2025 Winners
2025 Winners
The 2025 competition was the 22nd year of the Vista Foundation 48Hours competition. It culminated in the top 17 films and best school film screening at the Grand Final at the Embassy Theatre in Te Whanganui-a-Tara on October 25th.
In 2025 films had to include an accident, a slow motion moment, something precious and a miniature.
Below are all the nominees and winners. You can view and review them on our Screening Room LINK.
2025 National Champion
Grounded by Positive Barry
2025 Runners up (its a tie!)
Maybe Daddy by Jovial Entertainment & Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
Grand Finalists
Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Angle3 Pictures - Watch the film
MOTHER by Awkward Animations - Watch the film
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team - Watch the film
Hat Trick by Great Lake Film Society - Watch the film
The Shroud by Jake The Sound Guy - Watch the film
Toast by Mayodaze - Watch the film
Morgan's Organs by Pastafarian Productions - Watch the film
iTROLL by Permanently Confused - Watch the film
Baby Girl by Pixel Pixies - Watch the film
The Secret Garden by The Flamily - Watch the film
Ritual by Videoshop - Watch the film
Sir Peter Jackson Wildcards
I MetaMan by An Evening With - Watch the film
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms - Watch the film
Party Puffers by Glowtime - Watch the film
Shortlisted Films
Two Minutes, One Cup by Anxious Tummy - Watch the film
Trip Hazard by Bus of the Undead - Watch the film
Agapanthus Christie by Couch Kumara - Watch the film
RealYou by Film the People - Watch the film
Every Last Bastard by Midnight Sunburn - Watch the film
Hi Santa, it's Charlie by Olax - Watch the film
Family Christmas Monopoly by Team Northland - Watch the film
The Occupation by The Horny Owls - Watch the film
Marionette by World Wide Wellington - Watch the film
2025 Grand National Winners
National Best School Team
Supported by Digital Pigeon and Rubber Monkey in partnership with Deity and SmallRig
Misplaced Death by Dennistribe - CHCH
Nominees:
The BOO-tiful Sea by Flip Phone - AKL
Dreamgirl.ai by HVHS for the wings - WLG
Rabbit Hole by PB&J The Long Way - AA
Viva La Dirt League Best Comedy
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean - CHCH - Link
Nominees:
Two Minutes One Cup by Anxious Tummy - AKL
Agapanthus Christie by Couch Kumara - WLG
Maybe Daddy by Jovial Entertainment - AKL
Toast by Mayodaze - AA
Best Solo/Duo Team - Chosen by Ant Timpson
MOTHER by Awkward Animations - AKL
Nominees:
LUMP by Girl In The Mirror - AA
Morgan's Organs by Pastafarian Productions - AA
Grounded by Positive Barry - WLG
Best Disqualified Film
Respect for the Dead by 18th Circle - WLG
Nominees:
A Helping Hand by Harbour Light - CHCH
Cake Fancy Small by Rouge Emu - AKL
A cautionary tale to modern piracy by Te Kohanga Moa - 1 - AA
Dame Gaylene Preston and WIFT
Outstanding Female / Gender Diverse Filmmaker
Hannah Taylor - Morgan's Organs by Pastafarian Productions - AA
Nominees:
Nani Conforte - Hope Mirrored is Despair by Enter the Hollow - AKL
Grae Meek & Michelle Pope - For When You Wake by Screen Qweens - CHCH
Emily Ardern - Ritual by Videoshop - WLG
Best Original Score/Song
Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Angle3 Pictures - AKL
Nominees:
Purgatory by Kākāpō - WLG
Morgan's Organs by Pastafarian Productions - AA
Brunch Solstice - Sub-par Cinema Society - CHCH
National Best Sound Design - Supported by
Rubber Monkey in partnership with Deity
Ritual by Videoshop - WLG
Nominees:
I MetaMan by An Evening With - CHCH
The Shroud by Jake The Sound Guy - AKL
Toast by Mayodaze - AA
Best Editing
I MetaMan by An Evening With - CHCH
Nominees:
Hat Trick by Great Lake Film Society - AA
The Shroud by Jake The Sound Guy - AKL
Baby Girl by Pixel Pixies - WLG
Wētā FX Best Animation
Morgan's Organs by Pastafarian Productions - AA - Link
Nominees:
MOTHER by Awkward Animations - AKL
Grounded by Positive Barry - WLG
Chaos Cabin by Render Rebels - CHCH
Best Production Design
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team - CHCH
Nominees:
The Occupation by The Horny Owls - AKL
The Bad Tasting Hero by The Immortal Think Tank - AA
Marionette by World Wide Wellington - WLG
Incredibly Strange Award
Two Minutes, One Cup by Anxious Tummy - AKL
Nominees:
THINGS by AuroraVision - WLG
LUMP by Girl In The Mirror - AA
There Came a Big Spider by Shrek 2 for Blu-ray - CHCH
National Best Cinematography - Supported by
Rubber Monkey in partnership with
SONY, Atomos, and SHURE
Midnight Sunburn by Every Last Bastard - AA
Nominees:
Hope Mirrored is Despair by Enter the Hollow - AKL
Baby Girl by Pixel Pixies - WLG
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean - CHCH
Best Script
Maybe Daddy by Jovial Entertainment - AKL - LINK
Nominees:
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean - CHCH
Family Christmas Monopoly by Team Northland - AA
The Secret Garden by The Flamily - WLG
Best Performer
Kalyani Nagarajan - iTROLL by Permanently Confused - AKL
Nominees:
Hugo Montgomery - Mousetrap by Killing Karma Studios - WLG
Charlie Gates - Hi Santa, It's Charlie by Olax - CHCH
Esmée Myers, Robbie van Gruenen & Noah Hewlett-Coffey - Family Christmas Monopoly by Team Northland - AA
Best Director
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean - CHCH - Link
Nominees:
Toast by Mayodaze - AA
iTROLL by Permanently Confused - AKL
Ritual by Videoshop - WLG