'Significant change': NZ Film Commission scraps major source of funding for organisations

A major source of public funding for film and screen sector organisations is set to end after more than two decades of it being offered.The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) announced on Wednesday that its annual Core Funding Programme would cease when contracts expired on 30 June 2027.The programme currently provided over $1 million in support to 10 industry groups, including the Screen Producers Guild and the actors' union Equity.Film Commission chief executive Annie Murray said the commission would be directing public funding towards fewer, but "higher-impact investments"."We recognise that this is a significant change for the organisations involved, particularly given the programme's long history. Our responsibility is to regularly review our programmes, carefully prioritise public funding and make deliberate choices about where NZFC investment can have the greatest impact for New Zealand film."This decision is about ensuring that NZFC's public investment supports the New Zealand screen industry as effectively as possible, now and into the future."The commission said its Core Funding Programme had existed in different forms for more than two decades.The decision to scrap it comes after funding cuts to government agencies, including the commission.