The New Zealand film industry is booming with film production pumping $1.4 billion into the economy, so imagine a world in which this country doesn’t have an annual film awards – a frightening thought. That was the prospect this year after the Screen Director’s Guild of New Zealand (SDGNZ) had to pull out (due to funding and other issues) of the Aotearoa Film and Television Awards (AFTA) – ‘get the F out’ as it were (yes WWE, I did pinch that line from you).
Donning the equivalent of a Superman cape (probably his baseball cap) the legendary Ant Timpson has come to Godzone’s rescue and together with Hugh Sundae, nzherald.co.nz’s online entertainment editor, has created the The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards. “…we couldn’t afford a lawyer to work out whether we could call them the Official Awards or not” explains the sorta official website.
What started as a joke on Facebook between Timpson and Sundae is now likely to be the most entertaining film awards shows we have ever seen. Timpson told nzherald.co.nz the festivities would include “…some awards, amusing acceptance speeches, and, of course, free drinks”.
The awards themselves are being called ‘The Moas’, “named in honour of something extinct” – a nice touch. The website continues, “The Moas are being put together by a few folks who genuinely think it’d be kind of embarrassing to not have some sort of celebration recognising what’s been achieved in film the past year or so.” And rightly so. There have been some brilliant Kiwi films recently: Good For Nothing, How to Meet Girls from a Distance, The Last Dogs of Winter, How Far is Heaven… to name a few.
So pencil December 4 into your diary now, and make it along to the Wintergarden at the Civic in Auckland for what should be a brilliant night. Tickets go on sale November 6. If you can’t make it, you can always watch the awards streamed live on nzherald.co.nz
For more info about The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards go to nzfilmawards.co.nz.
Filmmakers can submit their work between September 10 & September 30. Click here for eligibility requirements and cost.
Here are the award categories:
Feature Film
Best Film
Best Self-Funded Film
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Editor
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Score
Best Sound
Best Production Design
Best Makeup Design
Best Costume Design
Best Visual Effects
Short Film
Best Short
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Self-Funded Short
Best Cinematography
Best Script
Documentary Film
Best Documentary
Best Director
Best Cinematography
.
Will you be watching online or will you be there (not just for the free drinks!)? Thoughts on possible nominees?
