Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards - Always a splendid night out. A report from the Quiz winner's table

Key moments at the always raucous Film Critics Circle of Australia.

Thanks to Peter Kemp and Quentin Turnour I was again on the winning table for the fiendishly difficult quiz. Sample questions “What was the first film to feature the Universal-International logo? What was the first film to revert to Universal only? Who were the three girls in George Cukor’s Les Girls? My contribution of Taina Elg to the well-known Kay Kendall and Mitzi Gaynor may have got us to the line.

Richard Kuipers gave a most eloquent tribute to Margaret and David.

The most touching speeches came from the two women who tied for the nod for Best Supporting Actress - Susie Porter (Hounds of Love) and especially Frances Duca who talked of having just about given up on acting until Ali’s Wedding came along.

But the highlight of the night came from actor Stephen Curry in his acceptance speech for his turn as the creepy suburban psychopath in Ben Young’s vastly under-rated and under-exposed Hounds of Love. Curry had been beaten at the recent AACTA Awards by the eight year old lead actor in Garth Davis’s Lion and was happy to say how much he hadn’t enjoyed the experience. He claimed, without evidence, that he had in fact kneecapped the winner at the after-party with a welcome to show business gesture. Ha!

Stephen Curry, Emma Booth, Hounds of Love
Best Actor male and female winners at the
FCCA Awards

Anyway, Curry proved to be one of those uninhibited fast talkers who keep crowds amused from the get go. He could do it for a living. Curry also something that may endure, dubbing the awards the ‘Foccacias’. Gettit.

I cant say much more, other than that Lion won the Best Film and Whiteley won the Best Doco. I didn’t vote for either.

It was another splendid occasion.

Full details of the nominees with the winners in bold type can be found if you click on the FCCA website