New Zealand film and television awards have gone by many different names and have been organised by different industry groups.
As of 2025, a combined New Zealand Screen Awards recognises content created for theatrical release alongside programmes produced for broadcast, streaming and digital platforms.
History
Early years
The first New Zealand television awards were the National TV Awards, which ran from 1964 to 1965, organised by the New Zealand Television Workshop. The trophy was designed by noted sculptor Greer Twiss.
From 1970 to 1985, the New Zealand Feltex Awards honoured New Zealand television, sponsored by carpet manufacturer Feltex.
GOFTA Awards
The Feltex Awards were superseded by annual awards organised by the Guild of Film and Television Arts (GOFTA). The awards ran from 1986 to 2003 and were known by a number of different titles, including the GOFTA Awards. The awards were run as joint film and television awards until 2000 when they were split into two separate ceremonies.
The 1987 GOFTA Awards, presented by American TV personality Leeza Gibbons and New Zealand radio host Nic Nolan, is known for its disastrous presentation, including a disruptive audience who heckled guest John Inman, and confusing stage management.
In 1998 the Academy of Film and Television Arts was established by a collection of national guilds including The Techos' Guild, SPADA, WIFT, the Writers Guild and Nga Aho Whakaari. The AFTAs were held in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003, sponsored by Nokia.
Qantas Television Awards and New Zealand Screen Awards
In 2005, the Qantas Television Awards (honouring television and television journalism) and the New Zealand Screen Awards (honouring film and television) were founded as the new award presentations. The Qantas Television Awards were run by the New Zealand Television Broadcasters Council (now known as ThinkTV). These awards celebrated television productions and also incorporated the television media categories that had previously been part of the Qantas Media Awards. The New Zealand Screen Awards were run by the Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand and celebrated both film and television productions, including some overlap with Qantas Television Awards categories.
In 2008 the Qantas Television Awards merged with the New Zealand Screen Awards. From 2008 to 2011, the NZTBC and the SDGNZ jointly ran the Qantas Film and Television Awards. These awards were renamed the Aotearoa Film and Television Awards (abbreviated to AFTA) in 2011.
New Zealand Television Awards and Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards
In 2012 the Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand announced that due to funding and resource restraints it would not be involved with the 2012 AFTAs and would not organise an alternate film industry awards that year.
ThinkTV renamed the new television-focused awards the New Zealand Television Awards for 2012. However, in early 2013, ThinkTV announced that it would no longer hold the New Zealand Television Awards, after partner TVNZ decided not to support the awards. This left New Zealand without an annual television award.
Later in 2012, an alternative film awards presentation was announced, independent of the SDGNZ. The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards - also known as the Moas - were organised by film industry figure Ant Timpson and nzherald.co.nz online entertainment editor Hugh Sundae. In 2013 the Moas were renamed the Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards. As there were no television awards in 2013, the 2013 Moas had one television award, honouring Best Television Feature or Drama Series.
In addition to sponsoring the Best Score and Best Sound categories at the New Zealand Film Awards since 2013, in 2014 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) introduced two film music awards to its annual Silver Scroll Awards: APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award and APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award.
New Zealand Television Awards and New Zealand Film Awards The New Zealand Film Awards were not held in 2015 or 2016, with organisers saying a lack of films released that year made it hard to justify holding the awards. The Moas were held for the fourth time in February 2017, covering the period of October 2014 to November 2016.
The New Zealand Television Awards were revived in 2017 by an independent group of television industry people. As the awards were last held in 2013, the 2017 eligibility period ranged from 1 June 2015 to 30 June 2017. The awards took place on 30 November 2017.
New Zealand Screen Awards In 2025 the awards combined and rebranded as the New Zealand Screen Awards, to recognise content created for theatrical release alongside programmes produced for television broadcast, streaming services and digital platforms.
Award categories
The New Zealand Screen Awards include categories for both film and television. The awards also include the discretionary NZSA Screen Legend Award, recognising a significant contribution to the New Zealand screen industry.
Film
Film awards are presented for productions, directing, performances and technical achievements. Current categories include:
Area Categories Productions Best Feature Film; Best Short Film; Best Documentary Feature Directing Best Director: Documentary Feature; Best Director: Drama Feature Performance Best Performance by an Actor in a Female Role: Feature; Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Female Role: Feature; Best Performance by an Actor in a Male Role: Feature; Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Male Role: Feature Craft Best Editing: Documentary / Factual: Feature; Best Editing: Drama: Feature; Best Camerawork: Documentary / Factual: Feature; Best Cinematography: Feature; Best Sound: Feature; Best Original Score: Feature; Best Picture Finishing: Feature; Best Production Design: Feature; Best Costume Design: Feature; Best Makeup Design: Feature; Best Script: Feature
Television
Television awards cover programmes and series, directing, performance, presenting and technical achievements.
Area Categories Programmes Best Drama Series; Best Comedy Programme; Best Factual Series; Best Documentary: Series; Best Reality Series; Best Current Affairs Programme; Best Children's Programme; Best Māori Programme; Best Reo Māori Programme; Best Pasifika Programme; Best News Coverage; Best Sports Programme; Best Live Event Coverage; Best Entertainment Programme Directing Best Director: Documentary/Factual Series; Best Director: Drama Series; Best Director: Multi Camera Performance Best Performance by an Actor in a Female Role: Series; Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Female Role: Series; Best Performance by an Actor in a Male Role: Series; Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Male Role: Series Presenting and reporting Reporter of the Year; Best Presenter: Entertainment; Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs Craft Best Editing: Documentary / Factual: Series; Best Editing: Drama: Series; Best Camerawork: Documentary / Factual: Series; Best Cinematography: Series; Best Sound: Series; Best Original Score: Series; Best Picture Finishing: Series; Best Production Design: Series; Best Costume Design: Series; Best Makeup Design: Series; Best Script: Series
Other awards
Screen Personality of the Year applies to both film and television. Finalists are selected by the New Zealand Screen Awards committee rather than through entries.
The NZSA Screen Legend Award is a discretionary award recognising a film or television professional, programme or organisation that has made a significant contribution to the New Zealand screen industry.
Awards
Year Television Film 1964 1964 New Zealand Television Workshop National TV Awards rowspan="21" 1965 1965 New Zealand Television Workshop National TV Awards 1966 rowspan="3" 1967 1969 1970 1970 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1971 1971 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1972 1972 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1973 1973 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1974 1974 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1975 1975 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1976 1976 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1977 1977 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1978 1978 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1979 1979 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1980 1980 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1981 1981 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1982 1982 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1983 1983 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1984 1984 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1985 1985 New Zealand Feltex Awards 1986 1986 Listener Gofta Awards 1987 1987 Listener Gofta Awards 1988 1988 Listener Film and Television Awards 1989 1989 Listener Film and Television Awards 1990 rowspan="3" 1990 NZ Film Awards 1991 1991 NZ Film Awards 1992 1993 1993 Film & TV Awards 1994 1994 TV Guide Film & Television Awards 1995 1995 TV Guide Film & Television Awards 1996 1996 TV Guide Film & Television Awards of New Zealand 1997 1997 TV Guide Film & Television Awards of New Zealand 1998 1998 TV Guide Television Awards 1999 1999 TV Guide Television Awards 1999 Nokia New Zealand Film Awards 2000 2000 TV Guide Television Awards 2000 Nokia New Zealand Film Awards 2001 2001 Nokia New Zealand Film Awards 2002 2002 TV Guide NZ Television Awards 2003 2003 New Zealand Television Awards 2003 New Zealand Film Awards 2004 2005 2005 Qantas Television Awards 2005 New Zealand Screen AwardsThe 2005 New Zealand Screen Awards, the 2006 Air New Zealand Screen Awards and the 2007 Air New Zealand Screen Awards included both film and television categories. 2006 2006 Qantas Television Awards 2006 Air New Zealand Screen Awards 2007 2007 Qantas Television Awards 2007 Air New Zealand Screen Awards 2008 2008 Qantas Film and Television Awards 2009 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards 2010 2010 Qantas Film and Television Awards 2011 2011 Aotearoa Film & Television Awards 2012 2012 New Zealand Television Awards 2012 Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards 2013 rowspan="4" 2013 Rialto Channel New Zealand Film AwardsThe Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards includes one television award, in addition to the film awards. 20142014 Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards 2015 rowspan="2" 20162017 2017 New Zealand Television Awards 2017 Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards2018 2018 New Zealand Television Awards rowspan="2" 2019 2019 New Zealand Television Awards20202020 New Zealand Television AwardsNo film awards20212021 New Zealand Television Awards20222022 New Zealand Television Awards20232023 New Zealand Television Awards20242024 New Zealand Television Awards20252025 New Zealand Screen Awards20262026 New Zealand Screen Awards
See also List of television awards
References
External links New Zealand Television Awards Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards The Listener Gofta Awards 1987 Kiwi TV - New Zealand television awards