The movie was released in Australia on August 17 1979; in the United States on October 6 1979 at the New York Film Festival and February 1 1980 in limited U.S. theaters; in Japan on January 2 1982; and in Poland on July 23 2007 at ERA New Horizons Film Festival. The movie is also available in DVD in several regions, including Region 1 DVD.

Awards and nominations

Won

• Australian Film Institute
• AFI Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography (Donald McAlpine)
• Best Achievement in Costume Design (Anna Senior)
• Best Achievement in Production Design (Luciana Arrighi)
• Best Director (Gillian Armstrong)
• Best Film (Margaret Fink)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Eleanor Witcombe)

• Australian Cinematographers Society
• Cinematographer of the Year (Donald McAlpine)

• BAFTA Awards
• BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Judy Davis)
• Most Outstanding Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (Judy Davis)

• Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
• KCFCC Award for Best Foreign Film (tied with Blechtrommel, Die)

• London Critics Circle Film Awards
• Special Achievement Award (Gillian Armstrong for her directing debut)

Nominated

• Academy Awards
• Best Costume Design (Anna Senior)

• Australian Film Institute
• Best Actress in a Lead Role (Judy Davis)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robert Grubb)
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role (3 each for Aileen Britton, Wendy Hughes, and Patricia Kennedy)

• Cannes Film Festival
• Golden Palm (Gillian Armstrong)

• Golden Globes
• Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film

External links