A diverse array of local television content features among the 2018 Huawei Mate20 New Zealand Television Awards finalists, announced on 25 October. 

The award winners will be announced next month at two ceremonies: the New Zealand Television Craft Awards, which Screen Auckland is proud to host, will be held at GridAKL on 8 November; and the Huawei Mate20 New Zealand Television Awards gala ceremony at the Civic Theatre on 22 November. 

Leading the nominations with 11 nods is Great Southern Film & Television’s telefeature about an iconic Kiwi rock band: The Dance Exponents – Why Does Love? which aired as part of TVNZ 1’s Sunday Theatre series last year. 

Screen Auckland is proud to sponsor two awards: the coveted NZTV Award for Best Director - Drama. This year, the finalists are Danny Mulheron, Peter Salmon, and Michael Hurst; and the NZTV Awards Craft Awards - Best Direction or Production Design, with the winner to come from finalists Miro Harré, Clayton Ercolano, and Brant Fraser. 

Read the full list of finalists for both sets of awards.