NZ On Air Round Toru Highlights

Round Toru marks the final funding round of the 2025/26 financial year. The round was open to applications across a wide range of audiences and genres, including Drama, Comedy, Documentary and General Factual, Journalism, Children, Youth and Podcasts, as well as supported Content Development.

This round also included applications for Capability, covering industry skills and training initiatives, and Discoverability, supporting industry events and awards.

A total of 108 applications were received from 83 applicants, requesting approximately $52 million in funding. Of these, around 44% of projects were successful.

Scripted

Round Toru was open to Scripted applications across drama and comedy, including partial financing for feature films.

A total of 10 Scripted applications were received, with just over $8 million committed to three projects in this round.
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Funded projects include Blue Murder Motel from Great Southern Television for TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, returning for a second season following a strong audience response to its first season.

• Hoons, 6 × 24’, Tai Huri Films for Māori+, up to $1,719,628
• Not Where I Thought I'd Be, 6 × 30’, The Heartbeaters Ltd for THREE, up to $3,104,185
• Music with Michal 3, 20 × 7’, Music with Michal Studios for YouTube, up to $349,748
• Blue Murder Motel 2, 8 × 44’, Great Southern Television for TVNZ 1, up to $3,220,000

Non-fiction

A total of 38 Non-fiction applications were received, with funding approved for 18 projects, totalling $10.7 million.
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The funded slate includes new series Muster Dogs New Zealand for Sky Open, SkyGo and ThreeNow, alongside a new instalment of David Lomas Breakthrough for Three and ThreeNow, and Counting the Beat 2 for TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+.

• Chasing the Laughs, 3 × 44’, Great Southern Television for THREE, up to $524,918
• Counting the Beat 2, 4 × 44’, Ruckus Media for TVNZ 1, up to $999,071
• Death, Reimagined, 6 × 30’, Jack Media for Whakaata Māori, up to $713,526
• DNZ: Sleep, 1 × 44’, Razor Films for TVNZ 1, up to $16,670
• Down for Love 4, 5 × 44’, Attitude Pictures for TVNZ 1, up to $923,021
• Fed By Migrants, 5 × 15’, YauMedia for RNZ, up to $266,290
• Haukāinga 2026, 12 × 10’, Te Reo Irirangi O Te Hiku O Te Ika (Inc) for Te Reo Irirangi O Te Hiku O Te Ika (Inc), up to $300,000
• Hell or High Water, 3 × 44’, Kevin & Content for Sky Open, up to $402,655
• Matariki Herenga Waka 2026, 1 × 180’, Kahawai Productions for Whakaata Māori, up to $209,000
• Matangireia 3, 6 × 44’, Aotearoa Media Collective for RNZ, up to $282,636
• Mission Possible, 8 × 11’, Magnetic Pictures for SunPix Holdings, up to $356,031
• Muster Dogs New Zealand, 5 × 44’, The Downlow Concept for Sky Open, up to $979,041
• Nomad: What Remains, 6 × 12’, Fire Fire for Māori+, up to $282,917
• Now You Know 2, 184 × 1’, Hex Work for The Spinoff, up to $446,389
• On the Brink 2, 6 × 12’, Fire Fire for YouTube, up to $228,466
• Sight Unseen 2, 5 × 5’, Media Access Charitable Trust (ABLE) for RNZ, up to $231,363
• Sweet As, 1 × 90’, The Sweet Shop Entertainment for Māori+, up to $364,634
• The Greatest Rivalry, 4 × 44’, Pango Productions for TVNZ+, up to $990,294
• The Hui 11, 32 × 28’, Great Southern Television for Stuff.co.nz, up to $788,000
• The Pact, 1 × 52’, Monsoon Pictures International for Whakaata Māori, up to $268,987

Capability (Non-Music)‍

ScreenSafe Mental Health & Wellbeing Programme, Screen Industry Guild of Aotearoa NZ, up to $30,000

WeCreate 2026, WeCreate Incorporated, up to $10,000
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Professional development (non-music)

Director Shadow Attachment, Remarkable Productions NZ, up to $7,200

The Comedy Sandpit, The New Zealand Comedy Trust, up to $30,750
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Discoverability Support (Non Music)

1-Minute AI Film Festival 2026, AI Forum New Zealand, up to $10,000

Big Screen Symposium 2026, Big Screen Symposium, up to $30,000

NZ Web Fest 2026, NZ Web Fest, up to $10,000

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For the full list of funded film and screen projects, visit NZ On Air’s Funding Decisions page

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