The Dark Horse Scores Big at Rialto Channel NZ Film Awards

The Dark Horse Scores Big at Film Awards

An inspirational film based on real life Gisborne speed-chess coach Genesis Potini, made all the right moves to take out top honours along with five other awards at the Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards - nicknamed The Moas.

The critically acclaimed drama The Dark Horse premiered at the New Zealand Film Festival earlier this year before connecting with audiences nationwide during its successful theatrical release. The second feature from writer director James Napier Robertson, it also picked up Moas for Flying Fish Best Director, Peter Yealands Wines Best Actor, Te Whanau O Waipareira Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay and Bigpop Studios Best Score. The Dark Horse producer Tom Hern also co-produced Everything We Loved, which took home Moas for Peter Yealands Wines Best Actress, and Queenstown Cameras ARRI Best Cinematography.

Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s vampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows was another big winner on the night, taking out Park Road Post Best Self-Funded film and scooping Moas for Manukau Urban Maori Authority Best Supporting Actress, Tommy & James Best Production Design and Bigpop Studios Best Sound.

The recent box-office hit The Dead Lands was pipped at the post for the major awards but managed to chase down Images & Sound Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design and M.A.C. Best Makeup Design.

Festival darling and recent release Hip Hop-eration continued its winning ways and danced away with three of the four documentary Moas; Best Documentary, Vendetta Films Best Documentary Director and NZ Broadcasting School at CPIT Best Documentary Cinematography.

Awards for Short Film were spread across multiple winners but Eleven managed to woo the judges and take home the Canon Best Short Film prize.

Legendary Kiwi cinematographer Leon Narbey won a much-deserved ‘Services To Cinema’ award for his enormous contribution to New Zealand film history.

The 2014 winners of the Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards:

Rialto Channel Best Film: The Dark Horse

Flying Fish Best Director: James Napier Robertson - The Dark Horse

Best Screenplay: James Napier Robertson - The Dark Horse

Peter Yealands Wines Best Actor: Cliff Curtis - The Dark Horse

Peter Yealands Wines Best Actress: Sia Trokenheim - Everything We Loved

Te Whanau O Waipareira Best Supporting Actor: James Rolleston - The Dark Horse

Manukau Urban Maori Authority Best Supporting Actress : Jackie van Beek - What We Do In The Shadows

Park Road Post Best Self-Funded Film: What We Do In The Shadows - Jemaine Clement, Chelsea Winstanley, Taika Waititi, Emanuel Michael

Queenstown Camera ARRI Best Cinematography: Dave Garbett - Everything We Loved

Mandy VFX Best Editor: Cushla Dillon - Orphans & Kingdoms

Bigpop Studios Best Score: Dana Lund - The Dark Horse

Bigpop Studios Best Sound: Simon Riley, Mike Hedges & Tim Chaproniere - What We Do In The Shadows

Images & Sound Best Visual Effects: George Zwier - The Dead Lands

Best Costume Design: Barbara Darragh - The Dead Lands

M.A.C. Best Makeup Design: Davina Lamont - The Dead Lands

Tommy & James Best Production Design: Ra Vincent - What We Do In The Shadows

Letterboxd Best Poster Design: Andrejs Skuja & Johnny Lyon - Housebound

NZOnAir Best Television Feature: Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story - Steven O'Meagher

Best Documentary: Hip Hop-eration - Paula Jones & Alex Lee

Vendetta Films Best Documentary Director: Bryn Evans - Hip Hop-eration

NZ Broadcasting School at CPIT Best Documentary Cinematography: Bevan Crothers - Hip Hop-eration

Lotech Best Documentary Editor: Simon Coldrick – Erebus: Operation Overdue

Canon Best Short Film: Eleven - Abigail Greenwood

Halcyon Digital Best Self-Funded Short Film: Skin - Tom Gould

Actors Agents Association of New Zealand Best Short Film Actor: John Clarke - Ross & Beth

Actors Agents Association of New Zealand Best Short Film Actor: Tahei Simpson - Home

PLS Best Short Film Cinematography: Grant McKinnon - Ross & Beth

NZ Herald Online Best Short Film Script : Kate Prior - Eleven

Services To Cinema Award: Leon Narbey

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