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News article - The Panthers

Auckland shows and crews featured heavily at the 2022 New Zealand Television Awards, including an impressive eight awards for Auckland-based drama The Panthers, for its depiction of the Polynesian Panthers social justice movement in the 1970s.

Miki Magasiva won the Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama/Comedy Award for episode one, and the series shot across Auckland also picked up the awards for Best Drama, Best Cinematography (Drama/Comedy), Best Post Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Contribution to a Soundtrack, Best Editing of a Drama Comedy and Best Pasifika Programme.

“Tavake won accolades across a wide range of pivotal production roles,” says Screen Auckland manager Matt Horrocks. “Screen Auckland was proud to sponsor the Best Director Award for Drama Comedy.”

Horrocks congratulated Magasiva, alongside Halaifonua Finau, Tom Hern, Vea Mafile’o, Chris Graham, Mario Faumui “and everyone else involved in this stellar production”.

“Auckland shows, Auckland crews and Auckland businesses took out the majority of the awards, a fitting testament to the work that is coming from the country’s largest city and key hub for the industry.”  

The 2022 New Zealand Television Award winners are:

Best Post Production Design 
James Gardner 
The Panthers 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Production Design 
Gary Mackay - Production Designer, Alistair Kay - Supervising Art Director, Anneke Botha - Set Decorator 
Cowboy Bebop 
(Intergalactic Productions Limited / Netflix)

Best Costume Design 
Sammy Salsa 
The Panthers 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Makeup Design 
Amanda Ashton 
Ahikāroa: Season 4 
(Kura Productions / Whakaata Māori)

Best Contribution to a Soundtrack 
Native Audio 
The Panthers 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Images & Sound Best Original Score 
David Long & Stephen Gallagher 
Mystic: Series 2 
(Libertine Pictures & Slim Film + TV / TVNZ 2)

Best Editing: Documentary or Factual 
Prisca Bouchet, Julie Alp and Annie Goldson 
A Mild Touch of Cancer 
(Occasional Productions / Prime)

Best Editing: Drama / Comedy Drama 
Sacha Campbell 
The Panthers 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Camerawork: Documentary or Factual 
Bevan Crothers 
Moko 
(Velvet Stone Media Ltd / Whakaata Māori)

Images & Sound Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy Drama 
Andrew McGeorge 
The Panthers 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Script: Comedy 
Tom Sainsbury 
Wellington Paranormal - Series 4, Episode 4 
(New Zealand Documentary Board / TVNZ 2)

Best Script: Drama 
Harry McNaughton and Natalie Medlock 
The Pact, Episode 2 
(KOHA Productions / TVNZ+)

Best Director: Multi Camera 
Mitchell Hawkes 
Stan Walker: Impossible Live 
(Kura Productions / South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ 2)

Best Director: Documentary/Factual 
Chris Graham 
Scribe: Return of the Crusader 
(The Down Low Concept / TVNZ+)

Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy Drama 
Miki Magasiva 
The Panthers, Episode 1 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

Best Live Event Coverage 
Brendon Butt, Tobias Jones 
Celebrate Matariki 
(Kahawai Productions / Various)

Best Supporting Actress 
Timmie Cameron 
The Pact 
(KOHA Productions / TVNZ+)

Best Supporting Actor 
Scotty Cotter 
Kura 
(Plus6Four Entertainment / TVNZ+)

Reporter of the Year 
Barbara Dreaver 
1 News 
(TVNZ / TVNZ 1)

Best Presenter: Entertainment 
Tāmati Rimene-Sproat 
Hongi To Hāngī: And Everything In Between 
(Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ 1)

Best Presenter: News And Current Affairs 
Jack Tame 
Q+A with Jack Tame 
(TVNZ / TVNZ 1)

Best Actor 
Ian Mune 
The Pact 
(KOHA Productions / TVNZ+)

Best Actress 
Irene Wood 
The Pact 
(KOHA Productions / TVNZ+)

Television Legend 
Janine Morrell-Gunn

Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme 
The Casketeers 
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Philip Smith, Viv Wigby-Ngatai, Chris Anderton, Francis Tipene, Kaiora Tipene 
(Great Southern Television Limited / TVNZ 1)

Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme 
Te Karere 
Rapaera Tawhai, Ripeka Timutimu, Scotty Morrison 
(TVNZ / TVNZ 1)

NZ On Air Best Pasifika Programme 
The Panthers 
Halaifonua Finau, Tom Hern, Vea Mafile'o, Chris Graham, Mario Faumui 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+)

NZ On Air Best Children's Programme 
Bird's Eye View 
Sharlene George, Gal Greenspan, Tania Smiler, Gemma Easton, Pete Circuitt, Jared Kahi 
(SweetShop & Green and Studio Local / HEIHEI)

Best Sports Programme 
1-39: The Highlanders Story 
Ross Karl, Mark Malaki- Williams 
(Sky Sport)

Best Entertainment Programme 
Semele 
Rebecca Tansley, Rochelle Leef, Tash Christie 
(NZ Opera & Greenstone TV / Sky Arts)

Best Factual Series 
Chatham Islanders 
Kathleen Mantel 
(Black Iris Limited / Whakaata Māori)

Best Current Affairs Programme 
Newsroom Investigates: Breaking Bad Practice 
Melanie Reid, Mark Jennings, Bonnie Sumner, Paul Enticott 
(Newsroom)

Best Original Reality Series 
Down for Love 
Robyn Paterson, Candida Beveridge 
(Attitude Pictures / TVNZ 2)

Best Format Reality Series 
Match Fit - Series 2 
Aaron Dolbel, Mark Taylor, Bailey Mackey 
(Pango Productions / Warner Bros. Discovery/Three)

Television Personality of the Year 
Bree Tomasel 
Celebrity Treasure Island 
(TVNZ 2)

Best Comedy 
Raised by Refugees 
Bronwynn Bakker, Cam Bakker, Pax Assadi 
(Kevin & Co / Prime)

NZ On Air Best Documentary 
Stuff Circuit – Disordered 
Paula Penfold, Louisa Cleave, Toby Longbottom, Phil Johnson 
(Stuff)

Best News Coverage 
Russia Invades Ukraine 
Newshub 
(Warner Bros. Discovery / Newshub)

NZ On Air Best Drama 
The Panthers 
Halaifonua Finau, Tom Hern, Vea Mafile'o, Chris Graham, Mario Faumui 
(Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+) 

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