Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS made history again on Saturday evening (5/6) by becoming the first woman to win the Milli Award at the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) Awards.
“I’m incredibly proud and honored to be the first woman to win this award,” said Walker from the glittering gala at Sydney’s Crystal Palace at Luna Park. “Here’s to all the other glass ceiling breakers who will come after this.”
Also nominated at this year’s Oscars and BAFTAs, Walker just two months ago (3/5) became the first woman in 102 years to win the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Best Feature Film Award. The honor came for her lensing of Elvis.
The Milli is the highest award an Australian director of photography can receive from the ACS.
Cynthia Erivo (l) and Ariana Grande in a scene from โWicked.โ (photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)
The Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) unveiled the winners of the 62nd Annual ICG Publicists Awards on Friday (2/28) at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
The Maxwell Weinberg Awards for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign and Television Publicity Campaign were awarded to โWickedโ (Universal Pictures) and โAgatha All Alongโ (Marvel Television / Walt Disney Studios / Disney+), respectively. Bill Mona (Disney) won the Les Mason Award for Career Achievement in Publicity. Unit publicist Rachael Roth won the Publicist of the Year Award.
Kathy Bates accepted the Television Showperson of the Year Award, celebrating her decades-long career and recently acclaimed role as the title character in CBSโs 2024 remake of โMatlock.โ Director Kat Coiro, who works with Bates on โMatlock,โ presented the award.
โI have to thank the guild for this really lovely award, itโs totally unexpected,โ said Bates. โWhen I first started out in this business, having the publicists guide me through was so comforting. I so appreciate your help. I want to congratulate all of you, all the nominees and winners.โ
Chiabella James was presented with the honor for Excellence in Unit Still Photography - Motion Picture, and Michele K. Short took the award for Excellence in Unit Still Photography - Television. Perri Nemiroff from โColliderโ won the Press Award and John Nugent from โEmpire Magazineโ (UK) took home the International Media Award.
The Bob Yeager Award for Community Service went to publicist Ngoc Nguygen. Nguyenโs advocacy includes championing the AAPI community, womenโs rights, women in sports, anti-bullying measures and cancer research.
