01 / 12

Awards

Cathy Henkel, Founder of Virgo Productions

Notable Awards

Stanley Hawes Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner, 2023

SPA Documentary Producer of the Year

At the Australian International Documentary Conference, Cathy Henkel received the Stanley Hawes Award, a prestigious lifetime achievement honour bestowed on an exceptional practitioner from any facet of the industry who has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian documentary and factual sector.

Winner, 2009

In 2009, Cathy was awarded SPA (Screen Producers Australia) Documentary Producer of the Year.

Brian Beaton Award

Winner, 2019

Tribeca Film Festival Best Feature Documentary

In 2019, Cathy and her daughter Sam Lara received the Brian Beaton Award for Laura’s Choice.

Winner, 2003

The Man Who Stole My Mother's Face won the Tribeca Film Festival award for Best Documentary.

Laura's Choice (2022)

Feature Documentary and 2 x 1 hr eps for the ABC

WINNER

WA Screen Culture Awards (Australia) – Innovation in Feature Documentary

Doc Edge International Film Festival (New Zealand) – Fearless Award

Toronto International Women Film Festival (Canada) – Best Feature Documentary

Lulea International Film Festival (Sweden) – Best Feature Documentary

Docs Without Borders Film Festival (USA) – Revolution Award

Vesuvius International Film Festival (Italy) – Best Documentary

American Golden Picture International Film Festival (USA) – Best Documentary

Five Continents International Film Festival (Venezuela) – Best Documentary Feature Film

South Film and Arts Academy Festival (chile) – Best Documentary Feature Film

Los Angeles Film Awards (USA) – Best Documentary Feature

Vegas Movie Awards (USA) – Best Documentary Feature

Filmmakerlife Awards (USA) – Best Documentary Feature

FINALIST & SELECTED

Revelation International Film Festival (Australia) – Best Documentary

WA Made Film Festival (Australia) – Best Documentary

Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) – Best Documentary/Factual Series

Australian Directors Guild (ADG) – Best Direction in a Documentary Series

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Awards – Feature Documentary Production of the Year

The Guardian's List of 10 Best Australian TV Shows of 2021

Near Nazareth Festival (Israel) – Best Documentary

Florence Film Awards (Italy) – Best Feature Documentary

Oniros Film Awards (USA) – Best Documentary Feature

Montreal Independent Film Festival (Canada) – Best Feature Documentary

Arizona International Film Festival (USA) – Best Documentary Feature

Los Angeles WOmen in Film Festival (USA) – Best Feature Film

Australian Inspirational Film Festival – Best Documentary Feature Film

Aphrodite Film Awards (USA) – Best Documentary Feature Film

Show Me The Magic (2012)

Feature Documentary

WINNER

WOW Film Festival – Best Female Cinematographer (Cathy Henkel)

and

Best Composer (Nicolette Boaz)

Australian Screen Editors Awards – Best Editor (Scott Walton)

ASC Silver Award – Best Cinematography in Documentary (Cathy Henkel)

NOMINATED

Australian Directors Guild (ADG) – Best Director Documentary (Cathy Henkel)

SELECTED

Brisbane International Film Festival

Byron Bay Film Festival

WOW Film Festival

plus other Australian festivals.

Losing Layla (2001)

Feature Documentary

WINNER

ATOM Award, Best Documentary

DENDY Awards, Highly Commended

The Burning Season (2008)

The Man Who Stole My Mother's Face (2003)

Rise of the Eco-Warriors (2014)

I Told You I Was Ill: The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan (2005)

WINNER

IF Award – Best Documentary

Brisbane International Film Festival – Audience Choice Award

Canada International Film Festival – Rising Star Award

Nimbin Film Festival – Best Documentary

NOMINATED

Emmy Award – Outstanding Documentary

Sydney Film Festival, Runner Up, Audience Choice Award

Sichuan TV Festival (China) – Gold Panda Award

Australian Director's Guild – BEST DIRECTOR

ATOM Award –– Best Documentary

SELECTED

Tribeca Film Festival, New York

Sydney Film Festival

St Tropez Film Festival, France

iDOCS International Documentary Forum, Invited Guest, Beijing

Plus over 100 other international festivals

WINNER

Tribeca Film Festival – Best Feature Documentary

Discovery Channel IF Award – Best Documentary

London Australia Film Festival – Audience Choice Award, London

FINALIST

2003 Lexus IF Awards – Independent Spirit Award

Cape Town World Cinema Festival – Best Documentary

NOMINATED

AFI Award – Best Achievement in Directing

Film Critics Circle of Australia – Best Documentary

SELECTED

Hot Docs, Canada

Melbourne International Film Festivals

Brisbane International Film Festivals

plus over 30 other international festivals

SELECTED

i-told-you-i-was-ill-the-life-and-legacy-of-spike-milligan-1.jpg

Byron Bay International Film Festival – Closing Night Film

Bali International Film Festival

Films for the Earth: Switzerland

Big Picture Film Festival

CinefestOz

plus many other festivals.

NOMINATED

Film Critics Circle of Australian – Best Documentary

DVDA Brilliant Awards – Best Theatrical Film DVD

Adelaide Film Festival

Melbourne International Film Festival

Brisbane International Film Festival

DocNZ International Film Festival