(Auckland – October 20, 2022) The New
Zealand Television Awards are delighted to announce
the finalists for 2022, with a total of 116 nominations from
more than 500 entries across 39 judged
categories.
This year’s nominees represent
content aired across local free-to-air networks TVNZ 1 &
2, Three, Prime and Whakaata Māori, as well as New
Zealand-made programming on pay TV, digital and streaming
platforms including Sky, TVNZ+, Newsroom, The Spinoff,
Stuff, TheCoconet.TV and Netflix.
Tavake
Limited’s historical Polynesian Panthers drama series
The Panthers, which screened on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+,
received the most nominations of any individual production
this year with a total of 18 nods across multiple
categories, including all three finalists vying for this
year’s Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama/Comedy Drama
Award (Tom Hern & Vea Mafile’o, Miki Magasiva and
Chris Graham & Mario Faumui). KOHA Productions’
poignant family drama The Pact which streamed on
TVNZ+ is up for six awards, including two nominations in the
Best Script: Drama Category, alongside previous category
winner Pip Hall who’s nominated for Great Southern TV’s
TVNZ 1 mystery crime series One Lane Bridge.
The Pact, The Panthers and 2020 category winner
One Lane Bridge comprise the three finalists in this
year’s NZ On Air Best Drama category.
In the
news and current affairs categories, Newshub – which
was named Best News Coverage in 2019, 2020 and 2021 – has
received a total of six nominations in 2022, including two
nods in the Best News Coverage category, two in Best
Presenter: News & Current Affairs (Newshub
Nation’s Oriini Kaipara and AM’s Ryan Bridge)
and two in Reporter of the Year (Lisette Reymer and Patrick
Gower). TVNZ news also received six nominations this year,
including Best News Coverage for Te Karere and
1News’ Breaking Special on the Parliament Protests, Te
Karere is also a finalist in Te Māngai Pāho Best
Māori Programme, Q+A host Jack Tame and Te Karere
and Marae presenter Scotty Morrison are both
nominated for Best Presenter: News & Current Affairs, 1
News’ Barbara Dreaver is a finalist in the Reporter of the
Year category and Q+A with Jack Tame is nominated for
Best Current Affairs Programme, alongside Newsroom’s
Newsroom Investigates and Whakaata Māori’s Te
Ao with Moana.
Having won Best Comedy in
2021 and 2020, Series 4 of New Zealand Documentary Board’s
TVNZ 2 hit Wellington Paranormal is a 2022 finalist
in the category, this time alongside Kevin & Co’s
Raised by Refugees for Prime/Neon and Greenstone
TV’s Kid Sister for TVNZ+.
In the
Factual and Documentary categories, Scottie Douglas
Productions’ Ake, Ake, Ake and Black Iris
Limited’s Chatham Islanders, which both premiered
on Whakaata Māori, are nominated for Best Factual Series,
alongside Series 3 of Screentime New Zealand Limited’s
I AM for TVNZ 1. Occasional Productions’ acclaimed
documentary A Mild Touch of Cancer and Screentime New
Zealand Limited’s Recovery 29 about the Pike River
Mine recovery mission, both for Prime, are nominated
alongside Disordered, Stuff Circuit’s investigation
of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
A diverse
line-up of original programming concepts comprises the Best
Original Reality Series category including Pango
Productions’ The Ex Best Thing for TVNZ 2, Attitude
Pictures’ Down for Love also for TVNZ 2,
Screentime’s First Responders and Great Southern
TV’s The Casketeers, both for TVNZ
1.
In the performance categories, breakout star
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi is nominated for Best Actor
for his role in The Panthers, alongside previous
category nominee Craig Hall, again for Head High, and
2021 TV Legend Ian Mune for The Pact. Jordan Mooney
and Jordan Vaha’akolo are finalists for Best Supporting
Actor, both for The Panthers, alongside Scotty Cotter
for his role in Plus6Four Entertainment’s TVNZ+ comedy
Kura. The Best Supporting Actress
category finalists are Timmie Cameron for The Pact,
Awa Puna for Whakaata Māori’s Ahikāroa and
Chelsie Preston Crayford for The Panthers, while the
Best Actress line-up includes screen veteran Irene Wood for
The Pact, 2020 category winner Miriama McDowell for
Head High and Grace Palmer for Good
Grief which she also co-wrote.
The
New Zealand Television Awards also today
reveal Janine Morrell-Gunn (Ngāti Kahungunu) as the 2022
Television Legend. A former TVNZ Executive Producer for
Children’s Programming, Janine is now Director of
Christchurch-based children’s content production company
WhitebaitMedia which she founded 23 years ago along with
husband Jason Gunn, establishing purpose-built television
production studios and facilities in Ōtautahi. Janine is a
vital part of the local production community and has served
on the boards of both Women in Film & Television NZ and
SPADA, the screen producers’ guild. She has made an
unparalleled contribution to children’s television
in Aotearoa over the span of her career, from the 1980s
inclusion of te reo in Sesame Street through to
original programming that has entertained and educated
tamariki over multiple generations, including The Son of
a Gunn Show, Bumble, The Erin Simpson
Show, The 4.30 Show, 2Kaha, Darwin and
Newts, Fanimals, The Feed and the icon
that is What Now?.
Janine also
demonstrates her ongoing commitment to championing children
in other roles including as the Chair of Cholmondeley
Children’s Centre and Board member of both Canterbury’s
Maia Health Foundation and Uru Manuka Education
Trust.
Awards Committee member Irene Gardiner
says: “Janine has worked in children’s television in New
Zealand for more than 30 years and is our greatest
contributor to the genre. She is passionate about making
strong and positive content for young New Zealanders,
mentoring on and off-screen talent coming through the
industry, and she has often represented us at international
conferences on the subject. She has been a tireless
campaigner for quality children’s programming in Aotearoa
and her name is synonymous with children’s
television.”
The prestigious TV Legend Award
is presented to a television professional, programme or
organisation who has made a significant contribution to the
television industry in New Zealand over the span of their
career. It is a special honour given at the discretion of
the New Zealand Television Awards
Committee. Previous TV Legend honourees include actor and
director Ian Mune (2021), television executive Andrew Shaw
(2020), Shortland Street (2019), iconic Māori
broadcaster and journalist Tini Molyneux (2018) and veteran
producer John Barnett (2017).
Finalists in the
publicly voted 2022 Television Personality of the Year
category are yet to be announced.
The 2022
New Zealand Television Awards gala will be
held on Thursday 24th November at Shed 10 in Auckland. Actor
and comedian Kura Forrester will host the event this
year.
The 2022 New Zealand
Television Awards finalists
are:
New Zealand On Air Best
Drama
The Pact
KOHA
Productions/ TVNZ+
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
One Lane Bridge
Great Southern
Television Limited / TVNZ 1
Best
Comedy
Wellington Paranormal – Series
4
Wellington Paranormal
New Zealand Documentary
Board / TVNZ 2
Raised by
Refugees
Kevin & Co / Prime
Kid
Sister
Greenstone TV /
TVNZ+
Best Factual
Series
Ake, Ake, Ake
Scottie
Douglas Productions Ltd / Whakaata Māori
I
AM: Series 3
Screentime New Zealand Limited / TVNZ
1
Chatham Islanders
Black Iris
Limited / Whakaata Māori
New
Zealand On Air Best Documentary
A
Mild Touch of Cancer
Occasional Productions /
Prime
Stuff Circuit –
Disordered
Stuff
Recovery
29
Screentime New Zealand Limited /
Prime
Best Original
Reality Series
The Ex Best
Thing
Pango Productions / TVNZ 2
Down
for Love
Attitude Pictures / TVNZ
2
First Responders
Screentime New
Zealand Limited / TVNZ 1
The
Casketeers
Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ
1
Best Format Reality
Series
MasterChef New
Zealand
Screentime New Zealand Limited / Warner Bros.
Discovery/Three
Lego
Masters NZ
Screentime New Zealand Limited / TVNZ
2
Match Fit – Series 2
Pango
Productions / Warner Bros.
Discovery/Three
Snack Masters
NZ
South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ
2
Best Current Affairs
Programme
Q+A with Jack
Tame
TVNZ / TVNZ 1
Newsroom
Investigates
Newsroom
Te Ao with
Moana
Whakaata
Māori
New Zealand On Air
Best Children’s Programme
Goodbye
A.I.
Vinewood Animation /
HEIHEI
Tamaiti Tū
Te Noni Ltd /
Whakaata Māori
Bird’s Eye
View
SweetShop & Green and Studio Local /
HEIHEI
Te Māngai Pāho Best
Māori Programme
Ake, Ake,
Ake
Scottie Douglas Productions Ltd / Whakaata
Māori
The Casketeers
Great Southern
Television Limited / TVNZ 1
Moana Jackson.
Portrait of a Quiet Revolutionary
Tawera / Black
Pearl Productions / Whakaata
Māori
Te Māngai Pāho Best
Reo Māori Programme
Nga Tohu
Matariki o te Tau 2022
Whakaata
Māori
Te Karere
TVNZ / TVNZ
1
Match Fit
Pango Productions /
Warner Bros.
Discovery/Three
New Zealand
On Air Best Pasifika
Programme
Akanuanua
Tikilounge
Productions / TheCoconet.TV
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
All Access: Moana Pasifika
Sky
Sport
Best News
Coverage
Climate Change & Sea
Level Rise
Newshub
Warner Bros. Discovery /
Newshub
Te Karere & 1 News Breaking Special
– Parliament Protest
1 News
TVNZ / TVNZ
1
Russia Invades
Ukraine
Newshub
Warner Bros. Discovery /
Newshub
Best Sports
Programme
Scratched: Aotearoa’s
Lost Sporting Legends
Hex Work Productions / The
Spinoff
1-39:
The Highlanders Story
Sky Sport
East
Coast Rising
Pango Productions / TVNZ
2
Best
Live Event Coverage
Super Saturday
Vaxathon
Pango Productions /
Various
Ngā Tohu Matariki o te Tau 2022
(Matariki Awards 2022)
Whakaata
Māori
Celebrate Matariki
Kahawai
Productions / Whakaata
Māori
Best
Entertainment Programme
Stan
Walker: Impossible Live
Kura Productions / South
Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 2
Semele
N.Z.
Opera & Greenstone TV / Sky
Arts
Jono & Ben: Good
Sports
Take Two Productions / TVNZ
2
Best Director:
Documentary/Factual
Johnny
Agnew
Young and The Reckless
Two Heads / Re: /
TVNZ+
Kathleen
Mantel
Chatham Islanders
Black Iris Limited /
Whakaata Māori
Chris Graham
Scribe:
Return of the Crusader
The Down Low Concept /
TVNZ+
Whatanui
Flavell
Ake, Ake, Ake
Scottie Douglas
Productions Ltd / Whakaata
Māori
Screen
Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy
Drama
Tom Hern & Vea
Mafile’o
The Panthers, Episode 3
Tavake Limited
/ TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Miki Magasiva
The
Panthers, Episode 1
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Chris Graham & Mario Faumui
The
Panthers, Episode 6
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Best
Actress
Grace Palmer
Good
Grief
Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions /
TVNZ+
Miriama McDowell
Head
High
South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros.
Discovery/Three
Irene
Wood
The Pact
KOHA Productions /
TVNZ+
Best Supporting
Actress
Chelsie Preston
Crayford
The Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1
& TVNZ+
Awa
Puna
Ahikāroa
Kura Productions / Whakaata
Māori
Timmie Cameron
The
Pact
KOHA Productions /
TVNZ+
Best
Actor
Craig
Hall
Head High
South Pacific Pictures / Warner
Bros. Discovery/Three
Dimitrius
Schuster-Koloamatangi
The Panthers
Tavake Limited /
TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Ian Mune
The
Pact
KOHA Productions /
TVNZ+
Best Supporting
Actor
Scotty
Cotter
Kura
Plus6Four Entertainment /
TVNZ+
Jordan Mooney
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Jordan Vaha’akolo
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Reporter of the
Year
Lisette Reymer
Newshub Live
at 6
Warner Bros. Discovery /
Newshub
Patrick
Gower
Newshub
Warner Bros. Discovery /
Newshub
Barbara
Dreaver
1 News
TVNZ / TVNZ
1
Best Presenter:
Entertainment
Kanoa Lloyd
Sort
Your Life Out NZ
South Pacific Pictures / Warner
Bros. Discovery/Three
Nore Martin
Moon
Tide Fishing
2BMedia / Whakaata
Māori
Tāmati Rimene-Sproat
Hongi To
Hāngī: And Everything In Between
Great Southern
Television Limited / TVNZ 1
Jono Pryor and Ben
Boyce
Jono & Ben: Good Sports
Take Two
Productions / TVNZ 2
Best
Presenter: News and Current
Affairs
Oriini Kaipara
Newshub
Nation
Warner Bros. Discovery /
Newshub
Jack
Tame
Q+A with Jack
Tame
TVNZ / TVNZ
1
Ryan Bridge
Newshub &
AM
Warner Bros. Discovery /
Newshub
Scotty Morrison
Te Karere &
Marae
TVNZ & Pango Productions / TVNZ
1
Best Editing: Documentary or
Factual
Toby Longbottom
Stuff
Circuit
Stuff
Sacha
Campbell
Scribe: Return of the Crusader
The
Down Low Concept / TVNZ+
Prisca Bouchet, Julie
Alp and Annie Goldson
A Mild Touch of
Cancer
Occasional Productions /
Prime
Best Editing: Drama /
Comedy
Drama
Margot
Francis
The Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1
& TVNZ+
Bryan Shaw
One Lane
Bridge
Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ
1
Sacha Campbell
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Best Camerawork:
Documentary or
Factual
Timothy
Firkin
Waka Huia
Scottie Productions / TVNZ
1
Bevan Crothers
Moko
Velvet Stone
Media Ltd / Whakaata Māori
Dominic
Fryer
Chatham Islanders
Black Iris Limited /
Whakaata Māori
Best Director:
Multi Camera
Matt Quin
Rugby
League: NZ v Tonga Double Header (Men)
Sky
Sport
Mitchell Hawkes
Stan Walker:
Impossible Live
Kura Productions / South Pacific
Pictures / TVNZ 2
Tobias Jones
Celebrate
Matariki
Kahawai Productions / Whakaata
Māori
Images & Sound
Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy
Drama
Nina Wells
Good Grief:
Season 2
Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions /
TVNZ+
Tim Flower
Kura: Season
2
Plus6Four Entertainment / TVNZ+
Andrew
McGeorge
The Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1
& TVNZ+
Best Contribution to
a Soundtrack
Tom Miskin, Melanie
Graham, Mike Bayliss, Steve
Finnigan
Mystic
Libertine Pictures & Slim
Film + TV / TVNZ 2
Native Audio
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Gareth Van Niekerk, Brendon Morrow, Steve
Finnigan
Albularyo
The Hot House / TVNZ 2 &
TVNZ+
Images & Sound
Best Original Score
David Long &
Stephen Gallagher
Mystic: Series 2
Libertine
Pictures & Slim Film + TV / TVNZ 2
Tihema
Bennett
Beyond the Veil: Te Kohu (The
Mist)
10000 Company / TVNZ 2 &
TVNZ+
Jonathan Crayford, P.Smith, choicevaughan
& Diggy Dupé
The Panthers
Tavake Limited /
TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Best Post
Production Design
Paul
Lear
Mystic
Libertine Pictures & Slim Film
+ Television / TVNZ
2
James
Gardner
The Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1
& TVNZ+
Alana Cotton
Beyond the Veil:
Te Kohu (The Mist)
10,000 Company / TVNZ 2 &
TVNZ+
Best Production
Design
Gary Mackay – Production
Designer, Alistair Kay Supervising Art Director, Anneke
Botha – Set Decorator.
Cowboy
Bebop
Intergalactic Productions Limited /
Netflix
Jane Bucknell
The
Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 &
TVNZ+
Melissa Spicer
Wellington
Paranormal: Series 4
New Zealand Documentary Board /
TVNZ 2
Best Costume
Design
Sarah Aldridge
Under The
Vines
Libertine Pictures & EQ Media Group / TVNZ
1
Sammy Salsa
The Panthers
Tavake
Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+
Jane
Holland
Cowboy Bebop
Intergalactic Productions
/ Netflix
Best Makeup
Design
Sarah O’Gorman
Under The
Vines
Libertine Pictures & EQ Media Group / TVNZ
1
Amanda Ashton
Ahikāroa: Season
4
Kura Productions / Whakaata Māori
Kelly
Mitchell
The Panthers
Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1
& TVNZ+
Best Script:
Comedy
Pax Assadi
Raised by
Refugees
Kevin & Co / Prime
Nick
Ward
Wellington Paranormal – Series 4, Episode
5
New Zealand Documentary Board / TVNZ 2
Tom
Sainsbury
Wellington Paranormal – Series 4,
Episode 4
New Zealand Documentary Board / TVNZ
2
Best Script:
Drama
Pip Hall
One Lane
Bridge, Series 2, Episode 1
Great Southern Television
Limited / TVNZ 1
Harry McNaughton and Natalie
Medlock
The Pact, Episode 2
KOHA Productions /
TVNZ+
Harry McNaughton and Natalie
Medlock
The Pact, Episode 5
KOHA Productions /
TVNZ+