The Great Gatsby sweeps the 3rd AACTAs with record haul

Not even the controversy surrounding its questionable ‘Australian-ness’ could keep The Great Gatsby from sweeping the Academy of Australian Cinema and Television Arts awards, taking home Best Film and twelve other accolades.

It nabbed six of those last evening, at a ceremony hosted by Shane Bourne. Its seven technical prizes were picked up at a luncheon held earlier in the week.

With a total haul of 13 prizes, Gatsby now lays claim to the biggest ever haul, equalling Somersault‘s total from 2004 (when the AACTAs were known as the AFIs).

Baz Luhrmann was named Best Director, while three of his stars, Leonardo DiCaprio, Elizabeth Debicki, and Joel Edgerton, were recognised in the categories of Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

In one of the night’s few upsets, Rose Byrne was handed Best Actress for her seven-minute part in anthology flick The Turning, besting Gatsby‘s Carey Mulligan.

Luhrmann and Craig Pearce won Best Adapted Screenplay for bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic book to the screen, while underdog The Rocket and its writer-director Kim Mordaunt got its lone moment in the sun when it claimed Best Original Screenplay.

Jacki Weaver was honoured with the Raymond Longford Award, rewarding her achievements in Australian and international cinema.