2021 Winners

The Vista Foundation 2021 competition culminated in the top 18 films screening at the Grand Final at the Civic Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau.

The Spinoff profiled 5 films in the lead up to the Grand Finals - LINK

TVNZ broadcast the 18 grand finalist films and they are now on On-Demand - LINK

Re: News have profiled the top 18 films as well as best under 18, best school film and incredibly strange films - LINK

Our Screening Room is on our website for teams to review each other's work - LINK

2021 Grand National Champion

Traces of Nut - Good Girl

Grand National Runner-up

Apple Fork - A Matter Of Time

Grand National Second Runner-up

Mitchell's Here - Āta

Grand National Finalists

Click on the finalists to watch them.

Awkward Animations - Unfinished Symphony - WATCH
BAE24 - The Dying Art of Cat Burglary - WATCH
Couch Kumara - Pre-Emptive Defence - WATCH
Cyan Sea - Max - *WILDCARD - WATCH
Disqualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized B17 bomber specifically and only for this competition. Also known as "Banana Boys" - WATCH
Dystography Studios - The Last Lord of Scotland - WATCH
Free Cinematic Luts - Shit Chat - *WILDCARD - WATCH
I Love Loops - Loot & Blunder - WATCH
Kinaki - Good as Gold - WATCH
Pastafarian Productions - Rekindled Spirits - *WILDCARD - WATCH
Qualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized cardboard u-boat specifically and only for this competition. also known as “DAS BANANA-BOOT” - WATCH
Snack To The Future - Judy - WATCH
Tasteful Sideboob - Hydrangea - WATCH
The Creamery - In Deep - WATCH
Underwater Dreams - Jebivetar - WATCH

Grand National Award Winners

L'Affare Best Ultra48

A Small Blob Of Ice Cream - The Sounds Of Earth

Other Nominees:

A Hearts Desire - PlanetFoxFilms
Rekindled Spirits - Pastafarian Productions
The Dying Art of Cat Burglary - BAE24
Pre-Emptive Defence - Couch Kumara

Ant Timpson's Best Solo/Duo award

Pastafarian Productions - Rekindled Spirits

Other Nominees:

Āta - Mitchell's Here
Blood Love - Rattlesnake Productions
Awkward Animations - Unfinished Symphony
The Sounds Of Earth - A Small Blob Of Ice Cream

Best Director

Traces of Nut - Good Girl - Dean Hewison

Other Nominees:

Awkward Animations - Unfinished Symphony
Temporary Estate - Impalpable
BAE24 - The Dying Art of Cat Burglary
Jelly Mouth - The Unseen
Kratos - A Job Worth Keeping
Blink Blue Media - The Hitchhiker
Kinaki - Good as Gold

The Dame Gaylene Preston and WIFT Best Female Director Award

Rekindled Spirits - Pastafarian Productions - Hannah Taylor

Other Nominees:

Loot & Blunder - I Love Loops
Jebivetar - Underwater Dreams
Impalpable - Temporary Estate
Long Haul - Lil Kings
Blood Love - Rattlesnake Productions
Human Resources - Child Support
Jingle All The Way - Raumati Antisocial Club

Best School Team

Howie Mandel Fan Club - Sharla and the Smiths - Newlands College

Other Nominees:

Sleep Is For The Week - Operation: Snuffles
Budget Boy Films - Rien Ici
Golden Bay Bogans - Immemorial
Kura Poutama - Who did it?
Team Funfam - Cereal Killer
HGHS 2 - Generational Art Thieves
the other spice - The Evolution of Karen

Best Under 18 Film

Toasted - Lemon Lemon

Other Nominees:

Nutty Mosquitoes - The Breath of Death
Clowns Against Clowns - A Funky Little Place in Time
Cinnamon Cinemas - Above The Law
the other spice - The Evolution of Karen
You be good. I love you. - Erloesung

Best Performer

Tasteful Sideboob - Hydrangea (Rosie Howells)

Other Nominees:

Free Cinematic Luts (Louis Sammons)
Team Goodas (Ghazala Salmin)
TBALC (Aimée Borlase)
Bus of the Undead (Anna Parsons)
Kratos (Paddy Butler)
Ramen Media (Rajneel Naickar)
Team Such&Such (Antonia Smith)

Best Script

Traces of Nut - Good Girl

Other Nominees:

The Creamery - In Deep
Tinker Tailor - Refraction
Dystography Studios - The Last Lord of Scotland
Da Film Boiz - Manibus Invisiblilia: A Touching Story
Team Solita - My Tinfoil Hat
Muddy Brilliant - Meat Your Match
Pastafarian Productions - Rekindled Spirits

Best Cinematography

Angle3 Pictures - Memories Of Kevin

Other Nominees:

The Great Lake Film Society - R.A.W.W
PlanetFoxFilms - A Hearts Desire
Bus of the Undead - Pitches be crazy
HS Films - Wilted Rose
Blink Blue Media - The Hitchhiker
Kinaki - Good As Gold
Couch Kumara - Pre-Emptive Defence

Best Production Design

Qualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized cardboard u-boat specifically and only for this competition. also known as “DAS BANANA-BOOT”

Other Nominees:

Disqualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized B17 bomber specifically and only for this competition. Also known as "Banana Boys"
Great Lakes - R.A.W.W
Backyard Project - Blood Barn
Jelly Mouth - The Unseen
Butterfly Hill Productions - Anti Facts
Muddy Brilliant - Meat Your Match
HavingTechnicalDifficulties - Heir of the Taeral

Best Animation

I Love Loops - Loot & Blunder

Other Nominees:

Sagewood Studios - Puddles
A Small Blob of Ice Cream - The Sounds of Earth
Toowit Toowoo - Bad Eggs
Pastafarian Productions - Rekindled Spirits
Truba - Infinite Origin

Best VFX

Disqualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized B17 bomber specifically and only for this competition. Also known as "Banana Boys"

Other Nominees:

Eddie Page Productions - Joyless Pussies
South Jersey Ghost Research - Dick, Actually
WHS Year 11 Team - The Greatest Shoeman
Kratos - A Job Worth Keeping
Ramen Media - Ribena Tree
NPBHS Team 1 - An invitation to eternity
Mellow Vision - Petra's Pet Perils III: Dog Gone

Best Editing

Couch Kumara - Pre-Emptive Defence

Other Nominees:

Disqualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized B17 bomber specifically and only for this competition. Also known as "Banana Boys"
Great Lakes Film Society - R.A.W.W.
Dragon V Mouse - Rob
Jelly Mouth - The Unseen
Kratos - A Job Worth Keeping
Blink Blue Media - The Hitchhiker
Kinaki - Good As Gold

Pow Studios Best Sound Design

Disqualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized B17 bomber specifically and only for this competition. Also known as "Banana Boys"

Other Nominees:

Budget Boy Films - Rien Ici
A Small Blob of Ice Cream - The Sounds of Earth
Bus of the Undead - Pitches be crazy
Team Solita - My Tinfoil Hat
Blink Blue Media - The Hitchhiker
NPBHS Team 1 - An invitation to eternity
Qualified Tim - We built and destroyed a full sized cardboard u-boat specifically and only for this competition. also known as “DAS BANANA-BOOT”

Best Original Score/Song

Chillybox - Making A Splash

Other Nominees:

Eddie Page Productions - Joyless Pussies
rip focus - Him & Her
The Happy Little Peas - Rap to the Future
HS Films (Tia Takarangi) - Wilted Rose
SnowForge - Phantasmal Illusions and Other Apparitions
Pastafarian Productions - Rekindled Spirits
Traces of Nut - Good Girl

NZ Filmmakers Collective Best Disqualified Film

Blood and Bone - Trolley King

Other Nominees:

UNE - Clocked Out
Hands On - Watch Your Steps
Where's my Muse? - My Off-Tune Nightmare
Brown Rabbit - The Burdens We Carry
HGHS 1 - Goodbye Josephine
The Zeal Deal or Real Zeal? - The Will
Soy People - Dude Where's My Heart

City Winners

Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

City Winner - Awkward Animations - Unfinished Symphony

Runner-up - I Love Loops - Loot & Blunder

Te Moana-a-Toi / Bay of Plenty

City Winner - Temporary Estate - Impalpable

Runner-up - Tinker Tailor - Refraction

Kirikiriroa / Hamilton

City winner - Blink Blue Media - The Hitchhiker

Runner-up - Muddy Brilliant - Meat Your Match

Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa / Gisborne

City Winner - Kratos - A Job Worth Keeping

Runner-up - HS Films - Wilted Rose

Taranaki

City Winner - Kinaki - GOOD AS GOLD

Runner-up - Pastafarian Productions - Rekindled Spirits

Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington

City Winner - Traces of Nut - Good Girl

Runner-up - Couch Kumara - Pre-Emptive Defense

Ōtautahi / Christchurch

City Winner - BAE24 - The Dying Art of Cat Burglary

Runner-up - Dystography Studios - The Last Lord of Scotland

Ōtepoti / Dunedin

City Winner - Jelly Mouth - The Unseen

Runner-up - Da Film Boiz - Manibus Invisiblilia: A Touching Story

Shoot Weekend 1 2021 Elements

Compulsory Object: Something Invisible
Compulsory Character: Reluctant, Unlikely or Anti-Hero
Compulsory Sound Element: A Heartbeat
Compulsory Technical Element: Reaction Shot

2021 ULTRA

Your film must be set in the dark.

Shoot Weekend 1 2021 Genres

1. The Superhero Movie
2. The Invitation Movie
3. The Crime Movie
4. The Fantasy Movie
5. The Rom-Com Movie
6. The Race Against Time Movie
7. The Sci-Fi Movie
8. The Horror Movie
9. The Redemption Movie
10. The Adventure Movie
11. The Musical Movie or The Splatter Movie

Shoot Weekend 2 2021 Elements

Compulsory Object: A Package
Compulsory Character: A Confidant
Compulsory Sound Element: Ticking
Compulsory Technical Element: A Reflection

Shoot Weekend 2 2021 Genres

1. The Mistaken Identity Movie
2. The Gross-Out Comedy Movie
3. The Race Against Time Movie
4. The Heist Movie
5. The Buddy Movie
6. The Possession Movie
7. The Real Time Thriller Movie
8. The Horror Movie
9. The Crime Movie
10. The Superhero Movie
11. The Musical Movie or The Sci-Fi Movie