A huge congrats to ALL of our WIFT finalists for next month's inaugural New Zealand Screen Awards!
From more than 700 entries across 57 categories, this year’s finalists highlight the vibrant storytelling, creativity, and technical excellence that continue to drive New Zealand’s film and television landscape.
All the nominees including our wonderful Wifties represent an impressive spectrum of content spanning free-to-air networks (TVNZ 1 & 2, Three, Sky Open, Whakaata Māori), subscription television, digital platforms and streamers including NEON, TVNZ+, ThreeNow, MĀORI+, RNZ, and Coconet TV, alongside the New Zealand film industry.
Leading the pack the nominations are Tinā, The Rule of Jenny Pen and Ka Whawhai Tonu, each earning nine nominations. Lee Tamahori’s The Convert and We Were Dangerous also feature strongly, with six nominations each.
Both Tinā and Ka Whawhai Tonu are joined by We Were Dangerous in the category for New Zealand Film Commission Best Feature Film.
Winners will be revealed at the New Zealand Screen Awards (NZSA) ceremony on Friday, 21 November 2025 at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre.
For the full list of finalists heads HERE, and highlighted below are are WIFT nominess, your mahi is magnificent!
WIFT FINALISTS
New Zealand On Air Best Drama Series
The Brokenwood Mysteries
Tim Balme, Kelly Martin, Sally Campbell, Andrew Szusterman
South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Dead Ahead
Nicole Horan & Scotty Cotter
Hi Mama Productions / TVNZ+
A Remarkable Place to Die
Philly de Lacey, John Banas, Charlie Haskell, Bridget Bourke
Screentime New Zealand and Real Film Berlin / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
New Zealand Film Commission Best Feature Film
We Were Dangerous
Morgan Waru & Polly Fryer
Piki Films / 2024
Best Short Film
Lea Tupu'anga | Mother Tongue
Vea Mafile'o, Luciane Buchanan, Alex Lovell, Eldon Booth
Run Charlie Films / 2024
Best Comedy Programme
Vince
Bronwynn Bakker, Jono Pryor, Cam Bakker
Kevin & Co. / Three & ThreeNow
Madam
Tom Hern, Halaifonua Finau & Belindalee Hope
Tavake / XYZ Films / Three & ThreeNow
Happiness
Luke Di Somma & Kip Chapman
Greenstone TV / Three & ThreeNow
Best Factual Series
Moving Houses
Neil Stichbury
Imagination Television Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Bryn & Ku's Singles Club
Sophie Dowson, Jin Fellet
The Spinoff
New Zealand On Air Best Documentary - Series
Motuhaketanga
Kathleen Mantel
Black Iris Limited / Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+
Live and Let Dai
Charlotte Hobson, Dai Henwood, Hayley Cunningham, Andrew Szusterman & Kelly Martin
South Pacific Pictures / Three & ThreeNow
Patrick Gower: On Ice
Arwen O'Connor
Ruckus / Three & ThreeNow
New Zealand Film Commission Best Documentary - Feature
Stylebender
Fraser Brown, Leela Menon, Tom Blackwell
FluroBlack / 2023
Maurice and I
Rick Harvie, Jane Mahoney
Belmont Productions / 2024
Best Reality Series
The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes
Ben Bayly, Adrian Stevanon, Sam Blackley, Philip Smith and Briar Coleman
Great Southern Television / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+
The Traitors New Zealand
Charlotte Hobson, Hayley Cunningham, Kelly Martin, Andrew Szusterman & Jasper Hoogendoorn
South Pacific Pictures / Three & ThreeNow
Best Current Affairs Programme
The Hui
Rewa Harriman, Phillip Smith, Ruwani Perera & John Boynton
Great Southern Television / Stuff
Mata with Mihingarangi Forbes
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Mihingarangi Forbes, Natasha Vela
Aotearoa Media Collective / RNZ / YouTube
New Zealand On Air Best Children’s Programme
First Place
Eileen Lee & Hope Papali'i
Tikilounge Productions / Coconet TV / TVNZ
Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme
Dead Ahead
Nicole Horan & Scotty Cotter
Hi Mama Productions / TVNZ+
Mata Reports
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Mihingarangi Forbes, Eugene Bingham, Natasha Vela
Aotearoa Media Collective / RNZ / YouTube
Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme
End of the Valley
Lea McLean & Richard Curtis
Miro Productions / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+
New Zealand On Air Best Pasifika Programme
Being Niuean
Natasha Panui-Morris & Shimpal Lelisi
Tikilounge Productions / Coconet TV / RNZ
First Place
Eileen Lee & Hope Papali'i
Tikilounge Productions / Coconet TV / TVNZ
Soljans Estate Winery Best Entertainment Programme
Taskmaster New Zealand Season 5
Bronwynn Bakker, Cam Bakker, Paul Williams
Kevin & Co. / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+
Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Season 2
Bronwynn Bakker, Claudine Maclean, Guy Montgomery, Cam Bakker
Kevin & Co. / Three & ThreeNow
Best Director: Documentary/Factual Series
Rachel Currie
Diary of a Junior Doctor
Storymaker / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Kathleen Mantel
Motuhaketanga
Black Iris Limited / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+
Best Director: Documentary Feature
Rick Harvie and Jane Mahoney
Maurice and I
Belmont Productions / 2024
Best Actress in a Series
Antonia Prebble Double Parked Season 2
Kevin & Co. / Three & ThreeNow
Best Editing: Documentary / Factual - Feature
Sacha Campbell Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara
The Down Low Concept / 2025
Images and Sound Best Cinematography: Feature Film
Maria Inés Manchego NZCS We Were Dangerous
Piki Films / 2024
Gin Loane
The Convert
Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024
Best Contribution to a Soundtrack: Series
Envy Studios
Badjelly
Mukpuddy / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+
Images and Sound Best Original Score - Series
Plan 9 - Janet Roddick, Steve Roche, David Donaldson A Remarkable Place to Die
Screentime New Zealand and Real Film Berlin / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Best Post Production Design - Series
Alana Cotton - ColouristSecrets at Red Rocks
Libertine Pictures / Sky Open & NEON
Jemma Lee - Colourist
End of the Valley
Miro Productions / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+
Best Post Production Design - Feature
Alana Cotton - Colourist
Ash
GFC Films / 2024
James Gardner - Colourist
Ka Whawhai Tonu
Akeake Ltd / 2024
Best Costume Design - Series
Sarah Voon
My Life is Murder
Greenstone TV / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Best Costume Design - Feature
Liz McGregor The Convert
Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024
Australian Writers’ Guild Authorship Collecting Society Best Script: Series
Victoria Boult
n00b
Great Southern Television / Three & ThreeNow
Richard J Curtis & Lea Mclean
End of the Valley
Miro Productions / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+
New Zealand Writers Guild Best Script: Feature
Christine Jeffs
A Mistake
GFC Films / 2024