2023 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Dame Gaylene Preston Documentary Film Makers Award

Annie Goldson ONZM is documentary filmmaker from Tāmaki Makaurau whose titles include the features Punitive Damage, Georgie Girl, Brother Number One and Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web. She tends to be a ‘hands on’ filmmaker, undertaking many roles.

She produced, directed, sound recorded and edited her most recent film, Red Mole: A Romance which has its premiere at NZIFF2023. Her films have won multiple awards in festivals and competitions worldwide and have sold to many broadcasters and streaming platforms. She is a Professor at the University of Auckland where she received her PhD. She received an ONZM for services to film, the Aronui Award from the Royal Society NZ in 2021 and was 2023’s DocEdge Superhero.

Panel Statement:

“A teacher. A mentor. A maker of challenging, outstanding films. Annie Goldson is a fearless and totally committed documentary filmmaker. Her work reflects international issues in a New Zealand and Pacific context, and brings New Zealand and Pacific stories to the international stage. Over her career she has created a large and diverse body of work in the field of documentary of an extremely high standard, and she continues to produce new and challenging films. As a filmmaker whose work is often self-funded, this award will significantly impact on her ability to create new work. This award also acknowledges Goldson’s substantial contributions to documentary filmmaking in Aotearoa through her teaching and mentorship.”