Legendary New Zealand film and television producer John Barnett has died.

The Screen Production and Development Association confirmed Barnett died on Sunday night.

He began his career in 1973 and ran the country’s largest production company, South Pacific Pictures, from 1992 to 2015.

Barnett’s current company, Endeavour Ventures, develops feature films and international TV series.

He was a producer or executive producer on four of the country’s 10 top grossing films: Footrot Flats, Whale Rider, Sione’s Wedding, and Once Were Warriors sequel What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

Barnett was made Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to film and television in 2019.

He said over his career, Whale Rider was one of his greatest achievements.

The film won a Bafta Award, Oscar nominations for actor Keisha Castle-Hughes, and made over $50 million internationally.

Alongside his internationally acclaimed films, Barnett championed projects that introduced New Zealand’s Māori, Pacific and Asian populations, as well as establishing Sundance Channel (now Rialto), the first art house film station.

- RNZ