Warwick Thornton ACS wins ASC Spotlight Award

Warwick Thornton, ACS earned more accolades  for his work on The New Boy, taking home the Spotlight Award at the 38th American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Awards last night.

Cate Blanchett, a producer and star of the film, attended the awards as Thorton’s guest.

“We couldn’t be happier that Warwick’s unique cinematic gift is getting the recognition he so justly deserves with The New Boy”, says Blanchett and producer Andrew Upton. “We’re excited its universal message resonates wherever it is seen.”

This latest win follows recognition for Thornton late last year with the prestigious Golden Frog cinematography prize, awarded  at the EnergaCamerimage Film Festival. “The New Boy” also won five Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards in Feb., including a Best Cinematography win for Thornton himself.

The New Boy, which has also just collected eight nominations from Australia’s Film Critics Circle, opens in cinemas in the United Kingdom and Ireland this month, distributed by Signature U.K. A release date for North America is yet to be announced.

“The New Boy” stars Aswan Reid (recently named Best Actor at Australia’s AACTA Awards) in his debut in the title role alongside Blanchett as Sister Eileen. The film also stars Deborah Mailman as Sister Mum and Wayne Blair as George. The New Boy was shot on location in South Australia and features a score from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

When an Aboriginal child arrives in the dead of night at a remote monastery run by a renegade nun, the new boy’s presence disturbs a delicately balanced world in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of hiding oneself away to survive.

The New Boy is produced by Blanchett and Upton for Dirty Films, Kath Shelper for Scarlett Pictures and Lorenzo De Maio of De Maio Entertainment. Co-producer is Georgie Pym with Coco Francini serving as executive producer for Dirty Films and Gretel Packer as executive producer for Longbridge Nominees. The film received production funding from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department, Screen NSW and the South Australian Film Corporation, alongside Fremantle and Longbridge Nominees.