Baz cleans up at AACTA awards

Australia's film and television industry awards night belonged to Baz Luhrmann, whose glitzy flapper extravaganza the Great Gatsby cleaned up at the AACTA awards.

Gatsby took out best film, best direction and best adapted screenplay, with Leonardo DiCaprio winning best lead actor for his role as Jay Gatsby, at the awards ceremony on Thursday night.

Joel Edgerton, who played Gatsby's buddy Tom Buchanan, and Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker also took out the gongs for best supporting actor and actress.

Luhrmann has previously had limited success with his work at Australian industry awards - his last win was for Strictly Ballroom in 1992 - and said he was thrilled to be recognised by his country.

"It doesn't happen to me that often, this kind of thing," Luhrmann said.

"You have no idea what it is like to be acknowledged in your country, thank you, thank you, thank you."

All up, Luhrmann's film won 13 AACTA awards, including six of the eight on offer on Thursday night.

In the TV awards, Claudia Karvan won best lead actress for her role as Caroline the controlling wife in Time of Our Lives.

Gritty inner-Sydney drama Redfern Now won best drama series and the foodies beat the singers and dancers with Masterchef: The Professionals taking out best reality series.

Nine's Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story about the battle for the control of Australia's media, won two awards including best lead actor for Lachy Hulme and best direction for Geoff Bennett.

Gen Y pin up boy Josh Thomas's quirky ABC series Please Like Me was named best comedy.