The NZ film awards with so much moa

New Zealand movie makers left out in the cold by the national telly awards dropping film categories from their annual prize-giving are still getting an annual gong-fest to call their own.

The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards - organised by Hugh Sundae of nzherald.co.nz and Ant Timpson and presented by the New Zealand Herald and Rialto Channel - announced its nomination list last night, recognising the past year's Kiwi flicks great and small.

The SUNZFA categories take in fully fledged features, cinema-aimed documentaries, self-funded features and short films.

Among the leading contenders for the Moas - "named in honour of something extinct" say the organisers - are Two Little Boys and The Orator with 11 nominations each.

Feature film

Rialto Channel Best Film
The Orator
How to Meet Girls From a Distance
Two Little Boys
Good For Nothing
The Most Fun You Can Have Dying

Niche Cameras Best Self-Funded Film
Netherwood
Good For Nothing
We Feel Fine
The Red House

Canon Best Director
Dean Hewison - How to Meet Girls From a Distance
Tusi Tamasese - The Orator
Mike Wallis - Good For Nothing
Kirstin Marcon - The Most Fun You Can Have Dying
Robert Sarkies - Two Little Boys

Lotech Best Editing
Simon Price - The Orator
Annie Collins - Two Little Boys
Greg Daniels - Good For Nothing

Panasonic Best Cinematography
Leon Narbey - The Orator
Jac Fitzgerald - Two Little Boys
Crighton Bone - The Most Fun You Can Have Dying

Man O' War Best Actor
Richard Falkner - How to Meet Girls From a Distance
Fa'afiaula Sagote - The Orator
Bret McKenzie - Two Little Boys
Matt Whelan - The Most Fun You Can Have Dying

Man O' War Best Actress
Tandi Wright - Kiwi Flyer
Inge Rademeyer - Good For Nothing
Tausili Pushparaj - The Orator
Madeleine Sami - Sione's 2: Unfinished Business

Moa Beer Best Supporting Actor
John Bach - Rest For The Wicked
Jonathan Brugh - How to Meet Girls From a Distance
Will Hall - Netherwood

Moa Beer Best Supporting Actress
Aidee Walker - How to Meet Girls From a Distance
Jessica Joy Wood - Sione's 2: Unfinished Business
Salamasina Mataia - The Orator

Vendetta Films Best Screenplay
Tusi Tamasese - The Orator
Dean Hewison, Richard Falkner and Sam Dickson - How to Meet Girls From a Distance
Duncan Sarkies and Robert Sarkies - Two Little Boys

Images & Sound Best Visual Effects
Steve Cronin and Paul Story - Good For Nothing
Frank Rueter and Jake Lee - The Devil's Rock
Jon Baxter and Puck Murphy - Two Little Boys

Best Costume Design
Tristan McCallum - The Devil's Rock
Kirsty Cameron - The Orator
Amanda Neale - Two Little Boys

Best Makeup Design
Davina Lamont, Sean Foot and Richard Taylor - The Devil's Rock
Linda Wall - Two Little Boys
Ryk Fortuna - Good For Nothing

Best Production Design
Bruce Everard - The Most Fun You Can Have Dying
Jules Cook - Two Little Boys
Rob Astley, Roger Guise and Pouoa Malae Lialia'i - The Orator

APRA Best Score
Grayson Gilmour - The Most Fun You Can Have Dying
Don McGlashan and Dawn Raid - Sione's 2: Unfinished Business
David Long - The Red House
Tim Prebble - The Orator

APRA Best Sound
Tim Prebble, Chris Todd, Richard Flynn, Mike Hedges and Gilbert Lake - The Orator
Dave Whitehead, Gilbert Lake, Tim Chaproniere, Ray Beentjes, Ken Saville - Two Little Boys
Myk Farmer, Steve Finnigan and Chris Burt - Sione's 2: Unfinished Business

Documentary film

Best Documentary
Pictures of Susan
How Far is Heaven
The Last Dogs of Winter
Maori Boy Genius
Shihad: Beautiful Machine

Best Director
Dan Salmon - Pictures of Susan
Miriam Smith and Christopher Pryor - How Far is Heaven
Costa Botes - The Last Dogs of Winter
Pietra Brettkelly - Maori Boy Genius
Sam Peacocke - Shihad: Beautiful Machine

PLS Best Cinematography
Christopher Pryor - How Far is Heaven
Ben Freedman - Pictures of Susan
Peter Young - The Last Ocean

Best Editing
Christopher Pryor and Cushla Dillon - How Far is Heaven
Cushla Dillon - Shihad: Beautiful Machine
Jonno Woodford-Robinson and Richard Lord - The Last Ocean
Richard Lord and Ken Sparks - When A City Falls

Short film

Best Short
Home
Lambs
Whakatiki
I'm the One
Honk If You're Horny

Best Self-Funded Short
In Safe Hands
Dr Grordbort Presents: The Deadliest Game
The Girl With The Clover Tattoo
Brothers
Swansong

Best Script
Sam Kelly - Lambs
Paola Morabito - I'm The One
Joe Lonie - Honk If You're Horny

StarNow Best Actor
Waka Rowlands - Lambs
Jim Moriarty - Whakatiki
Andy Anderson - Honk If You're Horny

StarNow Best Actress
Mabelle Dennison - Whakatiki
Maya Stange - I'm The One
Anapela Polataivao - Night Shift

PLS Best Cinematography
Andrew Stroud - Ellen Is Leaving
Ari Wegner - Night Shift
Bonnie Elliott - I'm the One

What: The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards
When and where: Tuesday, December 4 at The Civic Wintergarden
Online: The awards will be streamed live on nzherald.co.nz