Child star steals 48Hours competition (+video)

A 10-year-old Wellington girl enlisted to run errands on the set of her director dad's 48-hour film entry has been named best actress, and the film overall winner, at Grand National Final of the Rialto Channel 48Hours filmmaking competition

Nova Waretini-Hewison played the main character in The Sleeping Plot, directed by her father Dean Hewison and written by Sam Dickson and Richard Falkner from their team named Traces of Nut.

The group took top honours in the 11th annual competition.

Judge Scott Walker said the film - a black comedy centered around a 10-year-old girl who will do anything to find her best friend - was "smooth'' and "professional".

I loved the story, original, manipulative - I fell for that kid - funny, and clever. High production values made everything feel smooth and it looked professional,'' he said.

"Great wee story, well told. All the little portends as the film went along were great, making a second viewing really rewarding."

Nova was helping her father on the set when the storyline developed and called for her involvement. She also won best actress in the Wellington finals, and the film took out top honours there, too.

Runner up prize last night went to the team Chess Club for I Got Robots and third place went to team Nightowls for Autocraniotomous.

There were 20 other prizes covering all aspects of film making, and animated winner Sleep Clinic will join Sleeping Plot to compete at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas in September.

More than 800 teams from throughout New Zealand entered the competition to create a short film in just 48 hours.

Films were judged by an international panel that included Chief Critic at Variety, Scott Foundas, Homeland director Lodge Kerrigan and Frozen Ground director Scott Walker.

Winners were awarded from $50,000 prize pool from New Zealand Film Commission and Sir Peter Jackson's production company, Wingnut Films.

Full list of winners:

Grand National Champion
The Sleeping Plot by Traces of Nut

Runner Up
I Got Robots by Chess Club

Runner Runner Up
Autocraniotomous by Nightowls

V Best Actress
Nova Waretini-Hewison in The Sleeping Plot

V Best Actor
James Kupa in I Got Robots

Rialto Channel Rising Star
Guinea Pig Funeral by Jolly Shrimp Co.

Canon Best Cinematography
Matty Warmington, Traces of Nut, for The Sleeping Plot

AUT University Best Director
Dean Hewison, Traces of Nut, for The Sleeping Plot

Loop Best Song
Bobs Bust Out, composed by Jeremy Veal from ICW Productions in Consulting Vic Meyer

Loop Best Score
Jordan Brown, Elysium Exit, for The Empath

Media Design School Best School
Good Intentions by Booty Poppers

Images & Sound Sexiest Short
The Empath by Elysium Exit

Gaylene Preston Best Female Director
Lucy Timmins, Booty Poppers, for Good Intentions

Best Animation
Sleep Clinic by Dr Jeckyll

NZ Herald Online Best Script
Alex Parsons & Dan Bain, The Eh Team, for Is Love Enough?

Best Editing
Jeremy Mulholland, The Eh Team, for Is Love Enough?

Best Art Direction
Sleep Shepherds by Dust Booth

Best Make Up
Night Vision by Touching Cloth

Best Use of the Character
Breakdown by Grrr Arrrrg Productions

Best Use of the Prop
The Appointment by Spooce Media

Best Use of the Line
The Hopeless Life of Snoz Meyer by The Underdogs

Incredibly Strange Award
A Man Escaped by Niu Film

Best Team Intro
Bus of the Undead