Most awarded
1The Piano1993 · 31 awards2Mad Max: Fury Road2015 · 16 awards3The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King2003 · 15 awards4The Great Gatsby2013 · 14 awards5Lion2015 · 14 awards6Somersault2004 · 13 awards7Hacksaw Ridge2016 · 12 awards8Animal Kingdom2010 · 12 awards9Moulin Rouge!2001 · 11 awards10Shine1996 · 11 awards
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  1. The Reel Word
  2. Decades
  3. 1980s

Australian and New Zealand films of the 1980s

1763 films recorded for 1980–1989, 611 with a full page, plus 114 TV series that premiered.

Films per year

1980149
1981159
1982162
1983156
1984153
1985170
1986206
1987229
1988229
1989150

Top genres

Drama150Comedy42Action39Thriller35Horror27Documentary22Science fiction20Adventure20

Busiest directors

  • Geoff Collins12
  • Paul Cox9
  • Yoram Gross9
  • Brian Trenchard-Smith8
  • Tim Burstall7
  • Ken Cameron6
  • Jane Campion6
  • George T. Miller6

Best-known films of the 1980s

TitleYearDirectorGenreMinAwards
The Year of Living Dangerously 1982 Peter Weir Drama, War 117 2
A Passage to India 1984 David Lean Drama 160 4
Dead Calm 1989 Phillip Noyce Thriller 95 4
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence 1983 Nagisa Ōshima Drama, Prison 116
Gallipoli 1981 Peter Weir War, Historical 111 10
Maurice 1987 James Ivory Drama, Historical 138
The Punisher 1989 Mark Goldblatt Action, Crime 87
Crocodile Dundee II 1988 John Cornell Comedy, Action 108
Evil Angels 1988 Fred Schepisi Drama, Biographical 121 5
Evil Under the Sun 1982 Guy Hamilton Drama, Crime 116
Hope and Glory 1987 John Boorman Drama, Comedy drama 112 1
My Beautiful Laundrette 1985 Stephen Frears Drama, Comedy drama 93 1
Mona Lisa 1986 Neil Jordan Drama, Crime 104
The Dresser 1983 Peter Yates Drama, Comedy drama 112 1
The Mirror Crack'd 1980 Guy Hamilton Crime, Mystery 105
Bad Taste 1987 Peter Jackson Action, Comedy horror 88