A $4.5M underwriting agreement with the government will help the Silverlight Studios break ground on its $280M Wānaka film park.

The funding for the ambitious film park was announced by regional development minister Kiritapu Allan at an event in Central Otago yesterday (Friday March 24).

“The screen industry employs approximately 16,200 New Zealanders and contributes $3.3 billion to the economy every year, making it a key component of Central Otago’s economic diversification initiatives,” she said.

“Silverlight Studios will provide new opportunities for local talent to be at the forefront of an evolving industry in the region.”

The funding will support Silverlight Studios with operational costs once ‘phase zero’ of their project - an initial project of three sound stages - has been completed.

Silverlight Studio was granted resource consent to construct the film park - complete with studios, production offices, a film school, a screening theatre, and an exhibition centre - 

in December 2021.

The project has received broad support from the region’s former mayor, the regional film organisation and other public officials, but met a more wary reception from some locals.

Residents living near the site have expressed concern over the appearance of the project, which is consented for buildings as tall as 17m high as well as replicas of sites in New York, Venice and Paris.

The underwriting agreement will be funded through the $20M Queenstown Economic Transformation and Resilience Fund (QET), which aims to support established businesses with proposals not related to the tourism sector.

Yesterday Kiritapu also announced $2.9M in funding for the expansion of Scapegrace Distillery in Cromwell and $3M for Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library.

PHOTO: Supplied