
Unsung Hero Shortlisted for Australian Oscar Equivalent: 2025 AACTA Awards
for King + Country’s recent biopic “Unsung Hero” has been named a Contender for the prestigious AACTA film awards—the Australian equivalent of the Oscars.
As Christian & Media Arts Australia (CMAA) reports, the creators of Unsung Hero (2024) have announced that their film is a Contender in the 2025 AACTA Awards.
View this post on Instagram
Joel and Luke Smallbone are calling on Australians to support the film by voting for it in the following categories:
- Best Film – Unsung Hero
- Best Lead Actor in Film – Joel Smallbone
- Best Lead Actress in Film – Daisy Betts
- Best Supporting Actor in Film – JJ Pantano
- Best Supporting Actress in Film – Kirrilee Berger
- Best Direction in Film – Richard Ramsey & Joel Smallbone
- Best Original Screenplay in Film – Richard Ramsey & Joel Smallbone
- Best Cinematography in Film– Johnny Derango

Source: CMAA
Unsung Hero tells the story of the Smallbone family’s migration from Australia to the United States after David Smallbone’s successful music promotion business goes broke.
The film was directed by Joel Smallbone, who also plays his father, David Smallbone, in the film. It also features Jonathan Jackson, Terry O’Quinn and Candace Cameron Bure alongside Australian actress Daisy Betts, who plays David’s wife, Helen.
CMAA noted that all members of the Australian Film Institute (AFI)’s Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts (AACTA) are eligible to vote, and anyone can sign up as a member of AACTA to support Australia’s film industry.
According to the AACTA website, voting rounds are now open, with the voting for Round 1 to close at 5 pm (AEDT) on Monday 25 November. This round will determine the nominations for the award.
CMAA noted in its report that winning an AACTA award “or even being voted into the AACTA Awards nominee list, is an incredible industry achievement that can open many doors for filmmakers and creatives, especially in Australia.”
The list of Contenders for the 2025 AACTA Awards can be found here.
Membership options for AACTA can be found here.
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Image courtesy of Unsung Hero.
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