Archive July 2025 2025

Motuhaketanga  This double episode documentary follows three wāhine Māori preparing to leave prison, and the challenges they face once they walk out the prison gates on the path to creating their own versions of motuhaketanga. Stream on Māori+

The Bones of Our Past A documentary…

We’re thrilled you’re here! Let us all welcome our newest WIFT members:

Jodi O’Donnell, Lou Proudfoot, Cilla Harnett, Lea McLean, Ella Claridge, Brydie Morton, Leah Macmillan, Amelie Boyle, Lucy Heath, Harriett Guy, Emma Tietjens, Hazel Jones, Jana Te Nahu Owen, Lucy Appleby, Hera Cook, Angelina…

Libertine Pictures, 113 Partners, Hinterland and Spada are proud to announce the 12 producers selected for the 2025 Activator Screen Business Programme, an international business development initiative designed to build export capability within Aotearoa’s screen production sector.

Between July and October 2025, these mid-career and…

We’re very proud to acknowledge the incredible achievements of our WIFT members at this year’s Doc Edge Industry Awards, a celebration of excellence in documentary filmmaking with one of our members taking home the Best New Zealand Director Award. Congratulations to Vanessa Wells, who also…

We're thrilled to celebrate our talented members whose projects have been selected for the New Zealand International Film Festival 2025.

These achievements are a testament to the creativity and dedication within our community. We can’t wait to see these powerful stories on the big screen,…

Congratulations to the entire team of We Were Dangerous for their win of the Dramatic Feature Award at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

The film is directed by Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, written by Maddie Dai, produced by Morgan Waru and Polly Fryer, with cinematography…

Congratulations to WIFT member Jane Ross on earning her first producer credit with the short documentary Through a Glass, Lightly, now showing at the Doc Edge Festival 2025!

Through a Glass, Lightly has already screened in Auckland, with upcoming showings in Wellington and Christchurch. 

Brian…

Congratulations to Steph Damm (producer and cinematographer) and the team at Guardian Films for their powerful series Voices of Denniston, created in collaboration with Forest & Bird. This impactful series sheds light on the unique landscape, history, and ecological importance of the Denniston Plateau, amplifying…

Phil Smith, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Great Southern Television is a loyal WIFT member and long-time sponsor of the WIFT Awards.  Have a listen to this thoughtful interview with the NZ Herald’s Shayne Currie.  It's always good to hear the tale of a…

Congratulations to our members who have won awards at the NZ Radio & Podcast Awards!

Suzy Cato for Best Children’s Programme with Suzy and Friends in a POD-Cast, and, Suzy and Friends.

And a massive congratulations to Stacey Morrison for winning Outstanding Contribution to Radio.

You better check out the NZIFF trailer; it’s a good one with a personalized soundtrack too! Watch the trailer and start planning your festival picks. Ready, set…almost go. Tickets go on sale on 11 July. 

Get ready to dive into this year’s incredible programme, packed…

Congratulations to our WIFT member Jo Randerson on the release of their newest pukapuka, Secret Art Powers: How creative thinking can achieve radical change!

In Secret Art Powers, which began life as a series of interactive illustrated talks, Randerson (Pākehā; they/them) outlines six counter-cultural powers…

NZWG is hosting ‘In Conversation with the Show’s Creators: Rachel Lang & James Griffin’ to mark the 20th Anniversary of Outrageous Fortune. They are bringing it back to where it all began… West Auckland!

Join Rachel Lang and James Griffin, the creators and writers behind…

We’re inviting members to take part in a short and engaging questionnaire to be featured on the WIFT website.

This is a wonderful opportunity to share a bit about yourself: your journey, creative inspirations, career highlights, and a few fun facts, with the wider WIFT…

Don’t miss your chance to score a deal and lock in your spot for Aotearoa’s wildest weekend of filmmaking! The Vista Foundation 48Hours is back for 2025, earlybird registration for the Vista Foundation 48Hours is open! Lock in your team between June 16 and July…

The NZCS Cinematography Awards are open for 2025, and entries are now being accepted across 15 categories, including two brand-new additions:

Socials – for punchy, beautiful short-form work on digital platforms

Technology & Innovation – for cinematographers using new tools and techniques in wildly creative…

NZ on Air published a Statement of Performance Expectations (SPE) for the 2025/26 year. This document sets out how they will administer the taxpayer funds they are responsible for, their aims, and how they will measure outcomes. It also gives an overview of their work…

The CinemaStreet Women’s Short Screenplay Competition invites women screenwriters to submit short dramatic scripts of any genre (20 minutes and under) to CinemaStreet Pictures for production consideration. The winning screenplay will be offered an option for the film for $1,000 USD.

Screenplays may be from…

Share the Knowledge and Compton School are preparing for the fourth season of the Practical Producing Series which is due to kick off in August this year.

Their new season will cover the following subjects:

Session 1 - Local Distributors

                    Thursday, 7th August at 8:00pm

Screen NZ International is an emergent group of experienced screen business owners and senior industry professionals. Their founding and supporting members work on the front lines of the international screen sector, including physical production, finance, studio infrastructure, equipment supply and services, post-production, and VFX. Their…

Studio Director
The University of Auckland

Story Development Producer
TVNZ

Breakfast Assistant
TVNZ 

Producer Seven Sharp
TVNZ 

Digital & Advertising Executive
Studiocanal

Pacific Producer Residency
Basement Theatre

Senior Content Lead - New Zealand Olympic Committee
Red Consulting Group

Studio Technician – Moving Image and VP
University of Canterbury

Studio Technician - Sound
University of…

From indie features to short-form and TVCs, creatives across Aotearoa are finding innovative, budget-conscious ways to integrate virtual production into their projects.

Join the VFX Guild and Massey University’s National Academy of Screen Arts for Beyond Blockbusters: Virtual Production on a Limited Budget — an…

The ScreenSafe Behind the Scenes NZ – Te Oranga Hinengaro Mental Health Survey will close on 1 August 2025.

Our industry needs you and your voice!

Please note!! You can skip any questions you like when you go through the survey, so please if you…

The Day One Film Challenge is open to anyone up to 29 — a chance to tell your story for a better tomorrow. Whether you are 9 or 29 and you're filming on your phone or working with a team, this challenge is all about…

This year, NZIFF Whānau Mārama honours one of our most adventurous and visionary filmmakers with the selection of two of her films: the 30th anniversary screening of WAR STORIES Our Mothers Never Told Us and the world premiere of her latest documentary, GRACE A Prayer…

The Turtz Award for Contribution to Cinematography recognises someone who uplifts, supports, or empowers the work of cinematographers, often quietly, generously, and well beyond what’s required.

Named in memory of the influential camera department icon Ian ‘Turtz’ Turtill, this award honours those who champion the…

We are delighted to offer 5 double passes to see RIVIERA REVENGE, a mischievous romantic comedy that follows a family revelation unravelling into a wild journey across the sun-drenched French Riviera. Brimming with love, surprises and vengeance, the film is a smash-hit from this year's…

The popular video series, This is Wheel Life is back for season two with more epic adventures. Congratulations to our members, the makers of this series directed by Alexis Smith and produced by Rachale Davies.

Your twenties are often considered as the most exciting years…

Term 4, Script to Screen - Lights, Stand By, Action, of the Actors Studio with Elena Stejko is open! The work is based on the M. Chekhov screen acting technique.

This term will go from script to screen with a sharp focus on audition craft,…

Upcoming on 16 August is The Fool of Lear,  featuring an ensemble cast, including WIFT member David Jacobs,  presenting an intimate, passionate family drama. This one-act play is a condensed version of Shakespeare’s text focusing on Lear, his daughters and the Fool, their fraught relationships…

The Rotorua Indigenous Film Festival (RIFF) will shift to a biannual format, with the next full festival scheduled for 2026. This means there will be no RIFF in 2025, as the team takes time to plan and deliver an even stronger experience for Indigenous storytellers…

Kōpere Ake is now open for 2025. There are two series development grants available for writers or teams of writers.

Successful Recipients will receive $35,000.00 development funding administered by NZOA, and $7,000 for story and professional development assistance administered by NZWG. This series development fund…

This is a reminder to please participate in the Screen NZ International “crew survey”. They have extended the deadline and would like to have as many crew as possible have the opportunity to participate.

They are seeking to collect crucial data from crew members through…

Stephen Follows' recent analysis explores whether movies with plot twists are rated more highly than those without. Studying over 26,000 films, he found that only about 3.7% featured major twists, most commonly in thrillers, horror, and mystery genres. Surprisingly, movies without twists had a slightly…

During World War II, New Zealand’s National Broadcasting Service deployed mobile recording units with the 2nd NZEF. These teams journeyed across the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Italy, capturing firsthand accounts from soldiers and nurses. 

A special focus has since been cast on the…

The valuable courses offered from Share The Knowledge have had some date changes. Be sure to check the updated schedule below, so you don’t miss out on these learning and upskilling opportunities. 

Season 4

Session 1 - Local Distributors

                    Thursday, 14th August at 8:00pm

Session…

Did you know BSS has a platform sharing podcasts from their sessions from previous years?! There is a wealth of knowledge here, be sure to check it out.

Here’s a short list of what’s available, but be sure to check out the website and peruse…

We highly recommend checking out the Māoriland winter merchandise collection. Each piece is a collaboration with Indigenous artists, weaving together powerful stories and stunning visuals into beautifully crafted items.

It’s more than just winter wear – it’s art you can wear, and a meaningful way…

Film Otago Southland is a not-for-profit Trust that works in collaboration with the Queenstown Lakes and Dunedin council film offices to support, develop and promote screen production in the wider region. The Trust’s job is to: stimulate regional economic growth by attracting, facilitating and marketing…

If you're exploring co-productions or planning to apply for funding, take note: Screen Australia has officially updated the guidelines for its Narrative Content and Documentary Funding Programs.

All updated guidelines, application forms, templates, and FAQs are now available on their website. Learn more here

Every two years, NZ On Air commissions research to understand how stakeholders are experiencing their work and interactions with the organisation.

This research helps highlight what’s working well and identifies opportunities for improvement, ensuring NZ On Air continues to meet the needs of the sector…

Minor updates have been made to the NZSPR Criteria for both New Zealand and International Productions, effective from 1 July 2025.

Read press release here

These minor updates were informed by the recent ‘check-ins’ carried out by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH), and…

The New Zealand Screen Awards recognise excellence in the screen industry and honour the special skills and unique talents of the companies and individuals who create, produce, and perform in screen content in New Zealand. Entries opened on 30th June 2025, with the closing date…

Senior Film Preservation Archivist (Colourist) – Kairokiroki Taonga Matua
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

Co-chief Executive
Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi

Creative Catalyst Māori
Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi

Executive Assistant & Business Support Manager
Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi

Announcer – Radio Hauraki
NZME 

Photographer/Videographer
Stirling Sports Ltd

Senior Content Producer - Woman's Day
Are Media

Assistant…