2025 APRA Screen Awards finalists announced
The APRA Screen Music Awards recognise the work of our composers that lend their expertise to film and series. Screen writers have the often-challenging task of defining the tone, illuminating the story, supporting the characters, and enriching the experience for the viewer, all while remaining unobtrusive and working within the constraints of the production - whether that’s a documentary, a drama, or a light comedy. This year’s finalists cross a wide range of styles and genres, in both local and international productions.
APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award | Tohu Paerangi finalists
- Luke Di Somma for Happiness
- Stephen Gallagher and David Long* for Secrets at Red Rocks (*Concord Music Publishing)
- Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper for The Gone Season 2
APRA Best Original Music in a Film Award | Tohu Pūmanawa finalists
- Claire Cowan for Jean Cocteau
- Arli Liberman* and Tiki Taane for Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End (*Heard and Seen Publishing)
- Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper for Plankton: The Movie
Luke Di Somma is an award-winning composer, lyricist, writer, musical director and educator working across musical theatre, opera, and television. Originally from Aotearoa New Zealand, Luke is based in Melbourne. Luke is the co-creator, songwriter and Executive Producer for Happiness which has landed him a nomination for the 2025 Tohu Paerangi. Happiness is a new musical TV comedy starring Rebecca Gibney, and created by Kip Chapman, alongside Luke.
Two of New Zealand’s top screen composers, Stephen Gallagher and David Long, join the nominee list for their collaboration on adventure series Secrets at Red Rocks. The story follows a 12-year-old boy who discovers a sealskin in Wellington, unleashing mythical creatures and dangers. Both Stephen and David are internationally recognised composers having worked with film and music industry legends and winning various awards for their work.
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper is a notable figure in the Aotearoa music scene with award winning work as a composer, violinist, producer, arranger, and collaborator. From working with TEEKS and L.A.B to writing acclaimed film scores for directors including Lee Tamahori, Gerard Johnstone, Tearepa Kahi and Roseanne Liang. His classical work includes composing, arranging and curating concerts for both the Auckland Philharmonia and the NZSO. Mahuia lands on both Screen Award shortlists (Tohu Paerangi and Tohu Pūmanawa) for his work on NZ/Irish crime series The Gone, and SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff, Plankton: The Movie.
Claire Cowan is hailed as one of New Zealand’s most exciting composers with an impressive array of scoring and composition credits spanning concert, film, television, and theatre. Seven prime-time TV soundtracks, multiple "Best Original Score" national awards, several composer residencies, and two full length ballets commissioned from the Royal New Zealand Ballet are just a few of the many accolades to her name. Claire is nominated for the Tohu Pūmanawa for her score on documentary feature Jean Cocteau which premiered at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival in Colorado.
Arli Liberman is an award-winning screen composer, producer and guitarist who creates vibrant, immersive music for film, TV, multimedia and live experiences. In 2024 he collaborated with Tiki Taane (Ngāti Maniapoto) to create the soundtrack to the historical drama in te reo Māori Ka Whawhai Tonu - Struggle Without End (2024) directed by Mike Jonathan (Tainui, Mātaatua, Te Arawa). Their approach was to make an "invisible sonic character", experimenting with taonga pūoro and Taane's voice, pushing the instruments to their limits. This collaboration has landed them both on the 2025 shortlist for the Tohu Pūmanawa.
Congratulations to all finalists this year.
The awards will be presented at the 2025 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka on Wednesday 29 October at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
The finalists for the 2025 SOUNZ Contemporary Award were also announced today. You can read about them here.
The finalists for the APRA Maioha Award | Tohu Maioha and APRA Silver Scroll Award | Kaitito Kaiaka will be announced next week, Thursday 11 September. All finalists were chosen by Aotearoa APRA members who voted for their top songs and waiata reo Māori.
With thanks to NZ On Air for their support.