Browse through our latest news or go back through our archives.

  • NZ's Best Short Film winners announced at NZIFF

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Mon 7 Aug 2017

    Congratulations to the winners of the sixth annual New Zealand’s Best Short Film competition. The winning shorts were announced on stage at the Civic Theatre in Auckland on Saturday night.

  • Human Traces selected for Melbourne International Film Festival

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Tue 18 Jul 2017

    Nic Gorman’s debut feature film, Human Traces, will screen at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August.  This will follow the film’s world premiere at the New Zealand International Film Festival in Christchurch on 4 August.

  • My Year With Helen sells out in one day

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Fri 7 Jul 2017

    My Year With Helen is the first film to sell out a session in the NZ International Film Festival. The film’s first Wellington session on July 30 at the Embassy Theatre sold out on the first day of ticket sales yesterday.

  • Women's Horror Short Film Fund - announcement of successful applicants

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Wed 5 Jul 2017

    The New Zealand Film Commission is pleased to announce the successful applicants for the Women’s Horror Short Film Fund who will each receive a grant of $60,000 to make their films.

  • Ramai Hayward Wahine Māori Directors' Scholarship recipients announced

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Sat 1 Jul 2017

    The New Zealand Film Commission  (NZFC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Ramai Hayward Directors' Scholarship for wahine Māori.

  • Film Commission appointments announced

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Fri 30 Jun 2017

    Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry has announced two new appointments to the New Zealand Film Commission Board.

  • First look At The Changeover

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Wed 28 Jun 2017
    The spine-tingling debut trailer for the supernatural young adult film The Changeover has been released today as well as the confirmation the film will hit Kiwi cinemas on 28 September 2017.  
  • New Zealand Film Commission CEO to step down

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Tue 20 Jun 2017

    New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) Chair, Kerry Prendergast, announced today that CEO Dave Gibson would step down from the role at the beginning of next year, after four years leading the agency.

  • Interactive Development Fund announcement

    Funding Decisions News
    Issue date: 
    Fri 16 Jun 2017

    We are excited to announce the successful applicants for this year’s piloted Interactive Development Fund.

  • More titles announced for NZIFF

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Thu 15 Jun 2017

    Four New Zealand feature-length films and the festival’s first-ever long form television series have been announced today for the New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF).

  • NZFC Online Application Portal - user account registration open

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Mon 12 Jun 2017

    Kia Ora,

    As you may know, the NZFC is moving its funding application process online. We are piloting the process with the next round of Fresh Shorts funding on June 26th.

  • Gaylene Preston to be guest selector for NZ shorts at NZIFF

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Fri 26 May 2017

    Wellington filmmaker Gaylene Preston will be the Guest Selector for the New Zealand International Film Festival’s (NZIFF) only competition strand, the New Zealand’s Best short film competition.

  • Fresh Shorts online application announcement

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Fri 19 May 2017

    We're pleased to announce the launch of a new Fresh Shorts online application system for the next round in 2017. This will make it easier for applicants to enter their work and allow speedier communication between the NZFC and applicants.

  • Over $300M for New Zealand screen industry

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Fri 12 May 2017

    Budget 2017 will see $305.94 million allocated to support the New Zealand screen industry, both globally and domestically, say Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry.

  • First films announced for NZIFF 2017

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Thu 11 May 2017

    The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) has announced its first eight titles for the 2017 Festival and three of them are New Zealand documentaries.

  • Latin American roadshow of New Zealand films launches

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Wed 10 May 2017

    Nine New Zealand feature films and eight shorts have winged their way to Latin America to take part in a travelling roadshow through eleven cities in seven countries.

  • March 2017 Board meeting

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Fri 21 Apr 2017

    At the March 2017 Board meeting, the Board approved changes to several NZFC funds.

  • Results of Fresh Shorts funding round November 2016

    Funding Decisions News
    Issue date: 
    Thu 20 Apr 2017

    Seven films have been offered funding in the November Fresh Shorts round, three at the $10,000 level, and four at the $30,000.

  • Screen Industry Survey 2015/2016

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Wed 12 Apr 2017

    It’s good news for the screen industry according to Statistics New Zealand’s annual Screen Industry Survey.

  • Farewell John Clarke

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Tue 11 Apr 2017

    The NZFC and the New Zealand screen industry are shocked and saddened to hear that comedian, writer and performer John Clarke has passed away.

  • Upgraded Seed Grants scheme for screenwriters

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Mon 10 Apr 2017

    The New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG) and the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) are excited to announce an additional pathway for New Zealand writers under the highly successful NZWG Seed programme for new creative projects.

  • Canterbury film comes home to roost

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Wed 5 Apr 2017

    Christchurch will host the New Zealand premiere of Pecking Order as part of NZIFF’s Autumn Events film screenings in May.

  • The Breaker Upperers begins principal photography

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Mon 3 Apr 2017

    Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami’s comedy feature film, The Breaker Upperers has today begun principal photography in Auckland.

  • Gary of the Pacific to screen at Hawaii International Film Festival's Spring Showcase

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Mon 3 Apr 2017

    Gary of the Pacific will have its international premiere this week in the Hawaii International Film Festival’s Spring Showcase.

  • Wellington’s Ghost in the Shell transformation

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Thu 30 Mar 2017

    Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures Ghost in the Shell has premiered in New York, showcasing another side of New Zealand’s world renowned screen industry: urban Wellington. 

  • RIP Nigel Hutchinson

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Mon 27 Mar 2017

    With great sadness the NZFC and the New Zealand screen industry bids farewell to director and producer Nigel Hutchinson.

  • Iconic Ghost in the Shell set piece now on public display in Wellington

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Thu 23 Mar 2017

    In the lead-up to Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures’ Ghost in the Shell U.S.

  • Three New Zealand films to screen at Hot Docs

    Media Release
    Issue date: 
    Thu 23 Mar 2017

    Three New Zealand films will screen at Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary film festival.

  • Wellington’s Ghost in the Shell transformation

    International Production News
    Issue date: 
    Thu 16 Mar 2017

    Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures Ghost in the Shell has premiered in New York, showcasing another side of New Zealand’s world renowned screen industry: urban Wellington. 

  • Iconic Ghost in the Shell set piece now on public display in Wellington

    International Production News
    Issue date: 
    Thu 16 Mar 2017

    In the lead-up to Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures’ Ghost in the Shell U.S.

  • Vertical Entertainment acquires 6 DAYS for North America; XYZ Films sells out for the world

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Tue 14 Mar 2017

    Los Angeles, March 13, 2017 – Toa Fraser’s thriller 6 Days, starring Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish, and Mark Strong, has been acquired by Vertical Entertainment for North American rights with a target U.S.

  • New box office research available

    News and Updates
    Issue date: 
    Wed 8 Mar 2017

    Two new publications by the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) show 2016 was a phenomenal year for New Zealand films.