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Trailer Released for New Kiwi Comedy Lowdown Dirty Criminals
NewsIssue date: 14 Jul 2020The trailer for Aotearoa’s newest comedy crime caper Lowdown Dirty Criminals has today been released ahead of its nationwide theatrical release on August 20. Directed by Paul Murphy (Second Hand Wedding, Love Birds), the film features an all...
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Live Webinar on Screen Sector Recovery Package
NewsIssue date: 10 Jul 2020On Wednesday 8 July the NZFC held a live webinar outlining the Government's Screen Sector Recovery Package which was announced on 1 July. The panelists were NZFC CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Development and Production Leanne Saunders, Head of...
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Trailer Released For New Heartfelt Comedy 'Baby Done' Starring Rose Matafeo And Matthew Lewis
NewsIssue date: 7 Jul 2020The trailer for local comedy film Baby Done has today been unveiled ahead of its nationwide general release in October. From the production house behind Kiwi box office hits The Breaker Upperers and Hunt for the...
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Live Webinar with NZFC - Wednesday 8 July
NewsIssue date: 6 Jul 2020Join New Zealand Film Commission CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Development and Production Leanne Saunders, Head of Talent Development Dale Corlett and Head of Incentives Catherine Bates for a live webinar on Wednesday 8 July at 5pm. The panel will...
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Screen Sector Recovery Package Announced
NewsIssue date: 1 Jul 2020The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) welcomes the Screen Sector Recovery Package announced today by Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Carmel Sepuloni. The package managed by the NZFC totals $15.4m of capacity funding and production support. The...
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New Zealand Documentaries Selected for Cannes Docs
NewsIssue date: 11 Jun 2020Four New Zealand documentaries will participate in this years Cannes Docs line-up. Running June 22 – 26 as part of the Marché du Film Online, Cannes Docs showcases curated selections of docs-in-progress in post-production aiming to hit the film circuit...
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Extension to Publication of 2020/21 Statement of Performance Expectations
NewsIssue date: 18 Jun 2020Under the 30 April 2020 amendment to the Crown Entities Act (2004), the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) has requested and been granted a one-month extension to the publication of its 2020/21 Statement of Performance Expectations (SPE). This extension...
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2020 Gender Scholarship Announcement
NewsIssue date: 16 Jun 2020Five women comedy creators have been announced as this year’s New Zealand Film Commission 2020 Gender Scholarship recipients. Under the patronage of Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, the scholarships are awarded to: • Producer Abba Rose Dinah Vaiaoga-...
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First Kiwi Film To Return To NZ Cinemas, 'This Town' Starring Robyn Malcolm, Rima Te Wiata
NewsIssue date: 11 Jun 2020Kiwi movie This Town has today been announced as the very first local movie to be released in cinemas after the three month closure of the country’s movie theatres due to Covid-19. The film was originally planned for release in April 2020, but...
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Advisory #1 Regarding the COVID-19 Situation
NewsIssue date: 17 Mar 2020As the COVID-19 virus continues to create uncertainty for us all, we at the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) would like to update you on the measures we are taking to manage as much as possible the impact the pandemic is having on our industry. ...
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Advisory #2 COVID-19 Pandemic as it Affects Production
NewsIssue date: 23 Mar 2020Today the New Zealand Government has announced the country is now at COVID-19 Alert level 3 with an upgrade to level 4 at midnight Wednesday, 25 March 2020. Level 4 is expected to continue for a minimum of 4 weeks. Level 4 means people are instructed to...
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Advisory #3 NZFC Extends Business Support Funding To $1 Million (Plus Confirms Development Funding of $750k+ From Ongoing Programmes)
NewsIssue date: 7 Apr 2020As we enter week two of the lockdown, we do hope you are all safe and well. From our conversations with many of you over the last few weeks we are acutely aware of the challenges everyone is facing at this time. We know COVID-19 has significantly...
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Advisory # 4 Introduced by NZFC Chair, Dame Kerry Prendergast and the Board of the NZFC
NewsIssue date: 1 May 2020The Board are very aware of the significant losses and hardships experienced by the screen sector at this time. COVID-19 shut down 47 New Zealand productions when the global pandemic required the Government to move New Zealand into Alert Level 4. These...
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New Zealand Film Commission Awards $1.2 Million to New Zealand Film Businesses
NewsIssue date: 3 Jun 2020The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) announced today that over $1.2million has been awarded to 33 companies, through its business and slate development schemes BOOST, BOOST UP and He Ara. Making the announcement, NZFC CEO Annabelle Sheehan said that a...
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Funding Announcement – Catalyst He Kauahi Round March 2020
NewsIssue date: 11 May 2020Catalyst He Kauahi supports New Zealand filmmakers to progress their talents to the next stage and make exceptional, high end narrative short films that will ignite the flame and be the catalyst for change in their career. Three filmmaking teams have...
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Production Resumes on NZ Feature Film Poppy
NewsIssue date: 2 Jun 2020New Zealand feature film Poppy resumed production on Friday 29 May after responding to the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown announcement on March 23. At the time, the film was three hours into the final week of shooting. Poppy is the first local...
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Vale Bill Gavin
NewsIssue date: 29 May 2020The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) joins the New Zealand and international film community in sadly acknowledging the passing of Bill Gavin. Our thoughts are with his close family and friends and we celebrate his achievements. Bill Gavin’s long...
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Fresh Shorts Funding Announcement
NewsIssue date: 11 Feb 2020Six filmmaking teams have been offered funding in the 2019-20 Fresh Shorts round and will receive a grant of $15,000 to put toward the making of their short films. Boyo and Bunny Writer/director: Oscar Enberg Producer: Tara Riddell...
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NZFC Live Q & A 12 May
NewsIssue date: 14 May 2020On Tuesday 12 May the NZFC held its second live Q&A event with CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Marketing Jasmin McSweeney and Head of International Relations Chris Payne. Annabelle, Jasmin and Chris answered questions posed by moderator...
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New Zealand Implements Screen Sector Health and Safety Protocols
NewsIssue date: 8 May 2020The New Zealand Screen industry’s COVID-19 Health and Safety Standard and Protocols were endorsed on 7 May by New Zealand Government agency WorkSafe, laying the way clear for local production to re-start in New Zealand. Funded by the New Zealand Film...
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Tuesday 12 May - Live Q&A Event: The International Marketplace Under COVID-19
NewsIssue date: 7 May 2020Join New Zealand Film Commission CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Marketing Jasmin McSweeney and Head of International Relations Chris Payne for a live Q&A on Tuesday 12 May at 5pm. The panel will answer some general questions you might have about the...
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NZFC Q&A Event 28 April
NewsIssue date: 1 May 2020On Tuesday 28 April the NZFC held its inaugural live Q & A event with CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Development and Production Leanne Saunders and Pou Whakahaere Karen Waaka-Tibble. NZFC Live Q & A 28 April 2020...
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Live Q & A Session with NZFC
NewsIssue date: 23 Apr 2020Join New Zealand Film Commission CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Development & Production Leanne Saunders and Pou Whakahaere Karen Waaka-Tibble for a live Q&A on Tuesday 28 April, at 5pm. Annabelle, Leanne and Karen will answer any questions you...
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Boost and Boost Up Funding Guidelines Available Now
NewsIssue date: 17 Apr 2020As we mentioned in last week's Advisory, the NZFC's Boost funding round for 2020, and a new fund, Boost Up, are launching this week. Guidelines for both funds are available now and the funding portal will open to applications on Monday 20 April. The...
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NZFC Operations Continue Remotely
NewsIssue date: 26 Mar 2020In line with the New Zealand Government’s shift to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 from midnight on Wednesday 25 March 2020, the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) staff in Auckland and Wellington will be working from their homes at least for the next four weeks...
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New Zealand Film Commission CEO Confirmed With COVID-19
NewsIssue date: 25 Mar 2020The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) can confirm that CEO Annabelle Sheehan has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. Her symptoms are currently minor, and she is recovering in isolation at home in Wellington. During the three-day period in which...
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Travel Grants Programme Suspended
NewsIssue date: 12 Mar 2020This morning the World Health Organisation has made the assessment that COVID-19 coronavirus be characterised as a pandemic. Therefore, after careful consideration regarding funding of applicants to attend overseas events, the NZFC has now made the...
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Trailer Released For Film 'This Town' Starring Robyn Malcolm, Rima Te Wiata And David White
NewsIssue date: 13 Feb 2020The trailer for new Kiwi comedy This Town has today been unveiled ahead of the film’s nationwide theatrical release on 30 April 2020. Written, directed by and starring David White (Meat), This Town features Robyn...
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Catalyst He Kauahi Funding Announcement
NewsIssue date: 3 Dec 2019Catalyst He Kauahi supports New Zealand filmmakers to progress their talents to the next stage and make exceptional, high end narrative short films that will ignite the flame and be the catalyst for change in their career. Three teams have been...
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Male and Female Indigenous Talent Reach New Levels with 2020 Academy Awards Nomination
NewsIssue date: 28 Jan 2020The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) / Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga would like to congratulate Taika Waititi (Te Whānau ā Apanui) and Chelsea Winstanley (Ngāti Ranginui ) on becoming the first indigenous producers to be nominated for a Best Picture...
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Unique New Zealand Series The Dead Lands Launches
NewsIssue date: 23 Jan 2020A ground-breaking New Zealand television series launches today, Thursday 23 January 2020 to what is being described as one of the largest ever international audiences for a New Zealand television production. The Dead Lands is an eight-part series formed...
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Trailer Dropped for Action-Comedy Guns Akimbo
NewsIssue date: 16 Jan 2020The trailer for Guns Akimbo has dropped today, starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Samara Weaving (Ready or Not). The action-comedy feature film, written and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Jason Lei Howden...
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NZFC Holiday Hours
NewsIssue date: 20 Dec 2019The New Zealand Film Commission wishes all of you a very happy holiday season and all the best for the New Year. Our offices will be closed from 21 December 2019 until 6 January 2020. We look forward to seeing you again in 2020.
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Official Trailer Dropped for Action-Comedy The Legend of Baron To'a
NewsIssue date: 16 Dec 2019The official trailer for Aotearoa’s brand-new action-comedy The Legend of Baron To’a has today been released ahead of its nationwide theatrical release on 20 February 2020. The film features an all-star Pacific and Māori cast...
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Bellbird Wins at Macao International Film Festival
NewsIssue date: 11 Dec 2019Hamish Bennett, writer and director of New Zealand feature film, Bellbird, was the recipient of the Best Screenplay award at the Macao International Film Festival, last night. Currently in theatrical release in New Zealand, Bellbird has enjoyed an eight...
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R.I.P. Arthur Baysting
NewsIssue date: 4 Dec 2019The NZFC and the New Zealand entertainment industry were saddened to hear that Arthur Baysting passed away on Tuesday 3 December. A stalwart of the New Zealand arts scene, Baysting was a journalist, screenwriter, critic, songwriter, stand-up comedian,...