Geoffrey Rush heads Australian Academy

SYDNEY — Geoffrey Rush has been appointed founding president of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, a new Oscars-inspired honors system for Australian film.

The announcement was made by director George Miller best known for the Mad Max series with the new academy created to improve national and international recognition of Australia’s movie industry.

Gold-cast statuettes, similar to the Oscars, will be handed out each January in Sydney to coincide with the international awards season.

Some of the academy’s announced council members include Jack Thompson and directors Fred Schepisi and Jan Chapman.