The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) New Zealand’s Best short film competition will now have a combined prize pool of over $14,500 with the addition of a cinematography prize in 2014.

The inaugural Allen Guilford Cinematography Award has been initiated in honour of the late Allen Guilford by the New Zealand Cinematographers Society (NZCS). The prize will include a cash prize of $2,000, a unique crafted and engraved Pan Glass, and a one year membership to NZCS.

The Award is the latest addition to NZIFF’s only competition strand. The Madman Entertainment Jury Prize, a cash prize of $5,000 for the Best New Zealand Short Film, The Friends of the Civic Short Film Award for distinctive creative achievement, a cash prize of $3,000 and the Audience Award, 25% of the net box office takings from the screenings in the four main centres (in 2013 valued at $4,500), will also be awarded at the closing night of NZIFF in Auckland. In 2014 the combined prize pool for NZ’s Best short film competition will be approximately $14,500.

NZCS will provide a three member jury to judge the award-winning short film. The Allen Guilford Cinematography Award will be presented by the NZCS president Richard Bluck at the closing night of the Auckland leg of NZIFF, Saturday 2 August. 

NZ’s Best Selection

NZIFF programmers Bill Gosden and Michael McDonnell will shortlist the NZ short films for a guest selector. An announcement regarding the guest selector will be made later in April. Acclaimed filmmakers Roger Donaldson and Alison Maclean have previously guest selected the NZ’s Best short films.