The glitziest night of the Aotearoa television calendar became a focal point for a sector under pressure, as triumphs were celebrated and realities confronted at the New Zealand Television Awards (NZTVA) at Tāmaki Makaurau's Aotea Centre.

There was a noticeable feeling of trepidation for the future of small screen content in this country, after a year where newsrooms have been axed or slashed and the same done for local content budgets. 

Indeed, it was a bittersweet evening for many groups who were nominated for thei mahi, despite their programmes being axed or knocked back for future funding.  Many joked - both in the lobby and even on stage - for people to enjoy the last ever NZTVAs, such is the feeling of uncertainty in the industry that employs hundreds of NZ creatives. 

The night saw many advocate for the importance of seeing New Zealand stories on our screens - and screens around the world.

Minster for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith was in attendance, and Phil Smith from Great Southern Television used his moment on the microphone (one of the team accepting Family Faith Footy: A Pasifika Rugby Story's Best Documentary victory) to address him. 

"Minister - please believe in us. Please fight for us. We are in a fight for our lives. You're a creative (pointing to Goldsmith's experience as a pianist and historian)... You're our man. Please fight for us." 

Smith implored Goldsmith to consider more tax-breaks, pointing to the battle they have to compete with what's on offer in California.

"You've got to back us into the future. Thank you for being here... If you cut off New Zealand, no one will see us all these shows. We'll just be this lonely little island, and we're freaking awesome, so back us and believe in us."

Dame Julie Christie voiced her opinions on the current state of the sector as well as she was honoured as this year's TV Legend. 

She underlined how the production company that she set up that brought incredible success across New Zealand and the globe - Touchdown has morphed into Warner Brothers, stating "Our industry, and the hundreds and hundreds of people they have employed owe them so much, and yet, no company has been hit quite as hard in these tough times as Warner Brothers."

Dame Julie continued "We can't let these big international production companies stop investing in us and leave our shores. We need them to stay.

"We all know that our local industry is in dire straits. Unscripted is largely unprotected, so has suffered the most. I believe we just have to make our content more international, as that is the only place we're going to be able to get more investment. We need to supercharge our international appeal, and that means compromise.

"Not a great day (On Friday) for the 63% of applicants who missed out on New Zealand On Air funding. Terrible timing. I was one, even though we bought 63% of the budget from other sources. We have to fix this so we can attract more outside investment, and New Zealand On Air has to be part of that." 

The big winner - and a record breaking one at that - was hit drama After The Party. The Lingo Pictures and Luminous Beast production became a dominating near clean sweep, winning nine of the ten awards it was nominated for across the evening - its collective success pipping the previous benchmark of eight (The Luminaries 2020 and The Panthers 2022).

It included the big one - Best Drama - and all four of the acting awards, with Robyn Malcolm (Best Actress), Peter Mullan (Best Actor), Tara Canton (Best Supporting Actress) and Elz Carrad (Best Actor) all taking out their respective categories in unprecedented fashion.

Dianne Taylor started the procession with Best Script, Denise Haratzis claimed Best Editing, Dave Cameron won the cinematography prize and Peter Salmon was pronounced best Director.

While bursts of energy and expletives from crowd-pleasing acceptance speeches from talented Shortland Street actress and vocalist Bella Kalolo (TV Personality of the Year) and Guy Williams (Best Entertainment Programme for
New Zealand Today) stood out, so too did regular support for the recent hīkoi to Parliament, with 'Toitū te Tiriti' a regular sentiment shared at the winner's podium.

2024 NZTVA winners

NZ On Air Best Drama
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Comedy
The Motherhood Anthology - Give Me Babies
Eyes and Ears / Oriental Maidens / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+

Best Factual Series
Escaping Utopia
Warner Bros. International Television Production NZ / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

NZ On Air Best Documentary
Family Faith Footy: A Pasifika Rugby Story
Great Southern Television Ltd / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Original Reality Series
Down For Love - Season 2
Attitude Pictures / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+

Best Current Affairs Programme
Q+A with Jack Tame
TVNZ / TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+

NZ On Air Best Children's Programme
Kiri & Lou
Kiri and Lou Ltd / Sky

Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme
NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana
Aotearoa Media Collective / RNZ / TVNZ+

Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme
Te Karere - Nationwide Activation Day
TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

NZ On Air Best Pasifika Programme
Family Faith Footy: A Pasifika Rugby Story
Great Southern Television Ltd / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best News Coverage
1 News at Six - Cyclone Gabrielle – One Year On
TVNZ / 1News, TVNZ 1 

Best Sports Programme

Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey
Mairanga Media / RNZ

Best Live Event Coverage
Anzac 2024
Whakaata Māori / MĀORI+

Best Entertainment Programme
New Zealand Today
Kevin & Co / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow

Best Director: Documentary/Factual
Sophie Musgrove & Siddharth Nambiar 
Dynamic Planet
NHNZ Worldwide / NEON / Sky Open / Sky Go

Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy Drama
Peter Salmon
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Actress
Robyn Malcolm
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Supporting Actress
Tara Canton
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Actor
Peter Mullan
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Supporting Actor

Elz Carrad 
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Reporter of the Year 
Lisette Reymer
Newshub
Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow

Best Presenter: Entertainment
Karen O’Leary
Paddy Gower Has Issues
Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow 

Best Presenter: News And Current Affairs
Jack Tame
Q+A with Jack Tame
TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Television Personality of the Year​
Bella Kalolo
Shortland Street 
TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+

Television Legend
Dame Julie Christie

Best Editing: Documentary / Factual
Tori Bindoff, Carl Budden
Escaping Utopia
Warner Bros. International Television Production NZ / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Editing: Drama / Comedy Drama
Denise Haratzis
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Camerawork: Documentary / Factual

Mark Chamberlin
The Hui
Great Southern Television Ltd / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow

Best Director: Multi Camera
Matt Quin
NRL playoffs - Warriors v Knights
Sky Sport NZ / Sky Sport 1

Images & Sound Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy Drama
Dave Cameron NZCS ACS
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Contribution to a Soundtrack
Pinnacle Post Sound Team
Our Flag Means Death - Season 2
NEON & Sky Open

Images & Sound Best Original Score
Andrew Keoghan, Reb Fountain
Escaping Utopia
Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Best Post Production Design
Alana Cotton
Testify
Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+

Best Production Design
Neville Stevenson
Dark City - The Cleaner
Endeavour Ventures Ltd / NEON & Sky Open

Best Costume Design
Briar Vivian
Far North
White Balance Pictures / South Pacific Pictures / Warner Bros. Discovery / Three & ThreeNow

Best Makeup Design
Janene Cissi
The Boy, The Queen And Everything In Between
Lucky Legs Media Ltd / TVNZ 2 & TVNZ+

Best Script: Comedy
Simone Nathan
Kid Sister
Greenstone TV / TVNZ+

Best Script: Drama
Dianne Taylor
After The Party
Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+