Hannah Gadsby, Keiynan Lonsdale, Eliza Scanlen, Damon Herriman Among 2018 Australians In Film Awards Honorees

Australians in Film (AiF) has announced the 2018 honorees for the Australians in Film Awards, an annual gala fundraising event celebrating Australian talent in the entertainment industry. This year's event will take place at Paramount Pictures Studios on October 24.

Fresh off the announcement of his casting as Charles Manson in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, actor Damon Herriman will receive the Qantas Orry-Kelly Award, which celebrates an Australian who has contributed to the national identity with their body of work. Highlighting her trailblazing work in entertainment, Hannah Gadsby (Netflix's Nanette) will receive the Create NSW Annette Kellerman Award presented with Vogue Australia, and Keiynan Lonsdale (CW's The Flash, Love, Simon and Insurgent) and Eliza Scanlen (Sharp Objects, upcoming Little Women) will each be honored with the Screen Australia Breakthrough Award, which recognizes Australian screen talent who have had major international presence over the past year.

"I'm incredibly humbled to be the recipient of the 2018 Qantas Orry-Kelly Award," said Herriman. "When I look at the previous recipients I feel even more so. Thank you to Australians in Film for this wonderful honour. Having experienced Los Angeles before AiF, I can say that the place is infinitely better with them around."

"There is no mystery to how I came to be the recipient of the Annette Kellerman Award, I love neck to knee swimwear, I excelled at synchronised swimming (individual category) and Annette is an anagram of Nanette - like everything in Hollywood it is about connections." said Gadsby, in reference to the awards namesake, who along with being a film actress and writer, was a professional swimmer and the first woman to don a one piece swimming costume.

"So grateful to be a recipient of the Screen Australia Breakthrough Award this year, and to be recognized by AiF." said Lonsdale of the news he will receive the award. "I hope it can inspire kids back home (particularly in Western Sydney) to know their dreams can break barriers, and they can find themselves a beautiful part of the film industry."

Of her recognition, Scanlen said "I am incredibly honored to receive one of the Screen Australia Breakthrough Awards for 2018. My love for acting began with Australians, as an Australian. In these past two years exploring BEYOND that, the AiF community has been a great support and reminder of what home is to me. I feel grateful to be awarded this opportunity and hope to continue working with filmmakers to tell stories that matter."

In honor of his achievements internationally, Academy Award-winning film editor Lee Smith (Dunkirk, Inception) will receive the FOX Studios International Award, and producer Mark Johnson (Rain Man, Breaking Bad), fresh off the critical success of the Simon Baker directed film Breath, will receive the Ausfilm International Award for his contribution to the Australian film industry.

The fundraising event will be hosted by actor, producer, director and writer Josh Lawson (The Little Death, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues), who was nominated for an Academy Award this year for the short film THE ELEVEN O'Clock, which he starred, wrote and produced.

The AiF Awards are proudly presented by Ausfilm, FOX Studios Australia, Qantas, Screen Australia and Village Roadshow Entertainment Group. The awards support AiF's mission to usher Australian talent into the international market and provide educational and career development programs including successful creative work sharing space, Charlie's in Hollywood.

Food will be provided by Curtis Stone Events, Penfolds will supply wines and Four Pillars will service the cocktails. For Event Sponsorships, Congratulatory Advertising, and Individual Tickets and more information, please email events@australiansinfilm.org.

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