2003 New Zealand Film Awards

The 2003 New Zealand Film Awards were held on 8 December 2003 in Auckland. After there had been no New Zealand film awards in 2002, previous organiser the New Zealand Academy of Film and Television Arts had originally announced its intention to again host a film awards for 2003, but later withdrew, claiming insufficient sponsorship to stage the awards. However, a group from the film industry, led by the New Zealand Film Commission and government agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, raised enough sponsorship to host the awards.
Feature film Whale Rider dominated the awards with nine wins, and short film Two Cars, One Night won three of the four short film prizes.

Nominees and winners

There were 16 feature film categories, five digital feature categories and four short film categories. This was the first time that digital film was acknowledged in a New Zealand film award.

Feature film

Best Film

Whale Rider
*Kombi Nation
*Nemesis Game

Best Director

Niki Caro, Whale Rider
*Grant Lahood, Kombi Nation
*Jesse Warn, Nemesis Game

Best Actor

Waihoroi Shortland, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Jason Whyte, Kombi Nation
*Rawiri Paratene, Whale Rider

Best Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Cliff Curtis, Whale Rider
*Te Rangihau Gilbert, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Grant Roa, Whale Rider

Best Supporting Actress

Vicky Haughton, Whale Rider
*Miranda Harcourt, For Good
*Veeshayne Armstrong, The Maori Merchant of Venice

Best Juvenile Performer

Mana Taumanu, Whale Rider
*Anneke-Lee Gough, For Good

Best Screenplay

Niki Caro, Whale Rider
*Grant Lahood, Jason Whyte, Loren Horsley, Gentiane Lupi, Genevieve McClean, Kombi Nation
*Jesse Warn, Nemesis Game

Best Cinematography

Aaron Morton, Nemesis Game
*Davorin Fahn, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Leon Narbey, Whale Rider

Best Editing

Bruce Lange, Nemesis Game
*Margot Francis, Toy Love
*David Coulson, Whale Rider

Best Original Score

Lisa Gerrard, Whale Rider
*Clive Cockburn and Hirini Melbourne, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Victoria Kelly and Joost Langeveld, Toy Love

Best Contribution to a Soundtrack

Tim Prebble, Dave Whitehead, Gethin Greagh, The Locals
*Frank Ilfman, Nemesis Game
*Tim Prebble, Toy Love

Best Design

Peter Cosco, Nemesis Game
*Guy Moana, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Grant Major, Whale Rider

Best Costume Design

Kirsty Cameron, Whale Rider
*Gavin McClean, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Shelley Mansell, Nemesis Game

Best Makeup

Barbara Barkey, Nemesis Game
*Annie Single, The Maori Merchant of Venice
*Denise Kum, Whale Rider

Lifetime Achievement Award

'''Don Selwyn'''

Digital Feature

Best Digital Feature

Christmas, Leanne Saunders and Gregory King
*Orphans and Angels, Harold Brodie
*Woodenhead, Florian Habicht

Best Performance

Darien Takle, Christmas
*Emmeline Hawthorne, Orphans and Angels
*Stephen Lovatt, This Is Not A Love Story

Best Script

Gregory King, Christmas
*Harold Brodie, Orphans and Angels
*Keith Hill, This Is Not A Love Story

Best Technical Contribution

Caroline Falgan, Art Director, Christmas
*Ian Beale, Cinematography, Orphans and Angels
*Christopher Pryor, Director of Photography and co-editor, Woodenhead

Special Jury Prize

'''Christopher Brown for his role in Orphans and Angels'''

Short film

Best Short Film

Beautiful, Adam Stevens
*The French Doors, Steve Ayson
*Two Cars, One Night, Taika Waititi

Best Performance

Rangi Ngamoki, Two Cars, One Night
*Peter Feeney, The Platform
*Jason Hoyte, Beautiful

Best Script

Taika Waititi, Two Cars, One Night
*Daniel Strand, Playing A Role
*Wiremu Grace, Turangawaewae

Best Technical Contribution

Adam Clarke, Cinematography, Two Cars, One Night
*Michael Lucas, Digital Visual Effects, Kitty
*Dave Whitehead, Music Composition, ''The Platform''