Toa Fraser, TVNZ win big at Qantas Awards... Sam Neill not so much

Paul Henry and co-host Pippa Wetzell. Photo / Michael Craig

I was enjoying the summer days in London last week but was happy to jet home in the nick of time to attend the most glamorous awards show of the year: the Qantas Film and Television Awards.

The who's-who of the New Zealand film and television industries were out on Saturday night in their glam frocks and penguin suits to attend the glittering gala event at the Civic Theatre, including Prime Minister John Key who was there with his wife Bronagh and Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman.

Niki Caro, Karl Urban, Lucy Lawless, the Topp Twins and Gaylene Preston provided some international star appeal. So too did Keisha Castle-Hughes who was there to accept the award for best supporting actress in the telly film Piece of My Heart.

Pity Peter O'Toole wasn't. The 77-year-old British stage and screen legend won the gong in absentia for best supporting actor in Toa Fraser's film Dean Spanley which went home with a record seven wins - including best director, best feature film (with a budget over $1m), best screenplay, best supporting actor, best editing, best costume design and best make-up.

Although frankly, no one was expecting the film's lead actor, Sam Neill, to be pipped at the post for the best actor gong to the less well-known Scott Wills for the local flick Apron Strings produced by Great Southern Television.

It was a surprise win for the leading production house that won a staggering six awards, including best director for factual/entertainment programme to the talented Paul Casserly for the show Eating Media Lunch which, ironically, was dumped by TVNZ earlier this year. Casserly joked to the Herald on Sunday at the time: "It's about time the network came to their senses and got rid of us". Perhaps they may be regretting that decision now.

Glamourpuss producer Rachel Gardner from Great Southern Television was nominated for three awards but narrowly missed out to the effervescent Jaquie Brown for her eponymously named comedy show The Jaquie Brown Diaries in the best comedy programme category.

Television presenter Petra Bagust, who has been little seen on our screens of late aside from her much welcome appearance on the critically panned and dreary TV3 Telethon, will be wondering where her telly career may be heading after losing the gong for best entertainment/factual presenter to Jason Gunn.

Other big losers last night include TV3's Outrageous Fortune whose days may have set on the award collection horizon. The hit show only scooped one award last night - not for acting, but for best script. Siobhan Marshall and Antony Starr missed out.

International leading ladies Danielle Cormack and Melanie Lynskey will be most displeased they missed out on the coveted best actress role to lesser known local thesp Jennifer Ludlam (Apron Strings).

But the biggest loser award of the night must go to Mark Jennings and his TV3 news team who were trounced by their bitter rivals TVNZ. They left with only one news award out of a possible 12 in the category, thanks only to Aussie correspondent Amanda Gillies' best news reporting for her Victoria bushfires coverage.

The night belonged to Anthony Flannery and the TV One news and current affairs department. One News won the best news category; Paul Holmes' Q+A programme took home the best current affairs series; the Sunday show won best current affairs reporting for a weekly programme and its reporter Ian Sinclair won the gong for investigation of the year.

Brain tumour survivor Kevin Milne scooped the award for best news or current affairs presenter (in a category of nominees only hailing from TV One); and the all-gal team of Robyn Janes, Louisa Cleave and Corinne Ambler from Close Up pipped their colleagues winning best current affairs reporting for a daily programme and journalist of the year. It's worth noting Campbell Live didn't feature anywhere - not even as a finalist!

The crowd favourite was undoubtedly Jools and Lynda Topp who not only won the best feature film (with a budget under $1million) category but brought the house down with their loveable on-stage performance.

Award highlights

FILM

Best Feature Film (budget over $1 million): Dean Spanley

Best Feature Film (budget under $1 million): The Top Twins Untouchable Girls

Best Director in a Feature Film (budget under and over $1 million): Toa Fraser, Dean Spanley

Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film: Scott Wills, Apron Strings

Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film: Jennifer Ludlam, Apron Strings

Best Screenplay for a Feature Film: Alan Sharp, Dean Spanley

TELEVISION

Qantas Best News: One News

Best News or Current Affairs Presenter: Kevin Milne, Fair Go, TV One

Investigation of the Year: Ian Sinclair and Dale Owens, Sunday (Dr Disaster 2), TV One

Journalist of the Year: Robyn Janes, Louisa Cleave and Corinne Ambler, Close Up, TV One

Best performance by an actor in general television: Cohen Holloway, Until Proven Innocent, TV One

Best performance by an actress in general television: Emily Barclay, Piece Of My Heart, TV One

- Rachel Glucina

Pictured above: Paul Henry and co-host Pippa Wetzell. Photo / Michael Craig