The Best of Ngā Whanaunga: NZ’s Best

DEGANZ members scooped up multiple awards at this year’s awards ceremony for Ngā Whanaunga: Aotearoa New Zealand’s Best!

The jury awarded Ira Hetaraka‘s Womb the competition’s top prize, the Umbrella Best Short Film Award. Growing Still, edited by fellow members Adam-Luka Turjak and Margot Francis, won the Auckland Live Spirit of the Civic Award. Stage Challenge by Stella Reid received the Wellington UNESCO Creative City of Film Emerging Talent Award. Additionally, Nora Aati of I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden, directed by Vea Mafile’o, was awarded Best Performance.

Meanwhile, the audience loved Jack Woon‘s Let’s Settle This, which took home the Audience Award, determined by crowd voting from both Auckland and Wellington.

Congratulations to the filmmakers!

Check out the full list of awards below:

Umbrella Entertainment Best Short Film Award:
Womb by Ira Hetaraka

Auckland Live Spirit of the Civic Award:
Growing Still by Alyx Duncan

Wellington UNESCO Creative City of Film Emerging Talent Award:
Stage Challenge by Stella Reid

Letterboxd Award for Māori Pasifika Talent:
Mirumiru by Allan George
Picking Crew by Tanu Gago

Best Performance Award:
Nora Aati for I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden by Vea Mafile’o

Best Artistic Contribution Award:
Michael Cong for the Cinematography of When the Geese Flew by Arthur Gay

Special Mention:
Nausea by Elliott Louis McKee

Audience Award:
Let’s Settle This by Jack Woon
Runner-Ups:
Chrysanthemum by Jolin Lee
Picking Crew by Tanu Gago

Last updated on 20 August 2025