Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival is pleased to announce the winners of New Zealand’s Best and Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts awards for 2024.

The five finalists for New Zealand’s Best were selected by Guest Selector Gerard Johnstone and the six finalists for Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts were selected by curators Leo Koziol (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rakaipaaka) and Craig Fasi (Niue), as announced earlier this year.

The New Zealand’s Best 2024 jury awards were decided by the three-person jury of film producer Philippa Campbell, filmmaker Judah Finnigan and film critic Liam Maguren and were presented following the Auckland screening at ASB Waterfront Theatre, as part of the festival’s Aotearoa Film Focus Weekend on Sunday 18 August.

The New Zealand’s Best 2024 award winners are:

The NZIFF Patrons Award for Best Film and the $7500 cash prize: Director Vea Mafile’o for the film Lea Tupu’anga/Mother Tongue

The Auckland Live Spirit of The Civic Award and $4000 cash prize: Awanui Simich-Pene for the film First Horse.
A previous recipient of this prestigious award is director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, whose debut feature We Were Dangerous opened the festival this year.

The Creative New Zealand Emerging Talent Award and cash prize of $4000: Tom Furniss for the film Rochelle.

Vea Mafile’o and Awanui Simich-Pene are currently both attending the Accelerator Lab at Melbourne International Film Festival.

Lea Tupu’anga/Mother Tongue director Vea Mafile’o says, “I feel incredibly honored and proud to receive such a prestigious award, especially on the eve of Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week. This film represents the different cultural journeys we are all on. There are many paths and different experiences. Everyone's cultural identity and sense of belonging looks different. But it’s what you feel in your heart that counts the most. This is loto-māfana.”

Previously announced was the jury award winners for Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts as judged by the three-person jury, filmmakers Hiona Henare and Mīria George, and Wellington artist Suzanne Tamaki.

The Wellington UNESCO City of Film award for Best Film was jointly awarded to directors Alex Liu (The Red Room) and Veialu Aila - Unsworth (Butterfly/Bataplai). The announcement was made at a ceremony at The Roxy Cinema in Wellington on Saturday 3 August. 

Filmmaker Alex Liu said:

“It’s such a pleasure to share the Best Film award with another talented filmmaker. Receiving it is further encouragement that I should continue to tell the stories that are important to me.

Filmmaking is hard mahi, and at times it can be tempting to throw in the towel and get a real 9-5, so to have your hard work received warmly is the best motivation to keep honing the craft and pushing forward.”

The audience awards for New Zealand’s Best 2024 and Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts as voted by audience members in Auckland and Wellington were awarded at the NZIFF 2024 Auckland Closing Night on Sunday 18 August.

The Panavision Audience Award for New Zealand’s Best 2024 went to Tom Furniss, for the film, Rochelle. The award comprises $5000 credit for Panavision equipment hire and 25% of the box office from festival screenings of New Zealand’s Best 2024 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. 

The Letterboxd Audience Award, and cash prize of $1000, for Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts was awarded to Chatterbox, directed by Tainui Tukiwaho.

New Zealand’s Best and Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts finalists still have screenings in the following centres.

New Zealand’s Best: Ahuriri Napier, 24 August; Kirikiriroa Hamilton, 24 August; Tauranga-Moana Tauranga, 24 August; Ōtautahi Christchurch, 25 & 28 August; Ngāmotu New Plymouth, 1 September; Whakaoriori Masterton, 1 September.

Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts: Whakatū Nelson, 24 August; Ōtepoti Dunedin, 24 August; Ngāmotu New Plymouth, 24 September; Whakaoriori Masterton, 24 September; Ahuriri Napier, 31 August; Kirikiriroa Hamilton, 31 August.