Snakeskin won six of the 16 feature film awards, including best film for producer Vanessa Sheldrick, at the New Zealand Film Awards on Saturday, while Stickmen won best director for Hamish Rothwell, best screenplay for Nick Ward, and best actor for Scott Wills.

Both films are from the same stable, namely the ScreenVisioNZ joint venture between the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), NZ on Air, and UK sales agent Portman Entertainment, which is now supporting a similar initiative for newcomers in neighbouring Australia. But it was Cannes competitor Rain that shone in the acting categories. Sarah Perise won best actress, the then 14-year-old Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki won best juvenile performer and Alistair Browning won best supporting actor.

The inaugural award for the best digitally mastered feature went to The Waiting Place, produced by Robert Rowe and directed by Chilean-born Cristobal Araus Lobos.