The winners of New Zealand’s largest short film awards have been announced.
The eight Show Me Shorts awards were presented to the filmmakers behind six short films, with Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le taking home three of the coveted trophies.
Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le Director Julie Zhu was awarded the DEGANZ Best Director, the heartwarming short film also took out the Department of Post Best NZ Film, an Oscar-qualifying category. 8-year-old star actor Yan Lin shared the Toi Whakaari Best Actor award with Prabha Ravi from Anu.
Speaking about Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le, the judges said, “Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le is the type of film that balances the light and dark of the human experience splendidly. It’s a short film that is full of struggle and fight, connection and loneliness, love and hate. It is many things but, above all, it is undeniably moving and a film that will stay with the jury for some time to come.”
Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le is currently screening in cinemas across the country in the Aotearoa Te Ōhākī section of the Show Me Shorts programme, and can be streamed at Show Me Shorts On Demand. All of the award-winning short films will screen together as a package called Award Winners with upcoming sessions in Matakana, Wellington, Katikati, and Christchurch.
Here is the full list of winners:
- Department of Post Best NZ Film: Jazz dos Santos, Puteri Raja Ariff, Julie Zhu for Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le
- Cause and FX Best International Film: Khozy Rizal, John Badalu, Sue Turley for Basri & Salma In A Never Ending Comedy
- DEGANZ Best Director: Julie Zhu for Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le
- Best Screenplay: Maza White for Daughter of God
- DEGANZ Best Editor: Jeremy Leatinu’u & Ian Powell for Te Whakawhitinga
- Best Cinematographer: Marty Williams for The Ballad of Maddog Quinn
- Toi Whakaari Best Actor: Shared between Prabha Ravi for Anu and Yan Lin for Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le
- NZ on Air Best Music Video: Ian Sweeney & Johnny Gilbert for When You Went Away – The Transits
As Show Me Shorts is an Academy Awards-qualifying festival, the winners of the Department of Post Best NZ Film and Cause and FX Best International Film awards are now qualified to enter the Oscars.
In addition to the awards listed above, audience members can vote for the People’s Choice Award during the festival, by completing the survey in cinemas or at showmeshorts.co.nz
Show Me Shorts Film Festival 2023 includes 86 short films and music videos. The films are now screening at cinemas nationwide and On Demand until the end of October.
