New Zealand’s screen industry came together to celebrate its brightest achievements at the 2025 New Zealand Screen Awards.
The awards ceremony took place at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland, and the red-carpet event was hosted by comedian Pax Assadi, whose trademark wit kept guests entertained throughout the evening.
The late Lee Tamahori’s historical drama The Convert was the standout winner, securing five major honours across the evening. The film received recognition for the Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand Best Director: Drama Feature, Images and Sound Best Cinematography: Feature, Best Production Design: Feature, Best Costume Design: Feature and Best Makeup Design: Feature.
The Best Director: Feature award was accepted by The Convert producers Robin Scholes and Te Kohe Tuhaka on behalf of Lee Tamahori and his whanau, acknowledging his extraordinary vision and lasting contribution to New Zealand cinema.
Taking out the award for New Zealand Film Commission’s Best Feature Film was Ka Whawhai Tonu, the critically acclaimed film about a young Māori girl who guides her people into a brutal battle against colonial British forces in 1864. The film was also awarded a trophy for Images and Sound Best Original Score: Feature.
In television, The Gone (S2), the gripping crime drama produced by Kingfisher Films / Keeper Pictures and Southern Light Films for TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, led the series categories with four prestigious awards.
Among these were the New Zealand On Air Best Drama Series and Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama Series. The series’ success follows that of the show’s first season, which claimed five awards at the 2023 New Zealand Television Awards.
TVNZ’s 1 News took home the 2025 award for Best News Coverage for its exceptional reportage of the Kiingitanga Tangihanga, while Great Southern TV’s The Hui was named Best Current Affairs Programme. TVNZ also celebrated individual achievements, with Indira Stewart receiving the Reporter of the Year award and John Campbell recognised as Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs.
Continuing in the programming categories, Homesteads (S2), produced by Te Imurangi Limited for Whakaata Māori and MĀORI+, was awarded the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme, with Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne recognised for her work on the series.
The Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme was awarded to Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey 2, a Mairanga Media production for RNZ. The win celebrates the work of Kereama Wright, Mahanga Pihama, Riria Morgan, Arthur Rasmussen and Matua Houltham, whose storytelling and commitment to te reo Māori were central to the documentary’s success.
Double Parked (S2) enjoyed a standout night in the series acting categories, with Antonia Prebble winning Best Actress in a Series and Kura Forrester receiving Best Supporting Actress in a Series. The series, produced by Kevin & Co. for Three and ThreeNow.
Feature film Tinā dominated the women’s feature acting categories, with Anapela Polata’ivao winning the Equity New Zealand Best Actress in a Feature award and Antonia Eaton receiving Best Supporting Actress in a Feature.
In other categories, Stephen Lovatt was named Best Actor in a Series for his role in New Zealand’s longest-running drama series Shortland Street, produced by South Pacific Pictures for TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+, and Peter Hambleton won Best Supporting Actor in a Series for his performance in the popular musical comedy series Happiness, produced by Greenstone TV for Three and ThreeNow.
The Rule of Jenny Pen claimed both men’s feature acting awards, with John Lithgow winning Best Actor in a Feature and George Henare receiving Best Supporting Actor in a Feature.
The only publicly voted award, Screen Personality of the Year, went to TVNZ’s Te Karere host Scotty Morrison, while previously announced internationally acclaimed actor Sir Sam Neill, KNZM OBE received a standing ovation as he was presented the 2025 Screen Legend Award, acknowledging his remarkable contribution to film and television both in New Zealand and abroad.
Of this year’s 56 judged categories and one publicly voted award, content screened on TVNZ channels took home 19 awards, while programmes on Three and ThreeNow collected five. Whakaata Māori secured four category wins matched by SKY with four awards. Content screened on Stuff, RNZ and The Spinoff also each claimed a win.
This year’s results highlighted the impact of public investment in local storytelling, with NZ On Air-funded programmes securing 26 awards, including content supported in partnership with Te Māngai Pāho and the New Zealand Film Commission.
Te Māngai Pāho also provided direct support, with eight awards across six funded productions, and the New Zealand Film Commission further underscored its importance to the sector, having supported all but one of the films recognised at the awards.
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