Australian expatriates living in Los Angeles have announced the winner of the 2011 ‘Ozcar’ as Aussie movie director-writer Michael Rymer.

(L-R) Ramada Plaza Hotel West Hollywood CEO Alan
Johnson, Sam Kekovich, director Michael Rymer,
Simon Wimcer, John Michael Howson,
cinematographer Geoff Morrow and director Rod Hardy
at the Ozcars luncheon in Melbourne

The gong, this year awarded back home at a special luncheon in Melbourne, is presented each year to a prominent personality, business leader or celebrity who has helped promote Australian products or the arts to the US market.

Rymer, who lives in Los Angeles, is set to show his latest production, an adaption of the David Williamson play Face to Face, at the prestigious Santa Barbara International Film Festival this month.

In recent years he has directed the award-winning sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica, for which he received a 2009 Emmy nomination.

Australian hotelier Alan Johnson who operates the Ramada Plaza Hotel in West Hollywood presented Rymer with his Ozcar statuette at a luncheon attended by fellow Australian movie directors Simon Wincer, whose movie ‘The Cup’ will be released in the coming months, Rod Hardy who recently directed ‘The December Boys’, starring Daniel Radcliffe, cinematographer Dennys Ilic and showbiz legend John Michael Howson.

Previous winners of the award include Qantas’ US Senior Vice President and G’Day LA committee member Wally Mariani, playwright and media identity John Michael ‘Hollywood’ Howson and larrikin media presenter Sam Kekovich.