Ngā Whanaunga Aotearoa: New Zealand's Best 2026 | Programme One 

Since 2012, the Wairoa Māori Film Festival and Pollywood have been part of NZIFF, curating the annual Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika short film programme. The name “Ngā Whanaunga" was gifted by Huia Kaporangi Koziol, who described it as meaning relatedness and connectedness between peoples. Māori are part of the great Pasifika whānau; our Polynesian peoples journeyed on the same waka from Hawaiiki, and are related by culture, language and blood and in wairuatanga (soulfulness) across our vast sea Moana-nui-a-kiwa. From the beginning, screening Māori works alongside Pasifika was symbolic of whānaungatanga and connectedness.  

Now in its second year as a combined programme, Ngā Whanaunga: Aotearoa New Zealand’s Best presents the very best of Māori and Pasifika filmmaking alongside the best films made by everyone in Aotearoa. Wairoa Māori Film Festival founder Leo Koziol (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rakaipaaka) and Pollywood Film Festival founder Craig Fasi (Niue) continue their role in short film programming, focusing their lens upon Ngā Whanaunga: Aotearoa New Zealand’s Best 2026 indigenous talent in their role as co-curators. Artistic Director Paolo Bertolin, Senior Programmer Carmen Gray, Programmer Heperi Mita (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāi te Rangi) and Programme Advisor Madison Marshall round out the selection committee.   

A total of 130 films were submitted for this year’s competition, with 14 finalists chosen by the selectors. A jury of three will select the winner of the $5000 Umbrella Best Short Film Award, the $4000 Auckland Live Spirit of the Civic Award and the $2000 Park Road Post Award for Māori Pasifika Talent. The jury awards will be presented following the Wellington screenings on 16 August. The winner of the audience vote takes away the coveted Audience Award, consisting of 25% of the box office from NZIFF screenings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.