2027 AACTA Awards Entries Open as Screen Celebration Returns to Gold Coast – AACTA has opened entries for the 2027 AACTA Awards, with Australia’s screen community now invited to submit the work that shaped the past year.
Foxtel Group presents the 2027 AACTA Awards, which will return to the Gold Coast in February 2027. The ceremony will mark the fourth consecutive year that the national screen celebration has taken place in Queensland.
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts will once again honour film, television, documentary, short form and digital content. It will also recognise the performers, creatives and production teams who continue to drive Australian storytelling.
Over the past three years, the Awards have attracted major local and international names. Guests and participants have included Margot Robbie, Henry Cavill, Ron Howard, Simon Baker, Robbie Williams, Sarah Snook, Brian Cox and Anna Torv.
For nearly 70 years, the AACTA Awards have celebrated Australian screen culture. Past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Chris Hemsworth, Catherine Martin, David Gulpilil, Sam Neill, Rose Byrne, Deborah Mailman, Sophie Wilde, Leah Purcell, Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou.
Comedy acting gets clearer recognition
For 2027, AACTA has updated several television categories.
The Academy has retired Best Comedy Performer. In its place, AACTA will introduce two comedy acting awards: Best Lead Acting in a Comedy and Best Supporting Acting in a Comedy.
As a result, comedy performers will have clearer recognition across lead and supporting roles. The change also brings comedy acting closer to AACTA’s wider acting structure.
Reality and factual categories change
AACTA will also reshape parts of its unscripted television awards.
The Best Reality Competition Program category will focus on large-scale competition formats. This change reflects the size, ambition and production demands of modern reality television.
Meanwhile, programs once considered for Best Reality Television Series will move into more suitable categories where appropriate. They may now sit under Best Reality Competition Program or Best Factual Entertainment Program.
The Best Factual Entertainment Program category will also expand. It will bring lifestyle and factual programming together under one broader award.
Therefore, the category will celebrate shows built around real people, real places and real experiences. It also gives the factual entertainment sector a clearer place within the AACTA Awards.
Entertainment category broadens
AACTA has also folded Best Comedy Entertainment Program into Best Entertainment Program.
This move gives those programs a more contemporary home. However, AACTA has left the film awards unchanged for 2027.
AACTA will share more details about the 2027 AACTA Award ceremonies, AACTA Festival and AACTA Screen Careers Expo in the coming months.
The Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland and Screen Queensland, supports the event alongside Experience Gold Coast.
Link to ACCTA HERE
TV Central AACTA content HERE
