The low budget New Zealand feature movie Sisterhood, won in the Best First Film category at The British Film Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Christchurch-born Emily Corcoran (pictured left) wrote, produced and played the lead role in the comedy movie.

The movie features Christchurch based actor Robert Faith, comedian Jon Gadsby and Nicholas Ball from the hit TV series Eastenders and Footballers Wives.

Inspite of the film’s success it has not yet secured theatrical distribution.

The big budget American TV series, Legend of the Seeker, is being shot in Henderson, injecting more than $10 million into the local economy.

Producer Rob Tapert, knows all about shooting in New Zealand. He spent most of the 1990s in the country making Hercules and Xena and married Lucy Lawless.

Two leads in Legend of the Seeker are played by an American (Bridget Regan) and an Australian (Craig Honer) but nearly everyone else working on the series is a Kiwi.

Legend of the Seeker is providing hundreds of jobs for the local industry from film crew to actors, to prop makers. All five directors working on the show are also Kiwis.

It is a homecoming of sorts for Michael Hurst. He is directing several episodes and working with many of the same people he worked with when he co-starred on Hercules.

Hollywood based reporter Sam Rubin was in Auckland to cover the show before it’s US premiere last month. He says it’s producers are hoping to replicate the success they had with Xena and Hercules.

Shooting for the first season ends in April and it’s likely to be on New Zealand screens next year…Report by TVNZ.

Ben Mitchell, who plays Dr. T.K. Samuel on New Zealand’s famous television series ‘‘Shortland Street’‘ is on tour promoting his latest feature film ‘Love has no Language’ with co-star, Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley.

The producer, Prakash Mani, 32, said, “many people know Ben by his characters name on Shortland Street, and have shown great enthusiasm towards the movie. Both the actors were easy to work with and their on-screen chemistry was just great.”

“The film depicts two unique cultures portraying useful messages like having love and respect for family and respecting different cultures and tolerance”, he told Fiji Live.

Mani, originally from Nadi moved to New Zealand twenty years ago, and this is his feature film debut.

The movie also stars renowned Bollywood actor Kiran Kumar and actress Rati Agnihotri.

With a production price tag of $6 million, the film was shot around New Zealand mainly in the Northern lands of the country, employing over 60 New Zealand crew members and more than 50 local cast.

‘Love has no Language’ will be promoted in Australia, U.S., United Kingdom and India.

A World War II love story from film-maker Gaylene Preston was revealed as a family affair while shooting scenes at Wellington Railway Station this past week.

Home by Christmas starring Martin Henderson, one of New Zealand’s most successful international movie actors - is based on the true story of Preston’s parents, Ed and Tui.

Preston said, “casting my daughter as my mother took a while to work out.” The film also includes music by the director’s sister, Jan Preston.

Henderson was in Los Angeles when Preston called him about the movie and he immediately agreed to do it. “She is so laid back, It’s that New Zealand attitude. It’s a very different beast to the American way of doing things.”

He said it was also a story many New Zealanders could relate to, “My grandfather was in World War II and I couldn’t get him to talk about anything to do with the war. It was a similar experience with Gaylene and then, prior to her father’s death, he opened up and agreed to be interviewed by her.

“It was a very romantic story, but also very deeply personal. We’ve seen so many World War II movies and you’re often asked, `How is this any different?’ It’s having that family element that made it a very beautiful story.”

Henderson, who will soon be seen in Battle in Seattle with Charlize Theron and Woody Harrelson, said returning for a New Zealand role also felt like being part of a family.

Home by Christmas is due for release in 2009…Report by www.stuff.co.nz