay for the Academy Award-nominated feature film Lion, which earned him the BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, the 2017 Capri International Award, the 2017 Hamilton Breakthrough Screenplay Award and the Australian Writer’s Guild AWGIE award. Davies other credits include Catch 22, News of the World, Beautiful Boy, Life, Air and Candy.

“I’m honoured and thrilled to receive this award,” commented Luke Davies. “It’s been ten years now since I set out to see what might happen if I dove into LA and the great unknown. At times along the way, when that seemed like the loneliest and most stupid and unworkable plan, it was always a gang of Australians who kept me anchored. In fact, I never felt so Australian, as when I was 10,000 miles from home and supported by these friends. So it’s a hugely pleasant surprise to be recognized by the group that does so much for Australian film here in the US.”

At the Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture production company, Mary Ann Hughes is Vice President of Film and Television Production Planning and Paul Steinke serves as Senior Vice President of Production Finance. Both executives arelong-time supporters of Australia’s screen industry and were instrumental in bringing Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Thor Ragnarokto Australia.

Host Patrick Brammall is currently starring in the US remake of No Activity for CBS All Access and Funny or Die, which he also co-wrote|co-created with director Trent O’Donnell. Brammall also starred in the Australian version of No Activity, which earned him an AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy. Other acting credits include, Glitch, Upper Middle Bogan, Offspring, The Let Down, New Girl, Life in Pieces, Hawke, The Moody’s, A Moody Christmas and The Strange Calls.

The AiF Awards and Benefit Dinner is aimed at supporting the organization’s mission to usher Australian filmmakers into the international market and provide educational and career development programs including successful creative work sharing space, Charlie’s in Hollywood.

Australians in Film proudly acknowledge the wonderful support of the Title Sponsors of the 2017 AiF Awards: Ausfilm, Qantas, Village Roadshow, and Fox Studios Australia.

For Event Sponsorships, congratulatory advertising, individual tickets (starting at $100) and for more information, please contact Lauran Huff at [email protected] or phone 310 201 5033 ext 3.