Mafile’o and Grace are WIFT Award Finalists
The WIFT Awards are back for 2026, with DEGANZ members Vea Mafile’o and Robyn Grace selected as finalists!
WIFT NZ established the awards in 2004 to recognise, celebrate, and encourage the achievements of women in film, television, and digital media. This year, the ceremony will take place on 12 March in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Vea is a nominated Hinterland Woman to Watch. This award recognises women with an emerging body of work who show potential to have significant careers in the industry. Vea’s recent shorts, Lea Tupu’anga / Mother Tongue, which is under consideration for the Oscars, and I’m Not Your Dusky Maiden, have solidified her as a promising director. Previous winners include Niki Caro, Julia Parnell, Kerry Warkia, and fellow DEGANZ member Roseanne Liang.
In a different category, Robyn is nominated for the Images & Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television and Digital. This award recognises women who have had a significant impact or achievement in any aspect of television or digital media in recent years. Robyn is a highly experienced director, having recently worked on some of Aotearoa’s biggest TV productions, including Sweet Tooth, Spartacus: House of Ashur, and Happiness. In 2022, she received an Emmy nomination for her direction on the Sweeth Tooth episode “What’s in the Freezer?”
Congrats to Vea, Robyn, and all the nominees.
Last updated on 29 January 2026
