In 2020, Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts will, for the first time, be recognised as a competitive section in the Festival.

Festival Director Marten Rabarts says: “Extraordinary short films have so often announced the arrival of our new cinematic voices including Jane Campion, Taika Waititi, Alison McLean, Niki Caro, Katie Wolfe, Sima Urale and so many others, that curating our shorts programmes feels like opening a window on the future of cinema in New Zealand and the Pacific. This years’ short films confirm that future is in very good hands indeed.” 

The finalists in New Zealand’s Best will compete for three prizes with winners of the two Jury Prizes to be announced at an in-cinema screening of the short films in Auckland on Saturday 25 July. The winner of the Audience Award will be announced at the close of the Festival on Sunday 2 August.

The six finalists are Daddy’s Girl (Kōtiro) (director Cian Elyse White), Daniel (director: Claire Van Beek), Love is Real! (director: Calvin Sang), Oranges and Lemons (director: Robyn Grace), Pain (director: Anna Duckworth), and Safety Net (director: Anthea Williams).

“Overall, these films illustrate and reveal a range of human experiences and emotions,” Guest Selector Tusi Tamasese said. “They all had characters and stories I felt were different, unique and entrancing, and that I connected with because they explored aspects of humanity from interesting perspectives. From trapped minds and bodies to how people choose to live with the consequences of their choices, they deal with defining moments that weren’t always predictable.”

The New Zealand’s Best competition films will premiere in cinemas with screenings at ASB Waterfront Theatre in Auckland on Saturday 25 July and at the Roxy Cinema in Wellington on Sunday 26 July with the online premiere to follow on Sunday 26 July. The films will then be available for online rental from Monday 27 July until Saturday 1 August.

A jury will decide the winners of the New Zealand’s Best two main prizes – the Creative New Zealand Best Short Film Award and the Madman Entertainment Emerging Talent Award. These awards will be presented at the in-cinema screening at ASB Waterfront Theatre in Auckland.

The Creative New Zealand Best Short Film Award is a cash prize of $4000. The Madman Entertainment Emerging Talent Award is a cash prize of $2000 and recognises a fresh voice: film-making that gives life to stories of those less often represented in film, or that speaks to new or existing audiences in different ways.

Audiences at the Auckland and Wellington screenings, and those who view the films online, will be able to vote for their favourite short and the Audience Award winner will receive 25% share of the box office takings from the New Zealand’s Best screenings online.

Guest selector Tusi Tamasese selected the six finalists from a shortlist of 12. Festival Director Marten Rabarts, Head of Programming Michael McDonnell, and Paris-based Programmer Sandra Reid viewed 78 submissions to prepare the shortlist.

Read about the six finalists in New Zealand's Best Short Films Competition here