Peter Weir named inaugural recipient of AFTRS Lifetime Achievement Award

Australian film director Peter Weir has been named the inaugural recipient of the Australian Film Television and Radio School's (AFTRS) Lifetime Achievement Award.

Weir will receive the award at the Sydney Film Festival on June 10, where he will also appear in conversation with actor Rob Carlton as part of the festival's annual Ian McPherson Lecture, presented in partnership with AFTRS.

The award recognises Weir's contribution to Australian and international cinema, including films such as Gallipoli, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show.

AFTRS said the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented annually to individuals whose career achievements have made a lasting contribution to the screen or audio industries.

Mel Gibson and Mark Lee in Weir's Australian classic, Gallipoli

Recognition for a screen career

AFTRS Council Chair Rachel Perkins said Weir's body of work had left a lasting mark on Australian storytelling and filmmaking.

"So many of us recall where we were, and how we felt, watching a Peter Weir film. It is a body of work that resonates so deeply, particularly with Australians, that it has in part defined the notion of who we are. No small accomplishment.

"AFTRS Council considered the depth and longevity of Peter's contribution; his global influence on craft, form and storytelling; and his leadership, generosity and commitment to the development of others. In conferring this Award, we hope to reflect the values at the heart of AFTRS, as Australia’s national screen and audio school.”

The award itself was created by First Nations artist Andrew Snelgar.

Following the presentation, Weir will join Carlton for a conversation reflecting on his career and contribution to screen storytelling.

The AFTRS Lifetime Achievement Award will become an annual recognition celebrating individuals whose work has shaped Australian storytelling and influenced future generations of screen and audio creators.

Main image: Peter Weir

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