NZ Web Fest

Submissions for #NZWF25 open on 1 February.

Since 2015 NZ Web Fest has curated and celebrated online entertainment. Since 2017 the festival has been a proud participant in the Web Series World Cup. In 2023 the festival became a participant in the inaugural edition of the Audio Fiction World Cup.

We've simplified submissions by using open categories only, but will make selections and present awards in separate NZ and International categories as we usually do.

#NZWF25 will present awards.

We expect to present separate NZ and International awards in all categories, subject to a minimum of three shows being selected in the category.

Our award categories are:

Web Series
Best Editing (Factual series)
Best Writing (Factual series)
Best Directing (Factual series)
Best Score (Narrative series)
Best Cinematography (Narrative series)
Best Editing (Narrative series)
Best Ensemble Cast (Narrative series)
Best Actor (Narrative series)
Best Writing (Narrative series)
Best Directing (Narrative series)
Best Animation / Puppetry Series
Best Pilot
Best Factual Series
Best Narrative Series

Podcasts
Best Host (Actual Play)
Best Show (Actual Play)
Best Sound (Fiction Podcast)
Best Voice Acting (Fiction Podcast)
Best Ensemble Cast (Fiction Podcast)
Best Writing (Fiction Podcast)
Best Directing (Fiction Podcast)
Best Concept (Non-Fiction Podcast)
Best Writing (Non-Fiction Podcast)
Best Directing (Non-Fiction Podcast)
Best Actual Play Podcast
Best Actual Play Video Podcast
Best Standalone Fiction Podcast
Best Series Fiction Podcast
Best Non-Fiction Podcast

Short Films
Best Cinematography (Documentary)
Best Cinematography (Narrative Fiction)
Best Editing (Documentary)
Best Editing (Narrative Fiction)
Best Performance (Narrative Fiction)
Best Writing (Documentary)
Best Writing (Narrative Fiction)
Best Directing (Documentary)
Best Directing (Narrative Fiction)
Best Student Short Film
Best Short (Documentary)
Best Short (Narrative Fiction)
Best Music Video

As well as juried awards we present direct selection awards to our partner festivals, and Alum awards, honouring those who've supported NZ Web Fest over several years.

Award winners receive trophies.

*** Please note ***
We DO NOT offer fee waivers or discounts, except as part of arrangements with partner festivals. Don't waste your time asking :)

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. By submitting to the NZ Web Fest, you:
a. acknowledge you have read, understood and agreed to these terms & conditions
b. confirm you own or hold appropriate rights to all content submitted, including licensed material eg music.
c. release NZ Web Fest from any and all claims and/or liabilities arising from NZ Web Fest's use of material submitted under (5) below

2. Submissions made to NZ Web Fest are valid on receipt by NZ Web Fest or its agents of all required material and payment of the submission fee(s), if any.

3. All submissions not in English, to the short film and web series categories, must be subtitled in English. Podcast submissions are accepted in English only.

4. Submission does not guarantee selection. Submissions are final. They may not be withdrawn, and fees are not refundable.

5. By submitting you grant NZ Web Fest non-exclusive rights to:
a. use still images and clips of up to 30 seconds each from your submission(s) for the purposes of documenting and promoting NZ Web Fest
b. make your submission (in whole or part) available to audiences to listen to/watch during NZ Web Fest

6. NZ Web Fest decisions on selection, awards nomination and judging are final and binding.

7. In the event of any dispute with NZ Web Fest, NZ laws shall apply.

8. PLEASE also read category-specific T&C in the list CATEGORIES AND FEES

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Libby Witheford-Smith

Thank you for having Taurewarewa in your documentary lineup! I appreciated the information sent out about the filmmaker talks, and liked that they could be viewed remotely. Great mahi, keep it up.

December 2024

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thanks, Libby, and best wishes for your continuing journey with Taurewarewa.
Judy Drosd

Hat's off to everyone involved in running this festival. It has been an honor to screen our films with you. Your outreach, communication, and inclusiveness is just great. I treasure your commitment to the craft. It was wonderful participating in the awards event online and feeling the joy all around. Inspiring!

December 2024

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thanks, Judy :)
It was great to have you and Joey among our panel members, nominees and winners this year. Best wishes for continuing recognition and success in 2025!
Marushka Almeida

Amazing festival. Keith was the best and made such a wonderful environment for web series creators

December 2024

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thanks, Marushka :)
I was the best, but only because you didn't get to meet the rest of the team!
Clea Frost

Amazing festival! So well run and such brilliant programming. Although we couldn't be there in person, we were very much included, participating in online Q&As and livestream sessions. NZ Web Fest really cares about creators and their work. Highly recommend.

November 2024

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thanks, Clea :)
Good luck with the continuing journey for Hovering, and congrats on also being a finalist at the Aussie Podcast Awards.
Shane Cameron

NZ Web fest was a great experience for us - remotely, but with great communication - next time we hope to attend in person

November 2024

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thanks, Shane :)
Congrats again on the win for your pilot 31 Under.
All the best with progressing it towards a series, and we hope to see your team back in 2025

Add to List

Dates & Deadlines

February 1, 2025
Opening Date
March 31, 2025
Earlybird Deadline
May 31, 2025
Regular Deadline
July 31, 2025
Late Deadline
August 31, 2025
Final Deadline
September 2, 2025
Notification Date
November 7 – 17, 2025
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Podcast - Actual Play/TTRPG Audio
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Your show may stream live or be pre-recorded and edited. Please submit a section of a single episode from your back catalogue. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, if possible, as it usually makes more sense on a cold listening. The maximum 30-minute requirement is for the episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. Please note: We accept audio files ONLY, and do not accept videos in the podcast categories. We accept podcasts in the English language ONLY. You MUST upload your file in the Music/Songwriting category.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Podcast - Actual Play/TTRPG Video
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Your show may stream live or be pre-recorded and edited. Please submit a section of a single episode from your back catalogue. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, if possible, as it usually makes more sense on a cold listening. The maximum 30-minute requirement is for the episode (or part episode) used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Podcast - Non-Fiction
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Factual podcasts, magazine-style shows, all factual genres such as sports, true crime, with a minimum of three episodes. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, if possible, as it usually makes more sense on a cold listening. The maximum 30-minute requirement is for the episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. Please note: We accept audio files ONLY, and do not accept vodcasts in the podcast categories. We accept podcasts in the English language ONLY. You MUST upload your file in the Music/Songwriting category.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Podcast - Audio Drama/Fiction Series
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Fiction podcasts, anthology or serial, with a minimum of three episodes. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, as it usually makes more sense on a cold listening. The maximum 30-minute requirement is for the episode or part episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. Please note: We accept audio files ONLY, and do not accept video in the podcast categories. We accept podcasts in the English language ONLY. You MUST upload your file in the Music/Songwriting category.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Standalone Audio Drama/Fiction
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Standalone audio fiction/drama of ONE episode only. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently. The maximum 30-minute requirement is for an episode or part episode used for selection purposes. Please note: We accept audio files ONLY, and do not accept vodcasts in the podcast categories. We accept podcasts in the English language ONLY. You MUST upload your file in the Music/Songwriting category.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Short Film - Animation/Puppetry
A minimum of 50% of runtime must be animated or use puppetry. The film may be a standalone title or part of an anthology. If a short is from an anthology in which titles are made by different teams, only the title submitted is considered for selection, not the whole collection. You may submit separate titles from an anthology as separate entries. If a short is from an anthology series in which titles are made by the same team, the series may be submitted to the appropriate Web Series category. Must have been completed after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Short Film - Documentary
A non-fiction film, either a standalone title or part of an anthology. If a short is from an anthology in which titles are made by different teams, only the title submitted is considered for selection, not the whole collection. You may submit separate titles from an anthology as separate entries. If a short is from an anthology series in which titles are made by the same team, the series may be submitted to the appropriate Web Series category. Must have been completed after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Short Film - Narrative
A narrative fiction film, either a standalone title or part of an anthology. If a short is from an anthology collection in which titles are made by different teams, only the title submitted is considered for selection, not the whole collection. You may submit separate titles from an anthology as separate entries. If a short is from an anthology collection in which titles are made by the same team, the collection may be submitted to the appropriate Web Series category. Must have been completed after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Short Film - Music Video
Short film made as a music video. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2023. No student fee discounts are available in this category.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Gold Members: $22.50
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $31.50
Web Series - Pilot
Open to submissions from ALL territories. A pilot for the first season of a show that, if completed, would qualify for consideration in our Animation/Puppetry, Factual or Narrative web series categories. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. The maximum 25-minute requirement is for the episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Web Series - Animation/Puppetry
Open to submissions from ALL territories. A show or series, ie anthology or serial fiction, anthology or serial non-fiction, containing a minimum of 50% animated content or puppetry. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, as it usually makes more sense on a cold viewing. The maximum 25-minute requirement is for the episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Web Series - Factual
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Serial non-fiction, magazine-style series, or anthology series of three episodes or more. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, as it usually makes more sense on a cold viewing. The maximum 25-minute requirement is for the episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63
Web Series - Narrative Fiction
Open to submissions from ALL territories. Anthology or serial fiction of three episodes or more. Work submitted for consideration must be released after 1 January 2024. Submissions not in the English language must be subtitled in English. For selection purposes we prefer a first episode or season opener, as it usually makes more sense on a cold viewing. The maximum 25-minute requirement is for the episode used for selection purposes. Please DO NOT submit a whole season as one file. To qualify for the discounted rate for students, work submitted must have been created while registered at a recognised educational institute, and may be part of coursework or made independently.
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $36
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $45
- Late Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $54
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $63

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Libby Witheford-Smith

Response from festival:

Judy Drosd

Response from festival:

Marushka Almeida

Response from festival:

Clea Frost

Response from festival:

Shane Cameron

Response from festival: