Byron Kennedy Award

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Byron Kennedy Award

The Byron Kennedy Award honors outstanding creative enterprise in Australian film and television. It is presented in Australia by Kennedy Miller Mitchell in association with the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The award goes to an individual or organization in the early stages of their career whose work shows innovation, vision, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

First awarded in 1984, it is currently held by Greig Fraser (2025) and includes A$10,000 in cash. The prize may be awarded to makers of both film and television projects.

History and context: From 1984 to 2010, the award was given by the Australian Film Institute (AFI) at the AFI Awards. When AFI launched the Academy in 2011, the award continued as part of the AACTA Awards. In 2020, on AACTA’s 10th anniversary, the award was highlighted to celebrate low-budget independent films that show resourcefulness, inventiveness, originality and excellence—the qualities Byron Kennedy embodied with his work on Mad Max with George Miller.

How recipients are chosen: Nominations can come from the public, but the AFI and the Academy may also select additional candidates without an entry.

Presentation: The award is given at the annual AACTA Awards Ceremony, which also honors achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films. The prize is A$10,000.