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National | Film

Wairoa Film Festival award winners for 2017

The annual Wairoa Film Festival drew in indigenous film-makers and supporters to the Kahungunu district over the long weekend.

Based at Kahungunu Marae and Wairoa's Gaiety Theatre, a strong line-up of indigenous shorts, features and documentary films were on the menu.

This year's feature films included Land of Rock and Gold, Yacuna Love To Life, Amari, and One Thousand Ropes.  The documentaries were Poi E: Story of Our Song, LBGTQI+ Aotearoa Then & Now, When They Awake, and Seed: The Untold Story.

For more film trailers from the weekend, see here.

Here are this year's award winners:

T-TAHITI PRIZE - return trip to Tahiti to travel to the T-Tahiti Film Festival
Awarded to: TAMA by Jared Flitcroft & Jack O'Donnell

Moana Prize (Best Pasifika Short) decided by the Moana Jury
Awarded to: MARIA by Jeremiah Tauamiti

Whenua Prize (Māori Short) decided by the Whenua Jury
Awarded to: TAMA by Jared Flitcroft & Jack O'Donnell

Audience Award - Māori Short Film
Awarded to: TAMA by Jared Flitcroft & Jack O'Donnel

Audience Award - Māori Short Film - Actor
Awarded to: Eric Matthews as Tama, in TAMA by Jared Flitcroft & Jack O'Donnel

Audience Award - Māori Short Film - Actress
Awarded to: Aidee Walker, in LAUNDRY by Becs Arahanga

Mana Kāinga Award - for community contribution to Māori film-making
Awarded to: NATALIE - Qianna Titore & the Hokianga community

Te Wairoa Award - For Contribution to Media in Wairoa
Ratima Hauraki & Zach Stark

WMFF WIFT Mana Wahine Award
Awarded to: CHRISTINA ASHER

WMFF PIFT Mana Pasifika Award
Awarded to: CRAIG FASI of the Pollywood Film Festival

International Indigenous Award
Awarded to: FROM UP NORTH by Trudy Stewart, Janine Windolph & Noel Starblanket

Mana Wairoa Award - for contribution to the advancement of indigenous rights
Awarded to: LGBTQI+ AOTEAROA THEN & NOW by Teresa Wells & Qmunnity Gisborne Youth