03 Jul 2019
The Matariki Awards honours and celebrates extraordinary Māori talent and achievement in a range of fields.
This year Creative New Zealand sponsored the Te Waipuna-ā-Rangi Award for Arts and Entertainment for creative professionals leading the way in literature, performing arts, media arts or visual arts.
Nominees were musician Troy Kingi, film producer Ainsley Gardiner, and indigenous fashion couture designer Shona Tawhiao.
Arts and Entertainment on behalf of Ainsley Gardiner.
The winner was Ainsley Gardiner, Film producer and co-founder of Miss Conception Films, who was recognised for her contributions to Aotearoa’s film industry. Ainsley is a strong proponent for growth in gender diversity in the film industry, and had a hand in a number of Kiwi classics including Two Cars, One Night – the first of several films she made with Taika Waititi – Tama Tū, Mokopuna, Eagle vs Shark, Boy, The Pā Boys, Waru and most recently The Breaker Upperers as well as a co-producer for iconic New Zealand movies like Boy, New Zealand’s highest grossing movie.
The Matariki Awards aligns with the Māori arts strategy Te Hā o ngā Toi, to ensure that ngā toi Māori is visible everywhere and highly valued, as well as engaging and building a stronger sector to advance ngā toi Māori aspirations.
Past recipients of this award have been Derek Lardelli, Cliff Curtis and Taika Waititi.
Our congratulations to Māori Television for hosting the awards and recognising the value of the arts for Aotearoa.
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