2025 NZ Screen Award Finalists

Programmes in the running for this year's Screen Awards.

2025 NZ Screen Award Finalists series and films

A man sits silhouetted on some steps leading down to the water in a cave. He glances out over the incoming waves. Yellow text reads: "BEING Niuean. 50 YEARS OF PULE FAKAMOTU."

Being Niuean

Nominated
Finalist: Best Pasifika Programme
Film
44m
On a dark-brown background, the light-brown text reads: "MATA REPORTS."

MATA Reports

Nominated
Finalist: Best Māori Programme
2 seasons/6 episodes
28m

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In a black-and-white photograph, a Māori woman speaks into a microphone in front of a crowd. Her fist is raised defiantly in the air. At the top of the image, in small yellow lettering, reads: "THE LAST NEW ZEALAND WAR HAPPENED IN 1979. IT LASTED THREE MINUTES." Below the woman, at the bottom of the image, the text reads in yellow lettering: "THE HAKA PARTY INCIDENT." Below that text is smaller, white text that reads: "A FILM BY KATIE WOLFE."
A background image made up of red orange and blue shapes. Text reads, "Shine One Katherine Mansfield" in the 'O' is a black and white photograph of Katherine Mansfield's face.
Guyon Espiner on a black background, looking at camera with logo behind him
Two men face the camera with serious but open expressions. Text reads "Context, Corin Dann and Guyon Espiner"
A man in traditional Māori dress and a full face tā moko is standing in the forest. He is holding a wooden pole object. Text reads, "NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau".
An adult person is holding a young child in their arms and hugging them. Text reads, "Blind Bitter Happiness".
The back of someone looking up at a big red firework exploding in the night sky. Text reads, "Giants Giants Giants". The last "Giants" fades into the background.
6 people are seated around a long table, four of them are wearing hi-vis tops. On the table there are little traffic cones and signs. There are two flags hanging on the wall behind them, the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the Maori flag. Orange text reads, "Hi-Vis".
A large group of people protesting, they're all holding signs. Text reads, "Hīkoi, Speaking Our Truth".
In an animated graphic, the top of a man's face is seen in front of fence, above which are a collection of native New Zealand birds. In the middle of the image, in the middle of the birds, is the text: "BIRD'S EYE VIEW 2."
Black text on a beige background, text reads "Fight for the Wild". Behind the text are three illustrations, one is of New Zealand the other is a disembodied head of a Tūī and the third is a fantail.
A sepia toned photograph laying on a table. The photograph is of a man looking over his shoulder at the camera, he is wearing headphones and sitting in from of a switch board. Text reads, "Coast Watchers Operation Pacific".
The host, Mihingarangi Forbes, smiling at the camera. Text reads, "Mata".
An older woman with grey hair is holding a ceramic bowl up and looking at it intently as she sits at a dining table. In front of her are plates, and a bowl of green apples. Text reads "Crown Lynn: A Māori Story". Above the text is a white line illustration of a tiki with an illustration of a star on either side of it.
A yellow baroque style wallpaper. A white line drawing of a house is in the bottom right corner. White handwritten text reads, "Kāinga".
A man wearing a kākahu (clothing garment) and holding a hīrau (waka paddle). Text reads, "Te Kawau ki Tai. The Story of a Waka".
A birds'-eye view of some military items sitting scattered on a desk, including a map, a hat, playing cards, and a couple of coins. The text in the middle reads "Back to Timor."
Three figures from different original images have been edited so that they're all standing next to each other and are of varying sizes. All three people are in the midst of performing. The background in a flat bright red colour. Text in the style of graffiti reads, "The Collective". A spray painted illustration of a crown appears above the 'e' in 'Collective'.
Person on purple background resting their head in their hand. Only their head and chest is visible. Purple text along bottom of image reads, "AMPLIFIED".
A Little Blue Penguin sits in a rocky landscape. Text reads "Kororā, little blue penguin".
An animated graphic of green trees and leaves in a forest, along with a red flower. The text in front reads "What Will I Be Today?"
Text reads, "House Talk" on a white brick wall background.
Piripi is wearing a shirt and a cap and looks into the camera smiling. He is leaning against the side of a vehicle. Text reads, "Oe, The Adventures of of Piripi Kaiwaru AKA Phillip! Narrated by his Mother" There is a small illustration of a truck under the text, as well as illustrations of deer horns and a kangaroo.
A black-and-white image of Joy Cowley on a swing. The text in front of her reads: "JOY, FULL & FEARLESS."