NZWG 50th Anniversary
1976 - 2026
NZWG Turns 50!
Fifty years of stories. Millions of words. One blank page at a time.
In 2026, the New Zealand Writers Guild turns 50, this is our programme!
That’s half a century of screenwriters staring down the terror and promise of a blank page. Fifty years of ideas scribbled on napkins, rewritten at kitchen tables, argued over in writers’ rooms, and finally transformed into the films and television shows that have helped Aotearoa see itself.
The 2026 Programme
Between February and October 2026, NZWG will host monthly events. You can book tickets in the event listings below or through our Humanitix collection HERE
What does it mean to make screen stories in Ōtautahi?
Being funny is easy. Being funny for a living, on screen, in Aotearoa New Zealand? That's a whole other conversation.
New Zealand’s track record in children’s film and television, at home and internationally.
History, present, and future collide.
Why the role matters globally, and why it still struggles to land here.
Global writers’ unions gather to compare notes, share hard-won lessons, and help NZWG celebrate fifty years. (Invited delegates only.)
Industrial war stories and lessons learned
Craft, culture and the future of screenwriting
This is the night where the whole year comes together.
Pre-dinner drinks at The Morningside Tavern, followed by a three-course dinner and official celebrations at The Glasshouse, Morningside.
Hosted by MC Michèle A’Court, and Alice Shearman, the Gala brings together:
- NZWG members past and present
- Emerging writers and industry veterans
- Broadcasters, funders, allies, collaborators and friends
On the screens:
- A showreel celebrating fifty years of New Zealand screenwriting
- And, for the first time ever, a rolling credit reel naming every writer who has earned a screen credit from 1976 to 2026. Yes, including all of them.
It will be celebratory, reflective, a little emotional, and unapologetically writer-centric.
We look forward to hosting you all!
Past Events
Learn how to approach SEED funding with clarity in this online masterclass with Fiona Samuel.
What have our stories on screen had to say about is in the past, and what are they saying about us now?
If you want to make you idea a reality join our Masterclass to get tips from one of the best.
Thanks to our Sponsors
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