New Zealand Film Commission News

The New Zealand Film Commission’s Annual Report 2019-20 
was tabled in Parliament on 27 January.

The New Zealand Film Commission acknowledges the passing of actor Peter Vere-Jones ONZM.

In a long and varied career across six decades, Peter Vere-Jones’s career spanned theatre, film and television.

The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) joins the New Zealand film, and wider arts community in sadly acknowledging the passing of Bill Sheat, the organisation’s inaugural Chair.

The Black List and the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) are excited to announce the joint creation of a new fund and script development workshop, the Black List New Zealand Project (BLNZP).

To mark the end of a successful and challenging year, we are sharing our international reel showcasing some of New Zealand’s fine film, TV and PDV work. Enjoy!

Coming Home in the Dark will have its World Premiere in the Midnight section of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.

Join CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Development and Production Leanne Saunders, Head of Marketing Jasmin McSweeney and Moderator Molly Littlejohn for a live webinar on Wednesday 16 December.

The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Hon Carmel Sepuloni launched the Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund over the weekend, making $50 million available in a unique opportunity for the screen sector to tell New

New Zealand Film Commission and Script to Screen take great pleasure in announcing the 18 projects and teams who have been shortlisted for Kōpere Hou - Fresh Shorts 2020.

Production has commenced in Auckland for Punch, a new local feature film starring British actor and Oscar-nominee Tim Roth (The Hateful Eight, Rob Roy, Pulp Fiction, Tin Star), alongside local actors Jordan Oosterhof (

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) is mourning the loss of an industry stalwart, long-time New Zealand International Film Festival director, Bill Gosden, and pleased to confirm on behalf of his whānau that Bill’s

This Town will have its international premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, one of Northern Europe’s largest film festivals.  The film will screen In Competition in the ‘Rebels with a Cause’ section which fe

On Wednesday 28 October the NZFC, NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho held a live webinar to give an update on the Premium Production for International Audience Fund (PKA the $50M premium drama fund).

387 Distribution is excited to release the first trailer for local feature film Dawn Raid ahead of its nationwide release on January 21, 2021.

Please join the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air and Te Māngai Pāho for a live webinar on Wednesday 28 October at 5pm for an update on the Premium Production for International Audience Fund (PKA the $50M premium drama fund).

Fans will have the chance to buy exclusive tickets to join New Zealand’s biggest band at the Auckland and Dunedin premieres, before its nationwide release.

Jake Mahaffy’s Reunion will have its world premiere in the newly formed Nightstream Film Festival, an online collaboration between major US genre festivals Boston Underground, Brooklyn Horror, North Bend, Overlook, and Popcorn Frig

Savage has taken over one million dollars at the New Zealand box office in its third weekend of release and remains in the number one position on the charts. 

Sam Kelly’s debut feature, Savage, has taken the top spot at the New Zealand box office, from Christopher Nolan’s big-budget Tenet.

Walt Disney’s Mulan, New Zealand Director Niki Caro’s latest masterpiece, will release globally tonight (7pm Friday 4 September 2020).

Karanga mai i tēnei wā a Rangitukia parihā

Ki tēnei maunga Hikurangi tangata

Ki tēnei uri o Maui nukurau

Kaikinikini te ngakau mou

E te tuhi mareikura, Kōkā Keri

On Thursday 20 August the NZFC hosted its 4th live Q & A event on the recently launched Screen Production Recovery Fund and the four key areas of support to be offered by the new Capability funding.

Join the New Zealand Film Commission's Head of Development and Production Leanne Saunders and Head of Talent Development Dale Corlett with other key Leadership Team members for a live webinar on Thursday 20 August at 5pm.

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) is looking to recruit an experienced co-ordinator on a fixed term contract to the end of 2021.   This position is full time and will be based in our Wellington office.

The guidelines for the $13.4M Screen Production Recovery Fund are available now.

You will find them here.

This Town, which opened in 114 New Zealand cinemas on Thursday 6 August, is number one at the box office following its opening weekend.

Kiel McNaughton’s debut feature, The Legend of Baron To’a, has been acquired by US distributor, Gravitas Ventures who will release the film in North American cinemas and on demand from November 2020.

The NZFC has up to 30 scholarships available to attend the Big Screen Symposium in Auckland on 9 -10 October 2020.

The trailer for new local feature film Savage has been released today ahead of its nationwide general release on August 27.

Fifteen filmmakers have been matched with experienced New Zealand filmmakers in the inaugural round of Hunga Taunaki ā Rorohiko, the New Zealand Film Commission’s (NZFC) new online mentorship programme.  Hunga Taunaki ā Rorohiko refers

The trailer for Aotearoa’s newest comedy crime caper Lowdown Dirty Criminals has today been released ahead of its nationwide theatrical release on August 20.