The Wairoa Maori Film Festival ran in its traditional Queens Birthday Weekend slot, presenting its awards on Saturday evening.
Todd Karehana’s The Spectacular Imagination of the Pohara Brothers (pictured, top) took two awards, becoming the evening’s only multiple award winner. Among other titles collecting gongs was Ursula Grace Williams’ The King, now named as one of the six finalists for this year’s NZ’s Best competition at the NZIFF.
Winners of the Audience Awards will be announced later.
The 2016 winners of the Wairoa Maori Film festival awards were:
T-Tahiti Prize for Best Maori Themed Film Work
Todd Karehana, The Spectacular Imagination of the Pohara Brothers
Girl Viking / Stark Studios Prize for Best Writing in a Scripted Short Film
Todd Karehana, The Spectacular Imagination of the Pohara Brothers
RESET / Stark Studios Prize for Best Use of Music in a Short Film
Jason Taylor, The Turning Tide
White Horse / Stark Studios Prize for Emerging Maori Director
Robert George, Smiths Ave
Bright Sunday Prize for Emerging Pasifika Director
Ursula Grace Williams, The King
Indigenous Grandmothers Te Reo Maori Award
Kararaina Rangihau, Ukaipo Whenua
Te Wairoa Award for Media Leadership
Kiri Gilbert, Bronson Wharehinga and Zach Stark
International Indigenous Award for Global Film Making
Temuera Morrison and Tiaraini Drollet Le Caill, The Lost Pearl
Mana Wairoa Grand Award for Advancement of Indigenous Rights
Jenny Fraser, Solid Sisters
WIFT Wairoa Mana Wahine Award
Nancy Brunning and Rachel House