With over 20 years experience in the film and television industry, Cliff Curtis has established himself as one of New Zealand’s most successful actors and producers, starring in movies alongside Hollywood legends such as Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Al Pacino, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Anthony Hopkins and George Clooney. He recently starred in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead. The show premiered in August 2015, and was the most watched series premiere in US cable TV history. His latest big screen movie project The MEG (2018), filmed largely in New Zealand, has currently grossed over half a billion dollars worldwide. Cliff is also part of the cast of the upcoming Avatar (2009) sequels written and directed by James Cameron which are due for release starting in 2020.
In 2013 Cliff created production company Arama Pictures to continue his commitment to indigenous storytelling inspired by the work of mentors Merata Mita, Don Selwyn and Barry Barclay. In 2019 Arama Pictures is set to release two documentary features, the first about filmmaker Merata Mita, the second about seminal New Zealand reggae band, Herbs. Cliff continues to alternate producing local stories with acting roles in Hollywood, counting over 50 credits to date between producing and acting in TV, theatre and film. He has won multiple awards including an APSA in 2014 for The Dark Horse. He has worked with many famous New Zealand filmmakers including Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors, 1994), Vincent Ward (River Queen, 2005), Niki Caro (Oscar®-nominated Whale Rider, 2002) and Taika Waititi (APSA-nominated Boy, 2010).
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy expresses its respect for and acknowledgement of the South East Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of country, including the custodial communities on whose land works are created and celebrated by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We also pay our respects to Elders, past and emerging. We recognise the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples continue to play in storytelling and celebration spaces.
