Archive December 2025 2025

What can we say - we just LOVE Christmas and with thanks to all the distributers and filmmakers for their kind support we have not one, not two, but THREE movie giveaways in our final bumper issue of WIFT E-News!

So - whether you want…

New Zealand film from Wiftie Vanessa Wells Mighty Indeed is in Oscars contention for Best Documentary

Mighty Indeed was the winner of Best Feature (New Zealand) and Best Director (New Zealand) for Vanessa at Doc Edge Awards 2025.

The film explores one of the harshest…

The Hollywood awards season has of course shifted up another gear with Oscar hopefuls globally vying for contention - and among them, WIFT filmmaker Vea Mafile’o's fabulous short Lea Tupuʻanga (Mother Tongue).

Written by Luciane Buchanan, the short follows a Tongan speech therapist who exaggerates…

Shocking absolutely NOBODY, our beloved WIFT NZ matriach Patricia storming the internet this year was a true joy. Turns out Patricia is made for the camera (again, shocking nobody expect Patricia ;))

To celebrate, the brilliant WIFT office wonder woman Jazz compiled a blooper reel!!…

An enormous congratulations to wonderful Wiftie and Sky NZ CEO Sophie Moloney, who took out the prestigious Chief Executive of the Year at the Deloitte Top 200 Awards.

The award recognises exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to business performance and people, reflecting the…

What a magificent way to end the year, two New Zealand films have been accepted into the Sundance Film Festival, the very last Sundance to be held at Park City before it relocated to Boulder, Colorado.

The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) is proud to…

Shortland Street fans have we got a festive treat for YOU!

The 1995 Christmas special is seasonal, peak Shorty melodrama (truck crashing through the clinic!) and about to turn 30!

The lovely folk at SPP has delivered this unto us for our Xmas viewing pleasure:…

We thought we would bring some festive cheer and remind us all of the power of our storytelling past and present thanks to our WIFT NZ cohort over the years!

And one sure-fire way to feel festive? Cue The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls..

From Wifties…

Longtime Wiftie Antonia Prebble won herself a 2025 New Zealand Screen Award last month for Best Actress for her role in Double Parked and we thought we would celebrate that with this little treat: young newbie Antonia in The Tribe!

Take a trip down memory…

The New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho commissioned NZIER and Verian to analyse the role of screen production in shaping New Zealand’s economy and culture. This work forms part of Mahi Tahi, an initiative by the three agencies to strengthen…

What a swathe of new members to WIFT NZ for the second half of 2025 - nau mai haere mai and welcome one and all!

Here are all the newly minted Wifties who have joined our ranks since July and here's to welcoming many more…

As 2025 comes to a close, let's celebrate the collaboration, contribution and community of the WIFT screen queens (and kings!) with an insight into all the storytellers who received funding from the New Zealand Film Commission. Whether it be for Script Development, Documentary Development, Production…

This year’s Spada Emerging Producer of the Year goes to our very own WIFT wonder woman - WIFT Events and Membership Manager - Jazz dos Santos!

This award is sponsored by the New Zealand Film Commission, and Jazz takes home a cash prize of $4,000,…

Congratulations to the Wiftie creatives who have been announced among the latest recipients of the Screen Canterbury Production Grant.

Four diverse productions have secured support, and collectively the round is projected to inject $2.95 million into the local economy, employing 193 crew, 50 Canterbury-based screen…

The awards show wins and nominations keep on coming for Three’s hit series Happiness.

Fresh from a big Best Supporting Actor win for Peter Hambleton at the recent New Zealand Screen Awards, the show has been announced as a finalist for Best Comedy in three…

Myths & Maidens unpacks the stereotype of the Pasifika woman. Since the 1800s the ‘hula girl’ has been used to sell the Pacific to the Western world. Alongside ideal beauty standards have come expectations of certain behaviour; peaceful, happy and non-resistant.

Click here to watch…

After selling out theatres across the country at Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival, the micro-budget feature film, Notes from a Fish, is set for a limited theatrical release.

The screwball-comedy-mystery follows a would-be novelist’s creative drought which turns chaotic when his muse, a…

For those of us who grew up watching "A Dog's Show" on the telly every week, some excellent news!

Principal photography has begun on the feature film of the same name, and inspired by, A Dog’s Show.

The film stars Graham McTavish (Outlander, The Hobbit),…

The successful applicants for NZ ON AIR funding have been announced and the list includes a large swathe of hard-working and talented Wifties. Congrats to all the below!

FUNDING RECIPIENTS

Te Māngai Pāho Co-Fund

Dead Ahead 2, 6 × 22.5’, Hi Mama for TVNZ+, up…

The revamped New Zealand Screen Awards was held on November 21 and what a nourishing, fun and inspriring collective celebration of the entire screen industry it was!

Among the many highlights of the evening was hearing and feeling the emotional tributes to the late Lee…

Day One Shorts are excited to announce the eight teams commissioned for 2026 and amonf the recipients are some top notch WIFT NZ filmmakers.

Each documentary team receives $15k and each scripted team $20k, plus development support and mentoring.

+ Silver Lining

• Harriett Maire –…

As 2025 draws to a close, NZ On Air would like to take a moment to reflect on what has been another incredible year for game development in Aotearoa. The industry continues to grow in creativity, capability and global reach, and they are genuinely proud…

WIF (Women In Film) and ReFrame have released the WHO TO WATCH: 2026 FILM FYC GUIDE, highlighting women and gender diverse people who are eligible for awards categories.

As part of WIF’s mission to advocate for change, this year’s Film FYC Guide serves as a…

Script to Screen has announced the filmmakers and their projects selected for Story Camp Aotearoa 2026, giving a huge mihi to their funders Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission for continuing to support this development kaupapa for Aotearoa’s Screenwriters. 

And among those selected…

Tis the Season, and Film Otago Southland is teaming up with Southern Filmmakers Collective and the Screen Guild to host a Queenstown festive gathering for the local film community!

DETAILS:

When: Friday, 5 December 2025

Time: 5pm - 8pm

Where: Gantley's Tavern, 172 Arthurs Point…

Many have heard the news that we lost another loved member of our film community, Anthony Nevison. Ant was a talented sound recordist and mixer, a creative musician, and a kind, generous person.
 
The Screen Guild paid tribute to Ant:

"He was always available to…

Australia’s premier forum and marketplace for documentary and factual storytelling - the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) - has launched its theme and first confirmed guests for AIDC 2026, taking place 2-5 March at ACMI in Melbourne / Narrm, and followed by an online international…

This is the FINAL Creative Power workshop of 2025 and is your last chance to learn more about your rights as a writer, director, editor and/or performer and how to build sustainable careers in the screen industry.

This is more than a workshop – it’s…

Time to celebrate all the phenomenal females delivering films for the world's viewing pleasure in 2026! 

Check out these feature films directed by women - including NZ filmmakers and Wifties - scheduled for cinematic release in 2026 (Compiled by WIFT, Sourced from FLICKS NZ)

Female-Directed…