Baz Luhrmann has been honoured in his native Australia for his contribution to the country's film industry.
The Moulin Rouge! moviemaker was handed the Living Legend trophy at the Inside Film Awards on Tuesday night (17Nov09).
And the 47 year old was delighted with the honour, telling the audience at Sydney's Luna Park, "This is an industry to be proud of, it's incredibly exciting.
"We have it, let's not blow it. I think it's an extraordinarily exciting time to be an Australian filmmaker."
Other winners at the annual ceremony included drama Samson and Delilah, which swept the board with six awards, including the night's Best Film honour.
The movie's young stars, Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson, were handed the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for their roles in the film.
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