Issue date: 
Tuesday, 19 August 2014

It is with much sadness that we acknowledge the death of Caterina De Nave on Sunday the 17th of August in Sydney. Caterina was a driving force in the New Zealand film and television industry and worked as a writer, director, producer, commissioner and script editor during her extensive career. She was a champion of New Zealand stories and will be remembered as a mentor and friend by many in the local screen industry.

Her feature film producer credits include the 1999 feature film Channelling Baby (dir. Christine Parker), and Michael Hurst’s Jubilee (2000) and as an executive producer on Peter Jackson and Costa Botes’ rule-breaking mockumentary Forgotten Silver (1995).

She was instrumental in the development of Shortland Street and her stint at TV3 as a commissioner was notable for some ground-breaking television including Outrageous Fortune. I personally enjoyed working with her on two series of The Strip and the telemovie Aftershock

In 2009, Caterina moved to Australia to take up the role of Commissioning Editor for Drama, Comedy and Entertainment at SBS. She retired earlier this year.

Caterina’s funeral will be in Sydney on Friday, 22nd August with a memorial service in Auckland on Saturday, the 30th of August.

Our thoughts are with her friends and family.

Dave Gibson
Chief Executive
New Zealand Film Commission

Last updated: 
Friday, 22 August 2014