We're thrilled for Matasila Freshwater who was awarded a special grant of $15,000 from the New Zealand Film Commission's 2019 Gender Scholarship. Samoan screenwriter Sima Urale won the scholarships's main grant of $50,000 to help progress her filmmaking career. The 2019 scholarship was for Pacific Island women screenwriters. The NZFC said the standard of applications was high with the top four applicants all alumni of NZFC short film funding.