Big wins for Pacific creators at New Zealand’s top screen and podcast awards

Pacific creators are playing an increasingly central role in shaping New Zealand’s cultural storytelling, with this year marking one of the strongest showings from Māori and Pacific talent across both the screen and audio sectors.

Distinguished Pacific storytellers received high praise at both the New Zealand Screen Awards and New Zealand Podcast Awards 2025, marking a significant rise in Pacific broadcasting and content creation.

Just nine months after its launch, Unfiltered with Dave Letele won Gold for Best Māori or Pasifika Podcast or Host, underlining the importance of Māori and Pacific voices in the local audio landscape.

The podcast also took home two Silvers in the Most Awarded Podcast and The Rising Star Award, along with two Bronzes for Best Education Podcast and Best Interview podcast.

“That is epic,” Letele says in a social media post. “A massive thank you to the Podcast Awards, to all of the guests for coming on and sharing their stories and empowering others. It’s just amazing.

“To all the team, fanaticals, we really appreciate you guys…This is cool and it’s another powerful platform to help others. Can’t wait to keep this momentum going and level up even more next year. Honestly, it feels like we’re just getting started.”

Fresh Moni Podcast, hosted by financial expert Willie Leota, won Silver in both the Best Business Podcast and Best Māori or Pasifika Podcast or Host categories.

Between Two Beers, a long-form interview show co-hosted by Solomon Islander Seamus Marten, took home Gold for Best Sports Podcast and Best Business Podcast for Accidental Business Owners, along with Silver in Best Interview Podcast.

The New Zealand Podcast Awards attracted a record 30,000 fan votes, with winners chosen by 15 industry judges who evaluated 600 entries across various categories.

In celebrating this year’s winners, Acast, the headlining sponsor, will offer free advertising impressions across its network to expand the podcasts’ reach to more national and global listeners.

The New Zealand Podcast Awards were established to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of Kiwi podcasters, both domestically and internationally. These awards spotlight high-quality storytelling, promote independent creators and established networks, and assist shows in reaching new audiences and securing sponsors.

The highly anticipated 2025 New Zealand Screen Awards - Ngā Taonga Whakaata o Aotearoa celebrate excellence across all screen content, including television and film.

A red carpet evening was held at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland, where the best in the industry were honoured for their outstanding contributions to New Zealand’s screen sector.

The feature film, Tinā, dominated the women’s feature acting categories, with Anapela Polata'ivao winning the Best Actress in a Feature award and Antonia Eaton receiving the Best Supporting Actress in a Feature award.

A true class act, Polata’ivao began her acceptance speech with a mihi in te reo Māori, acknowledging those who have passed, those present, the Screen Awards, Ngāti Whātua as iwi guardians, and Ngāi Māori for their continued allyship with Pacific people.

“I can hear all my children saying, ‘Go mum, go mum’," she says. “My darlings, I have nothing but thank yous from my fatu to your fatu.”

On top of thanking everyone who worked on and featured in the historic box office hit, Polata’ivao paid homage to her parents. “To my family, my parents who left their beloved Sāmoa to allow us all the opportunities that this land has given me, I love you and I thank you so much.

“Tinā is the people’s film. Lastly, I wanna dedicate this to the late great Pua Magasiva, this is your darling.”

Tikilounge Productions, Coconet TV, and TVNZ+ claimed Best Children's Programme with First Place, a feature film about a high school Sāmoan group preparing for Polyfest.

Best News Coverage went to 1News/TVNZ1 and TVNZ+ for their extensive and incredible dedication to reporting on the funeral of the Māori King - Kiingitanga Tangihanga. The broadcasting team includes Sāmoan Tati Urale, a long-standing producer at 1News.

Best Live Event Coverage was awarded to Waikato-Tainui, Whakaata Māori, and MĀORI+ for their respectful and honourable broadcasting of Te Raa Nehu o te Tangihanga o te Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII - the burial day of the Māori King.

Taskmaster New Zealand Season 5 is the Best Entertainment Programme of the year, featuring Tofiga Fepulea’i, PMN 531pi’s Island Time host and award-winning comedian, as a contestant.

Indira Stewart was crowned Reporter of the Year for her investigative journalism with TVNZ+ In-Depth. Her portfolio includes Children of Prisoners, which examines the “invisible sentence” faced by children with incarcerated parents.

Other stories in Stewart’s interview series spotlight a range of issues, such as investigating child sex workers in Aotearoa New Zealand, inquiries into allegations surrounding the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, uncovering the experiences of women in gangs, and looking back at 50 years of Polyfest.

“When I think about the stories that we’ve been able to tell, from the children of prisoners to the gang mums, to the kids who, as we sit here tonight drinking our wines and eating our fancy food, are getting ready to stand on Hunter’s Plaza and be exploited as underage sex workers,” Stewart says in her acceptance speech.

“I know it’s a harsh reality, but it all comes back to why these stories, scripted, factual content, films, documentary, [and] why they’re so important to tell for our New Zealanders.”

Stewart then addresses the Minister for Media and Communications, Paul Goldsmith, who was seated in the crowd. “Good to see you, bro…I just wanted to say…you know how MMP means that you guys get to have all these multitudes of political views in government to strengthen our democracy?

“It’s exactly the same as having as many platforms as we can and telling stories and news, so give us some money, bro!”

Together, the wins across podcasting, journalism, film, and entertainment signal a defining moment for Pacific storytelling in Aotearoa - one where Pacific voices are no longer on the margins, but helping lead the direction of New Zealand’s media future.