By REBECCA BARRY
Whale Rider, the Kiwi film achieving international acclaim, looks likely to match its foreign success at this year's New Zealand Film Awards.
Niki Caro's adaptation of a Witi Ihimaera story is a finalist in 14 of the 15 feature film categories.
They include best film, best director, best actor, best actress and best screenplay. The only category in which it is absent is best contribution to a sound track.
All seven feature film entries have made it to the finals.
Jesse Warn's Nemesis Game - a co-production with Canada and the United Kingdom released this month - is a finalist in nine categories including best film, best director and best screenplay.
Gary Lahood's comedy Kombi Nation is a finalist in four categories including best film and best director, and Don Selwyn's The Maori Merchant of Venice makes eight categories including best actor.
The awards will also recognise digital features and short films.
A last-minute film industry fundraising drive saved this year's awards. A smaller event than originally planned will be held in Auckland on December 8.
Whale Rider has won the jury prize for best film at the Sao Paulo International Film Festival in Brazil, the best feature film award at the Environmental Media Awards in Los Angeles, and has been nominated for best foreign film in the Australian Film Institute Awards, and best feature film in the children's film and television Baftas in Britain.
Nominations:
FEATURE FILM.
Best Film
Kombi Nation, Nemesis Game, Whale Rider.
Best Director
Kombi Nation (Grant Lahood), Nemesis Game (Jesse Warn), Whale Rider (Niki Caro).
Best Actor
Jason Whyte (Kombi Nation), Waihoroi Shortland (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Rawiri Paratene (Whale Rider).
Best Supporting Actor
Te Rangihau Gilbert (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Cliff Curtis (Whale Rider), Grant Roa (Whale Rider).
Best Supporting Actress
Miranda Harcourt (For Good), Veeshayne Armstrong (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Vicky Haughton (Whale Rider).
Best Juvenile Performer
Anneke-Lee Gough (For Good), Mana Taumanu (Whale Rider).
Best Screenplay
Kombi Nation (Grant Lahood, Jason Whyte, Loren Horsley, Gentianne Lupi, Genevieve McClean), Nemesis Game (Jesse Warn), Whale Rider (Niki Caro).
Best Cinematography
Davorin Fahn (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Aaron Morton (Nemesis Game), Leon Narbey (Whale Rider).
Best Editing
Bruce Lange (Nemesis Game), Margot Francis (Toy Love), David Coulson (Whale Rider).
Best Original Music
Clive Cockburn and Hirini Melbourne (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Victoria Kelly and Joost Langeveld (Toy Love), Lisa Gerrard (Whale Rider).
Best Contribution to a Soundtrack
Tim Prebble, Dave Whitehead, Gethin Greagh (The Locals), Frank Ilfman (Nemesis Game), Tim Prebble (Toy Love).
Best Design
Guy Moana (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Peter Cosco (Nemesis Game), Grant Major (Whale Rider).
Best Costume Design
Gavin McClean (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Shelley Mansell (Nemesis Game), Kirsty Cameron (Whale Rider).
Best Makeup
Annie Single (The Maori Merchant Of Venice), Barbara Barkey (Nemesis Game), Denise Kum (Whale Rider).
Lifetime Achievement Award
(to be announced)
DIGITAL FEATURE FINALISTS
Best Digital Feature
Christmas (Leanne Saunders and Gregory King), Orphans and Angels (Harold Brodie), Woodenhead (Florian Habicht).
Best Performance
Darien Takle (Christmas), Emmeline Hawthorne (Orphans and Angels), Stephen Lovatt (This Is Not A Love Story).
Best Script
Gregory King (Christmas), Harold Brodie (Orphans and Angels), Keith Hill (This Is Not A Love Story).
Best Technical Contribution
Caroline Falgan (Art Director, Christmas), Ian Beale (Cinematography, Orphans and Angels), Christopher Pryor, Director of Photography and co-editor, Woodenhead).
Special Jury Prize
(to be announced)
SHORT FILM FINALISTS
Best Short Film
Beautiful (Adam Stevens), The French Doors (Steve Ayson), Two Cars, One Night (Taika Waititi).
Best Performance
Peter Feeney (The Platform), Jason Hoyte (Beautiful), Rangi Ngamoki (Two Cars, One Night).
Best Script
Daniel Strand (Playing A Role), Wiremu Grace (Turangawaewae), Taika Waititi (Two Cars, One Night).
Best Technical Contribution
Adam Clarke (Cinematography, Two Cars, One Night), Michael Lucas (Digital Visual Effects, Kitty), Dave Whitehead (Music Composition, The Platform).
Herald Feature: Whale Rider
Whale Rider tops nominations for NZ Film Awards
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