Aotearoa’s screen industry came together at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre to celebrate the 2025 New Zealand Screen Awards.
The awards honour excellence across all screen content – both television and film – and acknowledge those who have made outstanding contributions to New Zealand’s screen industry.
The ceremony was hosted by comedian Pax Assadi, whose trademark wit kept guests entertained throughout the evening.
Lee Tamahori’s legacy
The late Lee Tamahori’s historical drama The Convert was the standout winner of the night, securing five major awards.
The film received recognition for Best Director: Drama Feature, Best Cinematography: Feature, Best Production Design: Feature, Best Costume Design: Feature and Best Makeup Design: Feature.
The Best Director: Feature award was accepted by The Convert producers Robin Scholes and Te Kohe Tuhaka on behalf of Lee Tamahori and his whanau.
The New Zealand Film Commission’s Best Feature Film award went to Ka Whawhai Tonu, the critically acclaimed story of a young Māori girl who leads her people into a brutal battle against colonial British forces in 1864. The film also won Images and Sound Best Original Score: Feature.
TVNZ wins big
In television, The Gone (Season 2), the gripping crime drama produced by Kingfisher Films / Keeper Pictures and Southern Light Films for TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, led the series categories with four prestigious awards.
The wins included Best Drama Series and Best Director: Drama Series. The show’s success builds on its first season, which won five awards at the 2023 New Zealand Television Awards.
TVNZ’s 1 News took home Best News Coverage for its reporting on the Kiingitanga Tangihanga, while Great Southern TV’s The Hui was named Best Current Affairs Programme.
TVNZ also celebrated individual achievements, with Indira Stewart receiving the Reporter of the Year award and John Campbell named Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs.
Talent shines bright
In the programming categories, Homesteads (Season 2), produced by Te Imurangi Limited for Whakaata Māori and MĀORI+, won the Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme, with Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne recognised for her work on the series.
Double Parked (Season 2) won big in the series acting categories, with Antonia Prebble winning Best Actress in a Series and Kura Forrester receiving Best Supporting Actress in a Series. The series was produced by Kevin & Co. for Three and ThreeNow.
Feature film Tinā dominated the women’s feature acting categories, with Anapela Polata’ivao winning the Best Actress in a Feature award and Antonia Eaton receiving Best Supporting Actress in a Feature.
The only publicly voted award, Screen Personality of the Year, went to TVNZ’s Te Karere host Scotty Morrison. Meanwhile, internationally acclaimed actor Sir Sam Neill KNZM OBE received a standing ovation as he was presented the 2025 Screen Legend Award for his contributions to film and television in New Zealand and abroad.
Full winners list
| Award | Winner |
| New Zealand On Air Best Drama Series | The Gone Season 2 Reikura Kahi, Timothy White, Karl Zohrab, Yvonne Donohoe & Katie Holly Kingfisher Films / Keeper Pictures / Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Feature Film | Ka Whawhai Tonu Thomas Toby Parkinson & Piripi Curtis Akeake Ltd / 2024 |
| Best Short Film | Rochelle Tom Furniss & Luke Sharpe Little Horse Films / 2024 |
| Best Comedy Programme | Vince Bronwynn Bakker, Jono Pryor, Cam Bakker Kevin & Co. / Three & ThreeNow |
| Best Factual Series | Moving Houses Neil Stichbury Imagination Television Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Documentary – Series | Motuhaketanga Kathleen Mantel Black Iris Limited / Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+ |
| Best Documentary – Feature | Never Look Away Matthew Metcalfe, Tom Blackwell, Lucy Lawless GFC Films / 2024 |
| Best Reality Series | The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes Ben Bayly, Adrian Stevanon, Sam Blackley, Philip Smith and Briar Coleman Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Current Affairs Programme | The Hui Rewa Harriman, Phillip Smith, Ruwani Perera & John Boynton Great Southern Television / Stuff |
| Best Children’s Programme | First Place Eileen Lee & Hope Papali’i Tikilounge Productions / Coconet TV / TVNZ+ |
| Best Māori Programme | Homesteads Season 2 Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne Te Imurangi Limited / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+ |
| Best Reo Māori Programme | Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey 2 Kereama Wright, Mahanga Pihama, Riria Morgan, Arthur Rasmussen, Matua Houltham Mairanga Media / RNZ |
| Best Pasifika Programme | We The South: The Manukau Rovers Story Mark Malaki-Williams, Ross Karl Sky Sport |
| Best News Coverage | Kiingitanga Tangihanga Phil O’Sullivan, Laura Barnsley, Tati Urale 1News / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Sports Programme | Grit & Glory Robyn Scott-Vincent, Peter Brook Bell, Dan Salmon Attitude Pictures / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Live Event Coverage | Te Raa Nehu o te Tangihanga o te Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII Ngatapa Black & Mokotini Templeton Waikato-Tainui / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+ |
| Best Entertainment Programme | Taskmaster New Zealand Season 5 Bronwynn Bakker, Cam Bakker, Paul Williams Kevin & Co. / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Director: Documentary/Factual Series | Kathleen Mantel Motuhaketanga Black Iris Limited / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+ |
| Best Director: Documentary Feature | Katie Wolfe The Haka Party Incident Tasman Ray / RNZ / 2024 |
| Best Director: Drama Series | Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger The Gone Season 2 Kingfisher Films / Keeper Pictures / Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Director: Drama Feature | Lee Tamahori The Convert Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024 |
| Best Actress in a Series | Antonia Prebble Double Parked Season 2 Kevin & Co. / Three & ThreeNow |
| Best Actress in a Feature | Anapela Polata’ivao Tinā The Brown Factory / 2025 |
| Best Supporting Actress in a Series | Kura Forrester Double Parked Season 2 Kevin & Co. / Three & ThreeNow |
| Best Supporting Actress in a Feature | Antonia Eaton Tinā The Brown Factory / 2025 |
| Best Actor in a Series | Stephen Lovatt Shortland Street South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Actor in a Feature | John Lithgow The Rule of Jenny Pen Hyenas Rule Ltd / 2024 |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Series | Peter Hambleton Happiness Greenstone TV / Three & ThreeNow |
Best Supporting Actor in a Feature | George Henare The Rule of Jenny Pen Hyenas Rule Ltd / 2025 |
| Reporter of the Year | Indira Stewart TVNZ+ In-Depth TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Presenter: Entertainment | Brynley Stent & Kura Forrester Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club The Spinoff |
| Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs | John Campbell TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Editing: Documentary / Factual – Series | Tim Woodhouse & James Brown Choir Games Spacific Films / Sky Open & NEON |
| Best Editing: Documentary / Factual – Feature | Richard Lord Maurice and I Belmont Productions / 2024 |
| Best Editing: Drama – Series | Bryan Shaw The Gone Season 2 Kingfisher Films / Keeper Pictures / Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Editing: Drama – Feature | Chris Plummer & Martin Brinkler Joika Four Knights Film / 2024 |
| Best Camerawork: Documentary / Factual – Series | Dominic Fryer Live and Let Dai South Pacific Pictures / Three & ThreeNow |
| Best Camerawork: Documentary / Factual – Feature | Tim Flower Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua Two Worlds Monsoon Pictures International / Whakaata Māori / 2025 |
| Best Director: Multi-Camera | Marcus Kennedy 2024 Bledisloe Cup – Wellington Sky Sport |
| Best Cinematography: Drama Series | Dave Cameron NZCS ACS A Remarkable Place to Die Screentime New Zealand and Real Film Berlin / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Cinematography: Feature Film | Gin Loane The Convert Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024 |
| Best Contribution to a Soundtrack: Series | Tom Miskin, Melanie Graham, Mike Bayliss, Steve Finnigan Secrets at Red Rocks Libertine Pictures / Sky Open & NEON |
| Best Contribution to a Soundtrack: Feature | John McKay & Matthew Lambourn The Rule of Jenny Pen Hyenas Rule Ltd / 2025 |
| Best Original Score – Series | Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper The Gone Season 2 Kingfisher Films / Keeper Pictures / Southern Light Films / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Original Score – Feature | Arli Liberman & Tiki Taane Ka Whawhai Tonu Akeake Ltd / 2024 |
| Best Post Production Design – Series | Damian McDonnell – Colourist Time Bandits Piki Films / Paramount Television / Apple TV |
| Best Post Production Design – Feature | Carol Petrie, Jacob Leaf & Brenton Cumberpatch – VFX Ash GFC Films / 2024 |
| Best Production Design – Series | John Allan Under the Vines Season 3 Libertine Pictures & Perpetual Entertainment / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Production Design – Feature | Nick Williams & Guy Moana The Convert Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024 |
| Best Costume Design – Series | Sarah Voon My Life is Murder Greenstone TV / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Costume Design – Feature | Liz McGregor The Convert Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024 |
| Best Makeup Design – Series | Kevin Dufty The Brokenwood Mysteries South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Makeup Design – Feature | Gabrielle Jones The Convert Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024 |
| Best Script: Series | Tim Balme The Brokenwood Mysteries South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ |
| Best Script: Feature | Eli Kent & James Ashcroft The Rule of Jenny Pen Hyenas Rule Ltd / 2025 |
