The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) New Zealand's Best short film competition will now have a combined prize pool of over $14,500 with the addition of a cinematography prize in 2014.
The inaugural Allen Guildford Cinematography Award has been initiated in honour of the late Allen Guilford by the New Zealand Cinematographers Society (NZCS). The prize will include a cash prize of $2,000, a unique crafted and engraved Pan Glass, and a one year membership to NZCS.
Filmmakers who wish to enter their short film for consideration are encouraged to submit before 17 April. NZIFF programmers Bill Gosden and Michael McDonnell will shortlist NZ short films for a guest selector. An announcement regarding the guest selector will be made later in April. Acclaimed filmmakers Roger Donaldson and Alison Maclean have previously guest selected the NZ's Best short films.
The Award is the latest addition to NZIFF's only competition strand. The Madman Entertainment Jury Prize, a cash prize of $5000 for the Best New Zealand Short Film, The Friends of the Civic Short Film Award for distinctive creative achievement, a cash prize of $3,000 and the Audience Award, 25% of the net box office takings from the screenings in the four main centres (in 2013 valued at $4,500), will also be awarded at the closing night of NZIFF in Auckland. In 2014 the combined prize pool for NZ's Best short film competition will be approximately $14,500.
NZCS will provide a three member jury to judge the award-winning short film. The Allen Guildford Cinematography Award will be presented by the NZCS president Richard Bluck at the closing night of the Auckland leg of NZIFF, Saturday 2 August.
NZIFF in Auckland screens until 3 August, in Wellington until 10 August, in Dunedin from 31 July to 17 August, and in Christchurch from 7 to 14 August before continuing around the country. The NZ's Best Shorts programme will screen in every NZIFF regional programme.
For NZIFF updates visit www.nziff.co.nz. For full information on submitting a film to NZIFF visit: http://www.nziff.co.nz/submit-a-film