Dunedin-based filmmaking company NHNZ wins awards

The awards, which celebrate excellence in programming, production and performance are Asia’s most significant television industry event and were held on January 10, 2020 at the Resorts World Manila in the Philippines.

NHNZ won awards for Best Natural History or Wildlife Show for Orangutan Jungle School and Best Documentary Series for China from Above 2.

“Asia is home to over four billion potential viewers and to get this level of recognition at Asia’s premiere industry event is huge for NHNZ. These awards are a fantastic reward and inspiration for the talented, hardworking individuals who put their all into making these shows.” NHNZ managing director, Kyle Murdoch said.

Filmed in Indonesia, Orangutan Jungle School follows a group of orphaned orangutans as they navigate their way through childhood, learning the skills needed to survive in the wild. This heart-warming series has garnered millions of viewers and fans all over the world and highlights the important work of the organisations dedicated to protecting our planet’s vulnerable wildlife.

“These ingenious and charismatic little orangutans struggling for survival have captivated audiences all around the world with their remarkable behaviour, which demonstrates in the most entertaining way just how similar they are to us. Winning this award is particularly special for the NHNZ team right now as our world faces unparalleled ecological challenges and the inspirational work Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation carries out, is more vital than ever before,” said, series producer, Judith Curran.

China from Above 2 is an epic exploration of China from the skies. Natural wonders, mega-engineering marvels and a rich, social tapestry are revealed via awe-inspiring aerial views. The series was selected from a pool of six other finalists competing in the Best Documentary Series category, and series producer Lorne Townend couldn’t be happier.

“This series has brought not only the spectacular landscapes of China to our screens but also extraordinary stories of communities and individuals. Our excellent Beijing research team worked with us to find unique stories tirelessly and good humouredly. All this hard work between our dedicated and talented teams produced engaging films which we’re proud of.”

Orangutan Jungle School was produced for Love Nature and is available on Choice TV in NZ, Channel 4 in the UK, Smithsonian Channel in the US, NHK in Japan, and IQIYI in China.

China From Above 2 was produced with BHP and CICC for National Geographic Channels and Smithsonian Channel in the US.

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