Mel Gibson wins the AACTA Award for best direction for Hacksaw Ridge during the 6th AACTA Awards in Sydney, Australia. Credit:Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images for AFI The evening began in lively fashion with a protest on the red carpet by members of Women in Film and Television, dressed as sausages and chanting "end the sausage party" in a call for more female representation at the awards. After they were hustled off by security, the colourfully dressed Boy George arrived to join Phoenix, the kelpie from the new Red Dog movie, and two scantily-dressed members of the Vanautu tribe who starred in best film nominee Tanna. But when the ceremony began, it was Gibson's night – 20 years after he won best picture and director at the Oscars for Braveheart. After a long stint in the wilderness since his drink-driving arrest in 2006, he returned from the US to Australia, where he trained as an actor and made his name with Mad Max and Gallipoli, to shoot Hacksaw Ridge. "Since the film was made here and it's a 100 per cent Aussie film, it's a pretty decent accolade," Gibson said after winning best film. "We're very honoured to receive it." The actor-director paid glowing tribute to the cast and crew who worked on the film, saying: "They brought their A game."

Isla Fisher accepting the Trailblazer Award at the 6th AACTA Awards Presented in Sydney, Australia. Credit:Mark Metcalfe The acclaim for Hacksaw Ridge has seen Gibson gradually return to the industry and raised hopes its awards run might continue to the Oscars. Garfield won for a gripping performance as Desmond Doss, a humble Seventh Day Adventist who showed exceptional courage on the battlefield, with Weaving playing his traumatised father – his second consecutive best supporting actor award after The Dressmaker last year. Isla Fisher's husband Sacha Baron Cohen applauding his wife during the 6th AACTA Awards. Credit:Mark Metcalfe Weaving, who accepted his award via video from an overseas film shoot, thanked Gibson for persevering with him during casting. "It was wonderful to work with you Mel as a director," he said. "I've never seen a crew or a cast so enamoured with their director."

On top of writer-director Simon Stone's win for best adapted screenplay at the craft ceremony, his atmospheric timber town drama The Daughter won two acting awards. This is the worst roast: Paul Hogan during the 6th AACTA Awards. Credit:Mark Metcalfe Teenager Odessa Young won best actress for playing a vulnerable girl whose life is shaken up in a family crisis and Miranda Otto won best supporting actress for playing her warm-hearted mother. The win capped a stunning couple of years for Young, who was unknown before impressing in both The Daughter and Looking For Grace. At 18, she is the youngest best actress winner in the Australian Film Institute and AACTA's 40-year awards history. Mel Gibson directs actor Vince Vaughn on the set of Hacksaw Ridge. Credit:AP

"Oh my god, this is really shocking and strange," Young said of winning at her first award ceremony. "Thank you to Simon Stone for guiding me through this role." In the television categories, Wentworth (Foxtel Soho) won best drama series with The Kettering Incident (Foxtel Showcase) winning best telefeature or mini-series – a reflection of the strength of drama on pay television. Andrew Garfield as conscientious objector turned war hero Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge. Credit:Mark Rogers Elizabeth Debicki​ also won best actress in a television drama for playing a doctor who goes back to her troubled home town in The Kettering Incident, with Samuel Johnson winning the male equivalent for his spirited role as music guru Ian Meldrum in Molly (Seven Network). He started a short comic speech by noting that his phone charger was hanging out of his pocket. "I had to perform a variety of unconscionable acts to secure this role," he said. "More than is usual. Although I mostly regretted the preparation, I'm starting to think it was all worth it."

Odessa Young in The Daughter. While other actors would hope an award might lead to more work, Johnson has retired to raise funds for cancer research following his sister's diagnosis rather than keep acting. "I've pledged not to go back to acting until we've raised 10 million," he said recently. "We're at three million now." The ABC's Upper Middle Bogan won best comedy series, Gruen won best light entertainment series and Comedy Showroom – The Letdown won best screenplay in television. Best reality television series went to MasterChef Australia (Network Ten) for the third time, with best lifestyle television program going to Destination Flavour Scandinavia (SBS). Best feature-length documentary was Eva Orner's Chasing Asylum, about Australia's treatment of asylum seekers. Isla Fisher made one of the night's best speeches accepting her trailblazer award for her Hollywood career.

"I really have to thank my fellow actors Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Margot Robbie and Toni Collette," she said. "All of whom were no doubt offered this award first and couldn't be here tonight." The former Home and Away star also thanked Donald Trump, saying "I don't think I'd be here without him showing the world that it's ok for unqualified orange people to win things." Paul Hogan received a standing ovation – then a second – as he accepted the previously announced Longford Lyell Award for his "contribution to the enrichment of Australia's screen environment and culture." "This is probably the worst roast I've ever been to," he said after a series of glowing tributes. "How am I going to insult anybody if they're all saying nice things about me." Hogan talked about he came up with the idea for Crocodile Dundee – a sketch that turned into a film – while walking through New York.

"I'm probably the world's leading one-hit wonder," he said. But it was "a mighty hit." The Byron Kennedy Award for "outstanding creative enterprise" went to Lynette Wallworth​ or her work in virtual reality and other innovative formats. "That moment when new technology collides with a powerful story creates an indelible memory," she said. The Big Winners ... Best film – Hacksaw Ridge

Best director – Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge Best actress – Odessa Young, The Daughter Best actor – Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Best supporting actress – Miranda Otto, The Daughter Best supporting actor – Hugo Weaving, Hacksaw Ridge

Best original screenplay – Andrew Knight and Robert Schenkkan, Hacksaw Ridge Best adapted screenplay – Simon Stone, The Daughter Loading Best TV drama series – Wentworth Best telefeature or mini-series – The Kettering Incident