15 March 2012
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Changes to Aotearoa Film & Television Awards
The Screen Directors’ Guild of NZ has confirmed that the Film categories in the Aotearoa Film & Television Awards are unlikely to play a part in this year’s event, after funding constraints have forced a review of
its priorities this year.
The Awards have been jointly organised by the Guild and ThinkTV for the past four years. Together they’ve developed an
iconic annual event, which has become a major feature of the screen industry calendar each year.
Guild Executive Director Anna Cahill said it was disappointing to bring to a close the partnership, but funding and
resource constraints in the current environment has meant the Guild has had to rethink its priorities, and to put more
of its efforts into skill development and training for directors and editors.
Ms Cahill said that the Guild will be consulting with the NZ Film Commission and other film industry participants to
find alternative ways to celebrate the film industry’s successes each year.
Chief Executive Rick Friesen says ThinkTV is committed to supporting a continuation of the Television awards portion of
the event.
ENDS