Mel Gibson he founded Icon Entertainment, a production company, which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called "an alternative to the studio system". Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama "Gallipoli" (1981), which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute, as well as a reputation as a serious, versatile actor. Gibson produced, directed, and starred in the epic historical drama film "Braveheart" (1995), for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director, along with the Academy Award for Best Picture. He later
Guldbagge Award for Best Director 1964. At the 1st Guldbagge Awards (1963/1964), Ingmar Bergman was awarded the first Guldbagge for his film "The Silence". Since then, the prize has been awarded every year, except in 1971 where the only prize for best film was awarded, and in 1980 where only the categories Best Film, Best Actor along with the Ingmar Bergman Award. At both the 30th Guldbagge Awards (1994) and the 42nd Guldbagge Awards (2006), Best Director was presented to a co-directing team, rather than to an individual director. The Guldbagge Awards for Best Director and Best Film have been very closely linked throughout their