The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) is thrilled to announce Bruna Papandrea as the recipient of the prestigious AACTA Byron Kennedy Award for 2024. Bruna Papandrea will be presented with the AACTA Byron Kennedy Award by Simon Baker at the upcoming AACTA Awards ceremony, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the screen industry. The AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group will be hosted by Rebel Wilson and held on Saturday 10 February at HOTA on the Gold Coast, a destination renowned for its beauty and vibrant cultural scene.
Established in 1984, the Byron Kennedy Award is bestowed upon individuals or organizations in the screen industry whose work epitomizes innovation, vision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Named in honour of Dr. George Miller’s filmmaking partner and MAD MAX co-creator Byron Kennedy, the award includes a cash prize of $10,000 and is determined by an appointed jury.
Bruna Papandrea, Founder and CEO of Made Up Stories, stands out as a pioneer in the film and television industry. Her exemplary career is marked by a commitment to amplifying diverse voices and telling unforgettable stories, driven primarily by multifaceted females on and off-screen. The AACTA Byron Kennedy Award celebrates Papandrea’s extensive body of work and recognises her contribution to the screen industry as one of the country’s most revered producers.
Papandrea is an award winning and leading producer in the global film and TV industry behind some of the biggest commercial and critical hits. Papandrea won an Emmy® and Golden Globe® for HBO’s worldwide sensation BIG LITTLE LIES and through Made Up Stories, she has produced some of the top premium TV shows of the last several years including Hulu’s most-watched original series of all time, NINE PERFECT STRANGERS, HBO’s most-watched series of 2020, THE UNDOING and Netflix’s worldwide hit shows PIECES OF HER, and ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL,
Notably, Papandrea and Made Up Stories also produced popular and critically acclaimed television such as WOLF LIKE ME, Amazon Prime’s THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART, Apple TV+’s anthology series ROAR, and most recently Binge’s biggest original series premiere of all-time STRIFE.
On the film front, Papandrea’s and Made Up Stories’ contributions include Netflix’s hit LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, which was #1 movie globally on the platform, and a string of notable Australian movies such as AACTA-winning film THE NIGHTINGALE, LITTLE MONSTERS, PENGUIN BLOOM and THE DRY. The follow-up to the $20 million Australian box office smash hit THE DRY, FORCE OF NATURE: THE DRY 2 will release in cinemas nationally on February 8.
Together with Made Up Stories co-founder/partner Steve Hutensky and partner Jodi Matterson, Papandrea’s prolific local production slate has brought in as much as $500 million into the Australian economy.
Papandrea’s Made Up Stories is currently in production in Australia on THE LAST ANNIVERSARY and recently started principal photography on season 2 of NINE PERFECT STRANGERS.
Prior to founding Made Up Stories, Papandrea co-launched Pacific Standard with Reese Witherspoon, producing acclaimed films such as worldwide box office hit GONE GIRL and the Oscar-nominated WILD as well as the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series BIG LITTLE LIES, further solidifying her position as a powerhouse in the entertainment industry.
Bruna Papandrea said “It is truly an honour to be recognized by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time – George Miller and his brilliant partner Doug Mitchell - and the legacy of the incomparable Byron Kennedy. I have long been a fan of their bold, innovative work and their commitment as filmmakers to produce that work in Australia and take it to the world. They really inspired me to create Made Up Stories and find my own way of continuing this country’s tradition of telling provocative, courageous and entertaining stories. Thank you to Kennedy Miller Mitchell and AACTA for celebrating our industry and for this great honour.”
