Clarke Gayford says he is "bewildered" after the documentary Prime Minister, which chronicles Dame Jacinda Ardern's time in office, scored two nominations at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards in the US.
The film has been nominated for Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary at the 47th annual ceremony, which honours 2025 premieres.
Gayford, who is Ardern's husband and producer and cinematographer on the project, shared the news in a social media video from a beach in Gisborne.
"I just thought I'd check in to say I've had some really exciting news about the documentary Prime Minister," he said.
"We've been nominated for not one, but two Emmy Awards for the film."
Gayford said the period of their lives covered by the documentary had been gruelling, and likened the experience to his foiling hobby, where rough conditions he once avoided had become something to embrace.
"When I took up foiling, the conditions that you look for are conditions that I avoided my whole life – rough, windy, big swell, conditions that you get genuinely excited about when you foil. And so it re-lends how I looked at things," he said.
"Arguably, that period of our lives was some of the toughest. It was awful in places, and for one reason or another, I decided to pick up a camera and film parts of it."
Gayford described himself as stunned by the recognition.
"Well done to the team. Just I'm bewildered and baffled – it's incredible."
The documentary, directed by Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz, is currently available through Netflix in New Zealand.
In the best documentary field, Prime Minister competes against seven other titles: Black Snow, Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, Life After, Love + War, 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Turning Point: The Vietnam War and Union.
In the outstanding politics and government documentary category, Prime Minister was nominated alongside Bodyguard Of Lies, The Dark Money Game, Hollywoodgate and The Making Of A Japanese.
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences president and chief executive Adam Sharp said the nominees "represent a dynamic range of voices and perspectives shaping the future of news and documentary storytelling."
The academy's head of documentary Emmys, Christine Chin, said the nominees "represent an extraordinary range of storytelling, from deeply personal narratives to sweeping historical examinations".
"These films challenge perspectives, elevate underrepresented voices, and demonstrate the power of documentary filmmaking to inform, engage, and inspire audiences worldwide."
The news categories will be presented on May 27 (US time) and the documentary categories on May 28, with both ceremonies beginning at 7pm US Eastern time.
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