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‘Faboriginal’. (Photo: Kelly Gardner)

Art, camp and Indigenous culture collide in the Nitv/Sbs-commissioned quiz show Faboriginal, produced by Noble Savage Pictures.

Hosted and co-created by actor and comedian Steven Oliver, the 8 x 30 serial trivia show features an all Indigenous cast and guest panellists who are challenged by the quizmaster on Indigenous art and culture. Production has recently wrapped, to air early 2020 on Nitv followed by Sbs On Demand.

“We’ve built a show that is wickedly funny, entertaining, smart and political. Faboriginal is unapologetically black, unapologetically camp and unapologetically art focused,” says Noble Savage Pictures producer Majhid Heath.

Heath saw taking on the light entertainment format space as natural new ground to break. It was a way of engaging audiences with Indigenous art and culture with levity and comedy, while celebrating established and emerging Indigenous actors, writers, musicians and artists.

“After all the recent success Indigenous filmmakers have had in documentary,...

Hit musical drama The Sapphires has scored 12 nominations at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) Awards including in the coveted best feature film category.

The Sapphires, which follows four indigenous singers during the Vietnam war, has grossed more than $14 million in Australia to become the biggest local film of the year.

Three other films will be also be vying for the best feature film award: Burning Man (10 nominations in total), Lore (eight nominations in total) and Wish You Were Here (eight nominations in total) at the main Aacta ceremony, which will be held on January 30, 2013, at The Star Event Centre. Last year's event was held at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

P.J. Hogan's Mental also scored eight nominations including Best Lead Actress (Toni Collette), Best Supporting Actor (Liev Schreiber) Best Young Actor (Lily Sullivan) and Best Supporting Actress for Rebecca Gibney and Deborah Mailman.

Not Suitable for Children...

The Sapphires has led the Academy of Australian Cinema and Television Arts Awards nominations being nominated in 12 categories.

Awards will be handed out over two events, with an awards luncheon, focused on craft categories on Monday January 28 and the main event on January 30. Both events will be held at the Star Event Centre, the first public events for the venue.

The Sapphires, distributed by Hopscotch/eOne has been nominated for Best Film, Best Direction and best adapted screenplay as well as Best Lead Actor and Actress for Chris O’Dowd and Deborah Mailman, and Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Mauboy.

Burning Man was not far behind on 10 nominations including best film and best direction as well as best lead actor for Matthre Goode and Best Supporting Actress for Essie Davis.

Three more films, Lore, Mental and Wish You Were Here received eight nominations while Not Suitable For Children received four.

The Hunter has lead the Aacta Awards with 14 nominations including best film.

The film, by Daniel Nettheim, is also up for best direction, adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound, production design, costume, original music score, and visual effects. Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe, Frances O’Connor, Sam Neill and Morgana Davies are all up for acting awards.

The film has currently made just over $1m at the local box office.

It’s the first year for the re-launched AACTAs, formerly the AFI awards.

The technical awards will be given out at a luncheon on 15 January at the Sydney Opera House, with an evening ceremony for the more ‘public-friendly’ awards held at the Opera House on 31 January.

Running against The Hunter for best film is Red Dog, Mad Bastards, The Eye of the Storm, Snowtown and Oranges and Sunshine.

The Eye of the Storm, was second in the nominations race with 12, of which six are...

The ABC confirmed yesterday current affairs show Hungry Beast has been axed.

Produced by Andrew Denton’s Zapruder’s Other Films, the show began in 2009 and ran for three seasons.

Of the show finishing Denton said: “The Hungry Beast team has achieved well beyond our expectations. In the 16 hours of television created over three series, they received two Walkley, one AFI and one Human Rights Award nominations. This from a group of young men and women with little, or no media experience. They did exactly what was asked of them: Took risks and tried something new. The proof is in the pudding. They have been recognised by their peers and they are starting to make their own mark in the Australian media”.

“We are very grateful to the ABC for having the vision to back the project and we are incredibly proud of the ‘Beasts’ as they embark on their solo careers.

Hungry Beast Producer Andy Nehl and Reporter Dan Ilic speaks to Encore Editor-in-chief and Mumbrella Editor Tim Burrowes about the show’s beginning, its impacting information both on TV and online, and whether the ABC will commission a fourth series.

Catch Dan Ilic at EncoreLive, part of the Mumbrella360 Conference on Tuesday 7 June at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel.

Buy your EncoreLive ticket.

Remember that one year (2001) when the list-happy AFI (American Film Institute) decided to compete with the Globes and the Oscars in year end prizes? No, that didn't last long. But there's another AFI, The Australian Film Institute, that has been around for a long time and is in no such danger of being a one-off. This year, they're all about the amazing family crime drama Animal Kingdom which they awarded with a record breaking 18 nominations. Sure, the film is in danger of being way overhyped for people who are coming to it late (which is just about everyone given the sorry state of international distribution for dramas of virtually any kind) but for those who can slough off the "omg" raves, I guarantee you'll think it at least an insinuating and well executed crime drama.

AFI Favorites with multiple nominations

Its main competition for the coveted prizes, if you go by nomination counts,...

Animal Kingdom received 18 nominations for this year’s Australian Film Institute Awards, followed by Beneath Hill 60 (12), Bright Star (11), Tomorrow, When the War Began (8), The Tree, Bran Nue Dae (7 each) and The Boys Are Back (4)

The Best Film category will see Animal Kingdom competing against Beneath Hill 60, Bright Star, Bran Nue Dae, The Tree and Tomorrow, When the War Began.

Australia’s top rated drama productions – Packed to the Rafters and Underbellly: The Golden Mile – were both absent from the main Television categories (except for Underbelly‘s two acting nods).

The winners will be revealed on December 10 (Industry Awards) and 11 (main Awards Ceremony) in Melbourne.

This is the full list of nominees:

AFI Members’ Choice Award

Animal Kingdom. Liz Watts. Beneath Hill 60. Bill Leimbach. Bran Nue Dae. Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Isaac. Bright Star. Jan Chapman, Caroline Hewitt. The Boys Are Back. Greg Brenman, Tim White. Tomorrow When The War Began.