Archive September 2025

After nearly 25 years in the screen industry, director Julia Parnell is still driven by the same determination that saw her start out washing dishes on Ready Steady Cook. Today, she is celebrating the release of her latest work, as well as soon to be…

Congratulations to the team of Holy Days, made by WIFT member production company Velvet Moss as a co-production with Canadian company Lily Pictures. The film has been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival’s prestigious Industry Selects line-up — one of just ten films chosen…

Congratulations to the entire team behind Joy, Full & Fearless, a beautiful hour-long documentary following Joy Cowley's astonishing life as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prolific, widely published and much-celebrated authors of fiction for adults and children.

Joy, Full & Fearless will be released…

Film Auckland are bringing back the successful 'Meet the Guilds' networking and community event!  

WIFT members, we are excited to invite you to an informal evening where you can engage with representatives from leading screen industry guilds & organisations, socialise with your screen community and…

Congratulations to two of our WIFT members, who have been selected in the latest Funding from Screenrights.

Congratulations to Nicola Smith, from Jack Media for Te Piringa: A Programme for Indigenous Wellbeing in Screen Storytelling.

A six-month Indigenous-led pilot program designed to support the health…

John Barnett was a lifelong member, past Spada President, and dedicated advocate for New Zealand’s producers.

John’s career in film and television spanned more than 50 years, beginning in 1973. His vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to storytelling helped shape the Aotearoa New Zealand screen…

Write Room is a screenwriter residency program offered in partnership with POP Film, Toi Pōneke Arts Centre and the Wellington City Council Aho Tini 2030 Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy.  Write Room is now open for applications for two opportunities, a Film/TV producer Internship and…

Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air are joining forces once again to fund high-quality, reo Māori screen content for a broad audience.

The content they are looking to support is Aotearoa-centric, engaging, and compelling. It will also positively impact on New Zealanders’ attitudes toward…

In Round Rua, NZ on Air will accept applications across the following audiences and content genres: Drama, Comedy, Documentary and General Factual, Journalism, Children, Youth, Podcasts, Content Development, Capability and Discoverability.

Please refer to Round Rua Information for Funding Applicants for more detailed information.

• Approximately…

Over the last 27 years, the Annual Spada Screen Industry Awards have celebrated the people who make our industry what it is - from exciting new talent just starting out, to those who have spent their careers shaping and supporting screen production in Aotearoa.

We…

Story Camp Aotearoa is an intensive Feature Film development lab run by Script to Screen. Participants stay onsite in Auckland for the duration of the camp. This unique opportunity provides participants the freedom to switch off from the outside world and be immersed in their…

The recent 48Hours shoot weekend on 15th - 17th August was a whirlwind of creativity, chaos, and collaboration, with filmmakers from all walks of life coming together to create a 1-5 min film under extreme time pressure. The stories shared by participants highlight the incredible…

The 23rd edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market will take place from Saturday to Tuesday, Feb 14-17, 2026. 

Experienced producers of high quality, first-season drama series or mini-series in development and financing stages may like to consider applying to be part of the market. 

The…

Māoriland Film Festival is Aotearoa’s international Indigenous Film Festival, held each March in the vibrant community of Ōtaki

The MFF is the world’s largest celebration of Indigenous storytelling with five days of screenings, interactive installation and art exhibitions, industry events and more.

Submissions are currently…

In alignment with New Zealand Fashion Week, NZ On Screen have launched its NZ Fashion On Screen Collection – a curated celebration of how fashion has lit up our screens through the decades, across television, film, and music videos. The collection showcases the bold, the…

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The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) is proud to announce three new recipients of its International Placement Initiative: Litia Tuiburelevu (Protagonist Pictures), Joyce Wong (Good Chaos), and Eva Trebilco (STUDIOCANAL NZ). 

Designed for emerging to mid-career writers, directors, and producers from Aotearoa New Zealand, this…

The African Film Festival Auckland and The Capitol (we love that The Capitol is a WIFT discount provider!) have five double passes to give away and don't muck about as the tickets are for opening night THIS Thursday September 18!

The first 5 people to…

The highly anticipated New Zealand feature Pike River will make its debut in Aotearoa, New Zealand, with a series of premieres and special screenings across the country ahead of its nationwide release on October 30.

Based on the 2010 Pike River Mine tragedy that took…

Ka Whawhai Tonu (Struggle Without End), the powerful New Zealand historical feature, was recognised on the world stage at the prestigious Septimius Awards 2025 in Amsterdam, winning Best Oceanian Film.

Lead actress Hinerangi Harawira-Nicholas also took home the award for Best Oceanian Actress, a testament…

Wiftie and film EP Lynnaire MacDonald's very first feature film, Haunted & Devoted, is in official selection for this year's Monster Fest in Australia. 

Black Forest Films returns to Monster Fest with the world premiere of queer horror romance Haunted & Devoted. Set in Melbourne’s…

The fabulous Show Me Shorts is turning 20!!

And they're celebrating by releasing a BIG 20th Anniversary Programme

During 7–27 October, audiences can choose from a massive 127 screenings and events taking place at 40 cinemas and community venues across Aotearoa. There are 83 short…

WIFT member Vicky Yiannoutsos is running her next Auckland Film Acting Weekend Intensive on 11–12 October 2025 at Unitec, in Point Chevalier. It’s a great opportunity for actors to recharge their screen craft before summer productions and auditions.

AUCKLAND FILM ACTING WORKSHOP
Sat–Sun, 11–12 October 2025
Point…

WIFT filmmakers Joyce Wong & Mia Maramara are launching a one-off crowdfunding campaign to finish financing their short film ‘Homestay’. Supported by the NZFC He Kauahi Catalyst, they are looking to raise our gap financing to get their project to the best quality it can…

Mad Carnival are still seeking applications for the key role of Marama in their supernatural adventure game 'How Was Your Day?'

Marama is a 70s, mysterious and wise Māori woman who serves as Diya's reclusive but strong neighbour, with approximately 500-600 lines of dialogue.

Expressions…

WIFT Member Leanne Pooley’s joyful four-part series CHOIR GAMES drops in Canada on SUPER CHANNEL on September 20th.

If you have friends in Canada please let them know!

If you still haven’t seen it, it’s available on NEON and SkyGo in New Zealand.

Here's the…

Here's your chance to give some fellow WIFT filmmakers a helping hand and a financial boost for their film "A Son’s Return Home", which promises to be a visually stunning, emotionally powerful historical drama about human connection.

Shortlisted for funding by the NZ Film Commission…

Audition season is around the corner — are you ready?

WIFT member and acting coach Elena Stejko is holding an audition prep workshop based on M. Chekhov screen acting technique. 

This 4-hour intensive is designed for actors who want to sharpen their skills and walk…

An opportunity here for our WIFT filmmakers; entries are now open for the Fondazione Prada Film Fund and until 17 October 2025.

The new fund is an annual initiative that supports independent cinema, and every year, it selects films without any restriction on geography, theme,…

NZWG and New Zealand Film Commission are excited to announce that Seed & Seed Advanced is now open.

Seed & Seed Advanced are screenwriter-only feature film script development grants.

Seed Grants allow writers to be innovative, brilliant, and to create something they own. The writer…

Iti Pounamu is a one-off funding round created by Te Mangai Paho added to the 2025/26 financial year to provide an opportunity for content creators to apply for funding or contribution toward a smaller scale project ahead of the next General Audience funding round.

They…

Kia Kaha to all our current and perhaps soon-to-be WIFTers who have dived into the mayhem of this year’s V48Hr film competition. The comp is past the mid-way point of the heats, and what a ride it's been! In a perfect twist of fate, there…

Kiwi series Triple Threat is an 8-part New Zealand docuseries following the journey of Black Ferns players Jorja Miller, Maia Joseph, and Katelyn Vahaakolo as they prepare for their first Women's Rugby World Cup.

The show provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at their lives on…

The African Film Festival New Zealand (AFFFNZ) returns to The Capitol Cinema in Auckland this year with a slate that champions women behind and in front of the camera.

The festival is in its 10th year and rolls out from September 18 to 28th and…