On Saturday, 13 August, the Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts film competition award, The Wellington UNESCO City of Film Award for Best Film ($3000 cash prize), was awarded to Alex Liu for his film Smog.
The award was presented to Liu at The Roxy Cinema, following a screening of the competition’s six finalists’ films. The competition was judged by a three-member jury featuring broadcaster Claudette Hauiti, screenplay writer Tere Harrison and Māoriland producer Matilda Poase.
The jury also awarded a Special Mention to the film A Morning with Aroha, directed and written by Nicholas Riini.
In addition to Liu and Riini, Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts film competition’s 2022 finalists are Karin Williams (Burning of the Gods), Morag Brownlie (Perfect Storm), Jade Jackson (Raids), and Tajim Mohammed-Kapa (The Difference Between Pipi & Pūpū).
The Aotearoa and Pacific filmmaker’s films were selected by Ngā Whanaunga Programmers, Director of the Wairoa Māori Film Festival Leo Koziol (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rakaipaaka) and Director of the Pollywood Film Festival, Craig Fasi, and will screen in all NZIFF’s 2022 centres throughout the festival.
The Letterboxd Audience Award (a cash prize of $1000), as voted by audiences at the Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts screenings in Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Whanganui-a-Tara, was awarded to Tajim Mohammed-Kap's The Difference Between Pipi & Pūpū) at NZIFF’s closing night in Wellington, on Sunday 14 August.
New Zealand Films at Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival are proudly supported by Resene.
