Rekindling Kiwi ties to India, strengthening relationships in UK and facilitating global success in Cannes
The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), recently nominated for Film Commission of the Year at the 2025 Global Production Awards, is embarking on an ambitious international trade mission in 2025 across key global markets: India, United Kingdom, and culminating at the Cannes Film Market in France. While the strategic timing for this trade mission is the culmination of months of planning, given this week’s speculation over tariffs it’s more essential than ever.
The New Zealand screen sector contributes more than $3.3 billion to the national economy and supports 24,000 jobs. NZFC CEO Annie Murray says maintaining and growing the industry requires looking beyond our borders.
“International co-productions, distribution deals and investment partnerships are crucial for getting New Zealand films made and helping them reach larger audiences around the world. The trade mission is all about facilitating this for our filmmakers, as well as promoting New Zealand as a world-class destination for international productions,” says Murray.
Cannes: An essential part of helping NZ film achieve global success
The trip culminates at Cannes Film Market - the business heart of the Cannes Film Festival - and the world's top marketplace for film financing, distribution, and co-productions.
Each year, this critical industry event facilitates US$600 million to US$1 billion worth of deals. The NZFC delegation, including more than 50 Kiwi producers, directors, distributors, financiers, festival programmers and other industry, will actively engage in hundreds of targeted meetings aimed at securing finance, sales, and distribution deals essential for the continued growth of New Zealand's film industry.
Murray says: “International funding makes up close to half of the financing of New Zealand films. The Cannes Film Market is where films secure funding and achieve global success - being part of it is essential to growing our film sector.
“The NZFC has spent decades forming deep global networks with world-leading financers, distributors, sales agents, premiere festivals and marketing experts. The Cannes Film Market is our opportunity to connect our filmmakers with the businesspeople who bring film to life and drive continuing revenue from produced work.
“The Cannes Film Market is the commercial heart of the Cannes Film Festival and is focused on the business of filmmaking as opposed to the premiering and celebration of upcoming releases. Quite simply, it’s vital for the New Zealand film industry to be in attendance to ensure our films continue to get made, seen around the world and generate revenue for New Zealand filmmakers,” adds Murray.
Filmmakers attending Cannes 2025 include:
A diverse slate of New Zealand filmmakers and producers will be represented, showcasing the country’s creative range across genres and formats. Titles include:
- Marlon Williams: Two Worlds | Ngā Ao e Rua – A music documentary following the acclaimed artist’s journey into te reo Māori.
- The Rule of Jenny Pen – thriller starring Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow following the tyranny one resident inflicts in a nursing home.
- Caterpillar - When dementia arrives and shatters their delicate balance, a dysfunctional maternal line must learn how to love - before they lose it all.
- Holy Days - A lost boy in search of heaven, three weird nuns on a mission, a car powered by God (and stolen money). This is a road trip like no other. Starring Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Jacki Weaver.
- Moss & Freud – A high-profile biopic featuring Ellie Bamber and Derek Jacobi.
- Project FiftyOne, Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant, Workmates, Mārama, and more—spanning drama, comedy, horror, and documentary.
India: Reviving and strengthening connections
On the back of the New Zealand government’s largest ever trade mission to India last month, NZFC’s first stop was in Mumbai to renew a historically significant relationship with Bollywood and the broader Indian film industry.
NZFC participated in the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), as invited guests of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
WAVES was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and featured leading lights of the Indian industry such as Shah Rukh Khan, Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, as well as major global players like Netflix Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos.
This visit further built on the participation of the NZFC’s Head of Co-Production and Incentives in NFDC Film Bazaar in Goa, India in late November 2024.
More than 100 Indian films were shot in New Zealand during the 1990s and early 2000s, creating a lasting cultural connection.
The NZFC profiled the New Zealand-India Film Co-Production Treaty (2011) to drive collaborative projects, tapping into India's dynamic film sector to support opportunities for New Zealand's production, post-production, and visual effects industries.
“India produces over 2,500 films a year, more than any other nation in the world. There is a huge opportunity for New Zealand to have more of these features made on our shores. We’ve seen firsthand how well Indian productions work here, and we’re ready to welcome more. From stunning landscapes to streamlined incentives to world-class post, VFX and talent, we have the infrastructure and capability to support major projects,” adds Murray.
United Kingdom: Strengthening existing partnerships
In London, the delegation will reconnect with UK-based producers and other industry professionals, and a vibrant community of Kiwi filmmakers, actors, financiers and executives.
“The UK has been one of New Zealand’s strongest and most enduring screen partners. This visit gives us the chance to sit down with their credentialed producers, those who know how to get films made and set on the path to achieve international success. Strengthening these connections will help open doors for a new generation of co-productions and creative exchanges,” explains Murray.
Building on longstanding ties (the UK is one of New Zealand’s 18 official co-production partners, with 30 film and TV official co-productions produced since 1993), these efforts aim to open doors for Kiwi creators in the UK market and attract UK projects to shoot and/or post-produce in New Zealand.
Reflecting on the reciprocal value of a co-production relationship, a joint statement from the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and the United Kingdom, announced both countries would modernise the existing Film and TV Co-production Treaty, to promote the growth of our world-class screen industries and bring more iconic stories to the screen.
“In a time of immense change, we are doubling down on what makes us unique – our stories, our talent, and our connections. We’re here in India, UK and France to fly the flag for Aotearoa’s storytellers, to forge deals that benefit our creators and crew back home, and to invite the world to be a part of New Zealand’s next screen industry chapter,” says Murray.
NZFC embarks on this international tour amid a wave of industry success that underscores both the creative and economic strength of its screen sector. Most notably, Tinā – a heartfelt Samoan-led local drama – has so far earned nearly $6 million at the New Zealand box office, becoming one of the top ten highest-grossing Kiwi films of all time. With more than 320,000 tickets sold and the widest release ever for a local film (128 cinemas across Australasia and the Pacific), Tinā has redefined what’s possible for domestic productions. Its success proves there is a strong appetite for authentic, diverse New Zealand storytelling.
Meanwhile, New Zealand continues to draw major international productions. A Minecraft Movie was shot entirely in New Zealand, generating over $194 million in local economic activity and creating over 1,000 jobs. With 89% of the crew made up of New Zealanders, the production demonstrated the capability and scale of the local workforce. Director Jared Hess described his experience filming in New Zealand as “one of the best production experiences of my life,” citing the quality of the crew and the diversity of locations.
Further major international releases for the rest of the year, and into 2026 include: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Megan 2, Spartacus: House of Ashur, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, East of Eden, and Heart of the Beast.
ENDS
Issued on behalf of New Zealand Film Commission by Pead
Imagery for media use, available here.