Awanui Simich-Pene is a filmmaker and television director of proud Māori and Croatian descent.
Her distinctive cinematic voice is informed by her steadfast commitment to authentic Māori storytelling and female perspective. She earned the NZFC Māori Screen Excellence Award for her direction of “Titty & Bash” in the acclaimed portmanteaux film “Waru,” and is an alumna of Jane Campion’s A Wave in the Ocean Crest program.
Her 18 years of production experience, has been balanced between writing, directing and script supervising. Her most recent directing credits include award winning short “Rū,” acclaimed international detective series “The Brokenwood Mysteries,” award-winning dramas “Ahikāroa” and “Head High” as well as her recent short, “First Horse,” which world premiered at Sydney Film Festival 2024 and won the inaugural First Nations Award. “First Horse” is also a finalist in New Zealand’s Best Short Film competition, at the New Zealand International Film Festival 2024.
Awanui Simich-Pene
