A Cook Islands and Tongan director, Stan Wolfgramm, has been appointed a member of New Zealand's Order of Merit for his services to arts in the Pacific community.
Mr Wolfgramm is the founder of a production company that specialises in bringing Pacific stories to New Zealand audiences through film, television and theatrical events.
For 17 years, he also oversaw the production of the fashion show 'Style Pasifika', and has been involved in the opening of Pacific art galleries and Auckland's annual Pasifika festival.
Mr Wolfgramm says he hopes to better connect New Zealand with the Pacific through the arts, like his event to get filmmakers to make movies in Rarotonga.
"I've done a lot of work nationally as far as New Zealand's Pacific identity, but I think us as a nation, there's more to be had, more to be seen if we can reconnect a lot more with the Pacific itself. So it's actually connecting with all those nations throughout the Pacific. I mean, technology's changed, we're global, the internet - to connect to the Pacific is much easier than it ever was."
Stan Wolfgramm.
Stan Wolfgramm Photo: Supplied