Causeway Films’ Christina Seiton and Samantha Jennings will receive the 2026 AACTA Byron Kennedy Award.
This comes after the company’s film Bring Her Back, by husband-and-wife team Danny and Michael Philippou, leads the feature film nominations for the upcoming awards.
Established in 1984, the AACTA Byron Kennedy Award is named in honor of George Miller’s late filmmaking partner and co-creator of Mad Max. Awarded to an individual or organization whose work “exemplifies innovation, vision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” it includes a cash prize of $10,000 and is determined by an appointed jury.
Previous winners include Greig Fraser, Bruna Papandrea, Animal Logic, Ivan Sen, Rolf de Heer, Baz Luhrmann and Katherine Martin, Rachel Perkins and Jane Campion.
Causeway is one of the most influential production companies in the country, producing films such as “Talk to Me,” “The Babadook,” “The Nightingale,” and “You Want to Be Alone.” We develop all projects in-house and frequently collaborate with first-time feature film directors across a variety of genres. His latest film, Leviticus, directed by Adrian Chiarella, was recently selected for the Sundance Film Festival.
In a sense, this is Causeway’s second Byron Kennedy Award. In 2020, The Babadook won a one-off award recognizing Australian independent genre filmmaking over the past decade, in a departure from the usual award format where the award goes to a film rather than an individual.
Seyton and Jennings will speak at the AACTA Festival in a session titled “Fearless Filmmaking,” discussing their production instincts, risks, global expansion, and the creative decisions that shaped their standout project.
The Philippow brothers will also be speaking at the event, with a session charting their career trajectory from their beginnings as RackaRacka on YouTube to Talk to Me and Bring Her Back.
More than 100 events are scheduled for the AACTA Festival. The new sessions announced today include several with internationally-acclaimed Australians such as Bridgerton’s Yerin Ha and Severance’s Dichen Lachman. Peer-to-peer chat between Sasha Holler and Susie Porter. A special look at “I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” ‘Feelgood TV’ panel featuring Adam Liau and Kylie Washington from BBC Studios Australia.
There will also be a screening of Tyler Atkins’ The Beast In Me, starring and co-written by Russell Crowe, and a 20th anniversary screening of Kenny with Shane and Clayton Jacobson in attendance. These join other screening events including the Australian premiere of Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert and the world premiere of Paramount+’s Two Years Later, with star Phoebe Tonkin in attendance.
