True crime drama ‘Siege’ dominates the New Zealand Television Awards

5 November 2012


Siege, the true story of Napier gunman Jan Molenaar dominated the 2012 New Zealand Television Awards this weekend with five awards.

The 90 minute drama produced by Screentime for TVNZ was awarded

Best One-Off Drama

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress: Miriama Smith

Best Performance by an Actor: Mark Mitchinson

Best Script Drama/Comedy: John Banas

Best Sound Design: Chris Burt

On the 7th of May 2009, Senior Constables Len Snee, Grant Diver and Bruce Miller arrived at 41 Chaucer Rd in Napier, New Zealand to serve a search warrant on Jan Molenaar for the growing of cannabis. This was just a routine warrant, something they had done countless times. What was meant to be an ordinary procedure turned into three of New Zealand’s darkest days and ended with one police officer dead, two officers critically injured and a member of the public fighting for his life. During the 3 day siege, Jan Molenaar made a permanent and devastating imprint upon the national psyche of New Zealand as he changed the lives of individuals, families, a police community, and a city.

Siege stars:Mark Mitchinson as JAN MOLENAAR (Spartacus: Blood and Sand, The Hobbit); Miriama Smith as DELWYN KEEFE (The Tribe, Last Man Standing); Alistair Browning as MIKE O’LEARY (Lord of the Rings, Power Rangers); Darren Young as LEN SNEE (Xena: Warrior Princess, Shortland Street); Will Hall as BRUCE MILLER (Shortland Street, Nothing Trivial).

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