October 23, 2026
Taste of Kiwi takes home the Grand National Champion title with NAN!, as New Zealand’s filmmaking community celebrates another extraordinary year of creativity at Wellington’s Embassy Theatre. The 2026 Vista Foundation 48Hours competition wrapped up in spectacular fashion on Saturday 17 October, as filmmakers from across Aotearoa gathered at Wellington’s iconic Embassy Theatre for the Grand National Final.
Hosted by Carrie Green, the evening brought together New Zealand’s filmmaking community for a celebration of creativity, talent and storytelling, showcasing the country’s best short films before announcing the national award winners and the 2026 Grand National Champion.
The biggest honour of the night went to Taste of Kiwi, whose film NAN! was crowned the 2026 Grand National Champion. The team took home the prestigious Grand National Champion APEE and a prize package including $15,000 cash from WingNut Films, $20,000 worth of post-production services from Park Road Post Production, $15,000 worth of equipment hire from Portsmouth Film Equipment Rental, and an exclusive pitch opportunity for the $25,000 VF48Hours Level Up Grant with Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga / New Zealand Film Commission.
NAN! also received the national awards for Best Script and Best Director, rounding out an impressive night for the team.
Grand National Runner-Up was awarded to MO3PEPS TM for The Dap, recognising another standout achievement in this year's competition. The team received $5,000 cash from Portsmouth Film Equipment Rental and a one-year Digital Pigeon Freelancer subscription.
The next generation of filmmakers was also celebrated, with Silver Shadow taking home National Best School Team for ENDLESS, an award supported by Rubber Monkey.
Celebrating New Zealand's Filmmaking Talent
The Vista Foundation 48Hours continues to be one of Aotearoa's most exciting opportunities for aspiring and experienced filmmakers to challenge themselves, develop their skills and bring their creative ideas to life.
This year's competition saw 594 teams register nationwide, with 529 eligible films submitted. Among those taking part were 194 school teams and 105 tertiary teams, demonstrating the competition's important role in encouraging young people to explore filmmaking and gain practical experience.
From 31 July to 2 August, participants had just 48 hours to develop original stories, manage productions and deliver completed short films under an extraordinary deadline. The Vista Foundation Grand National Final provided an opportunity to celebrate the results of those exceptional efforts, screening outstanding national finalist films alongside the Best School Film.
The competition offers much more than the excitement of a 48-hour filmmaking competition. It creates opportunities for filmmakers to collaborate, experiment with storytelling, strengthen their production skills and have their work recognised by leading figures in the screen industry.
2026 Grand National Award Winners
Alongside the Grand National Champion and Runner-Up, filmmakers were recognised across a range of national award categories celebrating outstanding achievement in storytelling, performance, technical craft and creativity.
National Best School Team - Supported by Rubber Monkey
Silver Shadow - ENDLESS -Link to film
Couch Kumara Best Comedy
Froblin - Mother of all Heists - Link to film
Best Solo/Duo Team - Chosen by Ant Timpson
Reuben.T.Edwards - The Caricature - Link to film
Best Disqualified Film
Jovial Entertainment - Colleagues - Link to film
Dame Gaylene Preston and WIFT Outstanding Female/Gender Diverse Filmmaker
Hweiling Ow - Permanently Confused - Link to film
Best Original Score/Song
RS Productions - Magnum Opus - Link to film
National Best Sound Design - Supported by Rubber Monkey
Bus of the Undead - The Paper Run - Link to film
Best Editing
Hot Lunch - Revenge On The Number 1 Rule - Link to film
Wētā FX Best Animation
Sealami - Nudity - Link to film
Best Production Design
Glitter Swarm - The Last Train to Pound Town - Link to film
Incredibly Strange Award
Rusted From The Back - EOD - Link to film
National Best Cinematography - Supported by Rubber Monkey
Twotors & Co. - Defiance - Link to film
Best Script
Taste of Kiwi - NAN! - Link to film
Best Performer
Te Ao o Hinepehinga - Lukewarm Lunch - Link to film
Best Director
Taste of Kiwi - NAN! - Link to film
Honouring the Creativity and Talent of Aotearoa
The 2026 national awards were supported by a distinguished judging panel featuring filmmakers, performers and industry professionals from New Zealand and around the world.
This year's panel included Sir Peter Jackson, Cliff Curtis, Jen Yamamoto, Ben Wheatley, Lorcan Finnegan, Jarod Neece, Adam Reynolds, Chris Callus, Chelsie Preston Crayford, Andy Starke and Amy Nicholson. Specialist awards were also judged by Dame Gaylene Preston for the WIFT Outstanding Female/Gender Diverse Filmmaker Award, Wētā FX Animation Supervisor Anneka Fris for Best Animation and David Paul for Best Cinematography.
From first-time filmmakers and school teams to experienced production crews, Vista Foundation 48Hours continues to play an important role in strengthening New Zealand's creative community and inspiring the next generation of screen storytellers.
Audiences can discover the 2026 winners and explore the films through the official 48Hours website.