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Don Selwyn

Actor, Director [Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupouri]

 Don Selwyn

 Don Selwyn
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Don Selwyn

Don Selwyn, ONZM, was an actor, casting director and mentor to a host of talented Māori who went on to work in film and television. Selwyn’s long acting resume includes the 1970s historical epic The Governor and police show Mortimer’s Patch. He also directed The Māori Merchant of Venice, the first film feature in te reo Māori.

He saw both the dark and the light of what it means to be human. He told us about it, and what to do.  
 
 

Screenography

Screenography
 Role/s
 The Making of Sleeping Dogs

The Making of Sleeping Dogs

Subject

2004

 The Maori Merchant of Venice

The Maori Merchant of Venice

Director

2002

 Mercury Lane

Mercury Lane

Subject

2001

 Feathers of Peace

Feathers of Peace

Executive Producer

2000

 Greenstone

Greenstone

Associate Producer

1999

 Greenstone - Episode One

Greenstone - Episode One

Associate Producer

1999

 Te Ohaki a Nihe

Te Ohaki a Nihe

Director
Casting

1998

 Duggan: Death in Paradise

Duggan: Death in Paradise

Actor

1997

 Nga Puna: Small Town Blues

Nga Puna: Small Town Blues

Director

1996

 Mananui

Mananui

Drama Consultant

1995

 Tala Pasifika

Tala Pasifika

Executive Producer

1995

 Tala Pasifika - A Day In The Life

Tala Pasifika - A Day In The Life

Executive Producer

1995

 Tala Pasifika - Brown Sugar

Tala Pasifika - Brown Sugar

Executive Producer

1995

 Tala Pasifika - Malama

Tala Pasifika - Malama

Executive Producer

1995

 Tala Pasifika - Talk of the Town

Tala Pasifika - Talk of the Town

Executive Producer

1995

 Tala Pasifika - The Cat's Crying

Tala Pasifika - The Cat's Crying

Executive Producer

1995

 Tala Pasifika - The Hibiscus

Tala Pasifika - The Hibiscus

Executive Producer

1995

 Marlin Bay - Series Three, Episode 11

Marlin Bay - Series Three, Episode 11

Actor

1994

 Once Were Warriors

Once Were Warriors

Casting

1994

 Nga Puna

Nga Puna

Director
Executive Producer

1993 - 1996

 Marlin Bay

Marlin Bay

Actor

1992 - 1994

 E Tipu E Rea - Variations on a Theme

E Tipu E Rea - Variations on a Theme

Director

1989

 The Champion - Yankee Soldier

The Champion - Yankee Soldier

Actor

1989

 Mauri

Mauri

Actor

1988

 Steel Riders - Bloodstones (Episode One)

Steel Riders - Bloodstones (Episode One)

Actor

1987

 Came a Hot Friday

Came a Hot Friday

Actor

1984

 Kaleidoscope - Bruce Mason 1921-1982

Kaleidoscope - Bruce Mason 1921-1982

Subject

1983

 The Lost Tribe

The Lost Tribe

Actor

1983

 Loose Enz - The Protesters

Loose Enz - The Protesters

Actor

1982

 Mortimer's Patch

Mortimer's Patch

Actor

1980 - 1984

 Mortimer's Patch - Day of Judgement

Mortimer's Patch - Day of Judgement

Actor

1980

 Death of the Land

Death of the Land

Actor

1978

 Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs

Actor

1977

 The Governor

The Governor

Maori Liaison
Actor

1977

 The Governor - He Iwi Ko Tahi Tatou (Episode Four)

The Governor - He Iwi Ko Tahi Tatou (Episode Four)

Actor

1977

 The Governor - The Lame Seagull (Episode Five)

The Governor - The Lame Seagull (Episode Five)

Actor

1977

 The Governor - The Reverend Traitor (Episode One)

The Governor - The Reverend Traitor (Episode One)

Maori Liaison

1977

 Epidemic - Hemi Te Koaka (Episode One)

Epidemic - Hemi Te Koaka (Episode One)

Actor

1976

 Moynihan

Moynihan

Actor

1976 - 1977

 Rangi's Catch

Rangi's Catch

Actor

1973

 Tihe Mauriora

Tihe Mauriora

Presenter

1973

 Pukemanu

Pukemanu

Actor

1971 - 1972


The titles listed here may not reflect this person's full screenography. These are only the titles that are included in or referenced by this site.

Awards

2007 Art Foundation
Icon Award

2005 Creative New Zealand Māori Arts Board Award

Te Waka Toi Award for "outstanding contribution to the development of Maori arts"

2003 New Zealand Film and TV Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

2002 Hawaii International Film Festival
Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature: for The Māori Merchant of Venice

1995 Indigenous People's Film Festival (Canada)
Best Director: for Nga Puna: Koro's Hat

1992 New York Festival
Best Foreign Short Film: Don't Go Past With your Nose in the Air