The New Zealand’s Best finalists will compete for a total of three prizes, with winners to be announced at the closing night event of the Auckland leg of NZIFF.

The six finalists are Do No Harm (dir: Roseanne Liang), Laundry (dir: Becs Arahanga), Thicket (dir: Julian Vares), Untitled Groping Revenge Fairy Tale (dir: Catherine Bisley), Waiting (dir: Amberley Jo Aumua), and The Dregs (dir: Matt Campbell).

“Congratulations to all the filmmakers. This collection reflects a genuinely energetic sharing of skills from the film industry at large to support storytellers with something to say. And congratulations too, to NZIFF in providing the space to showcase this talent pool to a wider audience.” says Gaylene Preston.

Audiences at the New Zealand’s Best in Auckland and Wellington will be asked to vote for their favourite. The Audience Award winner takes away 25% of the box office from the New Zealand’s Best screenings in the four main centres – in 2016 valued at over $4,000.

A jury of three will select the winner of the $5,000 Madman Entertainment Jury Prize. The participation of Sir James Wallace together with the Wallace Foundation and Wallace Productions Ltd will continue the Friends of the Civic Award. The $3,000 cash prize and a Golden Elephant trophy will be awarded to the film or contributor to a film deemed to merit special recognition by the donors of the Wallace Foundation and Wallace Media Ltd.

Guest selector and filmmaker Gaylene Preston selected the six finalists from a shortlist of 12. Festival programmers Bill Gosden and Michael McDonnell viewed 83 entries to prepare the shortlist.

For more information on the six finalists, visit the New Zealand's Best 2017 film page.

NZ films at NZIFF are proudly supported by Resene.