George Miller has won the directing and best-picture awards for Mad Max: Fury Road at Australia's version of the Oscars in Hollywood.
Miller has been battling The Revenant's Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu throughout Hollywood award season.
With his fellow countrymen voting for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts International Awards, it was the former Sydney emergency room doctor and Fury Road who were victorious on Friday.
The Australian bias continued with Cate Blanchett winning best actress for Carol ahead of Oscar favourite Brie Larson for Room.
Blanchett's Carol co-star Rooney Mara won supporting actress while Leonardo DiCaprio (lead actor The Revenant) and Mark Rylance (supporting actor Bridge of Spies) also were winners at the ceremony, held at the historic Avalon Theater.
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The highlight of the night was Miller's victory for best directing, with another iconic Australian filmmaker, Phillip Noyce, presenting the award.
The two have been friends since the then-novices and strangers took a film class together at Melbourne University 45 years ago.
"You taught me at my very first film class," Miller said on stage.
"I taught you how to load a camera and you have been teaching me ever since," Noyce replied.
In a twist of fate, Miller's long-time production partner, the late Byron Kennedy, also attended that university class.
The Oscars will be held on February 28, while another key lead-up ceremony, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, will be held on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in downtown Los Angeles.
The AACTA awards will air in Australia on the Foxtel Arts and Arena channels on Sunday night AEDT.
