John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush in The Rule of Jenny Pen. Photo / Stan Alley
A non-Kiwi Best Actor winner and acclaimed recognition for a late director’s final film were among the notable moments of this year’s New Zealand Screen Awards, held at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre on Friday night.
Golden-Globe winning actor John Lithgow can now add a Kiwi award to his ever-increasing trophy cabinet, after being named Best Actor in a Feature for his performance as a sinister pensioner in the NZ psychological thriller The Rule of Jenny Pen.
The film, based on the short story by NZ author Owen Marshall, was filmed in 2023 around locations in Taupō and Lower Hutt. It also starred Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush and NZ actor George Henare, who received the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Feature.
Jenny Pen also received critical acclaim for its writing and atmospheric sound, winning Best Script: Feature and Best Contribution to a Soundtrack: Feature as well.
But the biggest winner on the night was the late Lee Tamahori’s historical drama The Convert, which scored five major awards including Best Director: Drama Feature.
Tamahori, 75, died after a battle with Parkinson’s disease on November 7, and his directing award was accepted by producer and actor Te Kohe Tuhaka on behalf of Tamahori and his family.
The director was acknowledged for his “extraordinary vision and lasting contribution to NZ cinema,” with his Māori centred films such as Once Were Warriors and Mahana also putting NZ film in the international spotlight.
Taking out the award for NZ Film Commission’s Best Feature Film as well as Images and Sound Best Original Score: Feature was the Cliff Curtis and Temuera Morrison historical drama Ka Whawhai Tonu, directed by Morrison’s close friend and collaborator Mike Jonathan.
Set in 1886, it follows a young Māori girl who guides her people into battle against British forces. Most of the film’s dialogue was in te reo Māori.
Box office smash Tinā, set in the aftermath of the 2011 Canterbury quakes, continued its string of success with Anapela Polata’ivao winning the Equity NZ Best Actress in a Feature award and Antonia Eaton receiving Best Supporting Actress in a Feature.
When it came to the small screen, TVNZ thriller The Gone (S2) built on its success in 2023 when it won five NZ Screen awards, this year winning both NZ On Air Best Drama Series and Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama Series.
Shortland Street, Double Parked (S2), Happiness, Vince (starring The Hits host Jono Pryor), The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes, and Moving Houses were among some of the other TV winners.
Voted by the NZ public, the award for Screen Personality of the Year was won by TVNZ’s Te Karere host Scotty Morrison, known for his heartfelt, humorous, and honest reporting and as a champion for te reo Māori.
TVNZ’s Indira Stewart won Reporter of the Year, and screen stalwart John Campbell won Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs.
One of NZ’s greatest acting exports, Sir Sam Neill KNZM OBE, was also presented the previously announced 2025 Screen Legend Award, acknowledging his “remarkable contribution to film and television both in NZ and abroad”.
There were 56 judged categories, and one publicly voted award. Content screened on TVNZ channels took home the most awards at 19, while programmes on Three and ThreeNow collected five.
Whakaata Māori secured four category wins matched by SKY with four awards.
NZ On Air Best Drama Series
The Brokenwood Mysteries
Dead Ahead
The Gone Season 2 - WINNER
A Remarkable Place to Die
NZ Film Commission Best Feature Film
Tinā
Ka Whawhai Tonu - WINNER
We Were Dangerous
NZ Film Commission Best Short Film
First Horse
Lea Tupu’anga | Mother Tongue
Rochelle - WINNER
Best Comedy Programme
Vince - WINNER
Madam
Happiness
Best Factual Series
Hyundai Country Calendar
Moving Houses - WINNER
Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club
NZ On Air Best Documentary - Series
Motuhaketanga - WINNER
Live and Let Dai
Patrick Gower: On Ice
NZ Film Commission Best Documentary - Feature
Never Look Away - WINNER
Stylebender
Maurice and I
The Lie
Best Reality Series
The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes - WINNER
The Traitors NZ
Match Fit: Union vs League
Best Current Affairs Programme
Te Ao with Moana
The Hui - WINNER
Mata with Mihingarangi Forbes
NZ On Air Best Children’s Programme
First Place - WINNER
Secrets at Red Rocks
Kea Kids News
Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme
Māori All Blacks: Bound by Blood
Homesteads Season 2 - WINNER
Dead Ahead
Mata Reports
Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme
Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey 2 - WINNER
Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga
End of the Valley
NZ On Air Best Pasifika Programme
Being Niuean
Fight For The Pacific
We The South: The Manukau Rovers Story - WINNER
First Place
Best News Coverage
Tasman Flooding - Phil O’Sullivan, Laura Barnsley, Tati Urale (1 News / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)
America’s Cup Coverage - Lisette Reymer, Lucy Thomson, Lawrence Smith, Claire Watson, Tom Bartlett (Stuff.co.nz / ThreeNews / Three & ThreeNow)
Hikoi ki Paremata - Roihana Nuri, Ripeka Timutimu, Peata Melbourne (Aukaha News / Tahu News / Te Reo o Te Uru / Te Ao Māori News / Te Karere)
Kiingitanga Tangihanga - Phil O’Sullivan, Laura Barnsley, Tati Urale (1 News / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+) - WINNER
Best Sports Programme
Māori All Blacks: Bound by Blood - Joe Whitehead, Kimberley Hurley
Grit & Glory - Robyn Scott-Vincent, Peter Brook Bell, Dan Salmon - WINNER
We The South: The Manukau Rovers Story - Mark Malaki-Williams, Ross Karl
Best Live Event Coverage
Matariki mā Puanga 2025 - Brendon Butt (Kahawai Productions / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+ / Sky Open / RNZ / Stuff / IWI Radio / Pacifica TV)
Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga - Brendon Butt, Bailey Mackey (Pango Productions / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+ / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+)
Te Raa Nehu o te Tangihanga o te Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII - Ngatapa Black & Mokotini Templeton (Waikato-Tainui / Whakaata Māori & MĀORI+) - WINNER
Soljans Estate Winery Best Entertainment Programme
Taskmaster NZ Season 5 - WINNER
Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Season 2
Whakanuia
Best Actress in a Series
Antonia Prebble - Double Parked Season 2 - WINNER
Madeleine Sami - Double Parked Season 2
Miriama Smith - Dead Ahead
Equity NZ Best Actress in a Feature
Elizabeth Hawthorne - The Moon is Upside Down
Anapela Polata’ivao - Tinā - WINNER
Victoria Haralabidou - The Moon is Upside Down
Erana James - We Were Dangerous
Best Supporting Actress in a Series
Kura Forrester - Double Parked Season 2 - WINNER
Natalie Medlock - Vince
Ariāna Osborne - Madam
Best Supporting Actress in a Feature
Miriama Smith - Ka Whawhai Tonu
Antonia Eaton - Tinā - WINNER
Rima Te Wiata - We Were Dangerous
Best Actor in a Series
Stephen Lovatt - Shortland Street - WINNER
Richard Flood - The Gone Season 2
Xavier Horan - Dead Ahead
Best Actor in a Feature
Geoffrey Rush - The Rule of Jenny Pen
Ed Oxenbould - Head South
John Lithgow - The Rule of Jenny Pen - WINNER
Julian Dennison - Uproar
Best Supporting Actor in a Series
Martin Henderson - Madam
Dominic Ona-Ariki - Double Parked Season 2
Peter Hambleton - Happiness - WINNER
Best Supporting Actor in a Feature
Beulah Koale - Tinā
George Henare - The Rule of Jenny Pen - WINNER
Temuera Morrison - Ka Whawhai Tonu
Reporter of the Year
Indira Stewart - TVNZ+ In-Depth - WINNER
Paula Penfold - ThreeNews
Michael Morrah - Michael Morrah Investigates
Barbara Dreaver - 1 News
Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs
Ryan Bridge - HeraldNOW
Moana Maniapoto - Te Ao with Moana
Jack Tame - Q+A with Jack Tame
John Campbell - WINNER