Waititi crew win big at Moas

THE heartwarming Kiwi tale of a boy in the bush has taken out seven Moas at this year’s New Zealand Film Awards.

Topping off a stellar year of box office success and critical acclaim, Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople won awards for Best Film, Director, Screenplay, Actor (Julian Dennison), Supporting Actor (Sam Neill), Supporting Actress (Rima Te Wiata) and Visual Effects.

Dennison won a New Zealand Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in his first acting role, in the 2013 film Shopping.

The Rialto Channel NZ Film Awards (also known as Moas) were presented last night in a ceremony at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds.

Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle ( Slumdog Millionaire, T2: Trainspotting) was the special guest presenter in a line-up that included Sam Neill, Zac Wallace and James Rolleston.

Neill was also there to present the Services to Cinema Award to old friend and collaborator Gaylene Preston for her outstanding contributions to New Zealand film.

Miriama McDowell was Best Actress for her role in The Great Maiden’s Blush, which also won the Best Self-Funded film.

For The Ground We Won, described as ‘‘a beautifully observed study of provincial rugby’’, Miriam Smith took home Best Documentary and Chris Pryor the Moa for Best Documentary Cinematography – the most contested category of this year’s awards.

David Stubbs won Best Documentary Director for Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses, while Madam Black, directed by Ivan Barge, won Best Short Film. FairfaxNZ

Award winners last night included Rima Te Wiata and Julian Dennison in above, MiriamaMcDowell, left, for

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Great Maiden’s Blush, and The Ground We Won, below, for best documentary. Trainspotting director Danny Boyle, right, was a guest presenter.