Finalists & Judges Announced For The 2013 Australians In Film Heath Ledger Scholarship

LOS ANGELES, May 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Australians in Film (AiF) has announced the fifteen finalists for the prestigious 2013 AiF HEATH LEDGER SCHOLARSHIP. The winning recipients of the fifth annual scholarship will be announced at an invitation only event in Los Angeles on June 12^th. AiF President Andrew Warne made the announcement. The Heath Ledger Scholarship is named in honor of Academy Award® winner Heath Ledger, who was an Ambassador for AiF before his untimely death in January 2008 and has the support of the Ledger family and friends.

The 2013 finalists are: Hannah Barlow, Elizabeth Blackmore (Home & Away), Laura Brent, David Coussins, Ashleigh Cummings (Puberty Blues), Georgia Flood (Wentworth & House Husbands), Geraldine Hakewill, Andrew Hazzard (Home & Away), Will Howarth, Reef Ireland (Puberty Blues), Kate Jenkinson (House Husbands and Home & Away), Andrew Lees (Rescue Special Ops), James Mackay (The Straights), Bob Morley (Neighbors and Home & Away), Alex Williams (Underground, the Julian Assange story).

The 2013 Scholarship judges include actor Wes Bentley (Heath Ledger's co-star in Four Feathers), casting agents Ann Fay (Maura Fay Casting), Nikki Barrett (Barrett Casting) and Leslee Feldman (Dreamworks), directors Gregor Jordan (Ned Kelly) and Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here), talent manager, Will Ward (ROAR) and agent Steve Alexander (Resolution).

The Scholarship is awarded to one winner and two runners up. The recipient of the primary scholarship will receive USD$10,000 in cash, a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles flying Australians in Film's exclusive airline partner Virgin Australia, a one-year Scholarship to Stella Adler Acting School in LA, a trip around California for two from Visit California, a Showcast & Breakdown Services VIP casting package, and $5000 worth of visa and immigration services from Raynor and Associates. Two runners up will receive a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles courtesy of Virgin Australia plus a Showcast VIP casting package.

Previous recipients of the Scholarship are Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows), Ryan Corr (Not Suitable for Children), Oliver Ackland (The Slap, Cloudstreet) and most recently, Anna McGahan (House Husbands).

Benefactors of the Heath Ledger Scholarship include Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness, Michelle Williams, Phil Noyce, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin.

The Australians in Film 2013 Heath Ledger Scholarship is sponsored by Virgin Australia, AusFilm, Visit California, Raynor and Associates, Stella Adler Acting and Theatre and Showcast Breakdown Services.

AiF annual sponsors are Virgin Australia, Brand Australia, Stacey Testro International, Ausfilm, Protea Group International, Branding Iron Worldwide and Getty Images.

About Australians in Film

Founded in May 2001 to celebrate and support Australian film and TV makers and their work, Los Angeles based non-profit Australians in Film has held over 100 screenings, premieres and special events and currently has over 500 members. In 2008 Australians in Film established the annual Heath Ledger Scholarship in honor of the late actor who was an ambassador of the group.  For further information please visit www.australiansinfilm.org.

About Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia is proud to be the Presenting Partner and exclusive airline of Australians in Film.  Flying non-stop between Los Angeles and Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Virgin Australia offers 33 lie-flat beds in International Business, 40 all-leather International Premium Economy seats and 288 International Economy seats – the widest across the Pacific.  Virgin Australia also offers attentive in-flight service, two in-flight boutique bars, gourmet meals, generous legroom, state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment, and unique mood lighting.  Once you've landed Down Under, Virgin Australia can fly you to more than 50 destinations within Australia and New Zealand.  For more information on Virgin Australia, please visit www.virginaustralia.com.

Media contact:
Susie Dobson
Tel: 310 486 2939
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.australiansinfilm.org

SOURCE Australians in Film

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