Members Involved in Latest TVNZ Cold Case Episode

The real-life crime-solving series Cold Case is back with another instalment, with the latest episode edited by DEGANZ board member Steven Chow and reconstructions directed by member Michael Duignan. Cold Case offers viewers a rare opportunity to follow and help the New Zealand Police as they reassess some of our most chilling unsolved murders.

The latest episode looks into the case of 34-year-old Timothy Pridding, who mysteriously vanished from Dunedin in 1994. Following the episode’s premiere on Tuesday on TV 2, the Police received an influx of tip-offs, which the Police are now reviewing.

Watch the episode on TVNZ OnDemand.

/by

Freshwater Wins Sun Jury Prize at imagineNATIVE

,

Congratulations to Matasila Freshwater (DEGANZ) for winning the Sun Jury Prize at this year’s imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. The prize was won for her work as director and writer on Hiama, an “amazing reclamation of the horror genre through a Solomon Islands lens.”

Hiama tells the story of a teenage girl and her Hiama (shamanic guardian spirit), who teaches her to invoke her inner power when she encounters racism and microaggressions at her high school.

Matasila spoke of her motives for telling this story, which included the desire to subvert the traditionally Euro-centric horror genre. Matasila observed how in the horror genre “blackness and darkness was something to be fearful of.” By subverting this narrative, she instead makes blackness “empowering”.

The episode is part of the wider series Teina Sā: The Ancient Ones, which centers around stories of modern day issues that impact Pasifika women. Matasila’s award-winning episode is available to watch for free on The CoconetTV’s Youtube channel.

See the full list of the 2021 imagineNATIVE award winners here.

/by

Looking for a Laugh

,

I normally go surfing and garden as my stress release mechanisms. Neither have been of much help with all the rain we are having (I live in the Waitakeres) and the West Coast of Auckland is offering up limited opportunities at this time. Thank goodness the dams are full, though.

Today, however, I went looking for a laugh because I thought it would be beneficial to have some light relief amongst the collective depression many of us are experiencing due to this latest lockdown.

There’s a lot of gallows humour out there about COVID. I certainly chuckled but it’s not ray-of-sunshine stuff, so passed on the idea of including anything I came across, copyright issues aside.

Something I have done in the past for LOL entertainment is to watch Live At The Apollo on YouTube. Britain’s comedic best never fails to get me going.

This lockdown around, I’ve been watching more YouTube videos for distraction and learning than ever before. I’ve also been surfing vicariously on it. My virtual holiday to Bali and the Mentawais in Indonesia every day gets me over the West Coast doldrums. I now understand why YouTube is up there with TV1 and Netflix as one of the most popular choices for Kiwis 15+.

I was talking to a director yesterday about another matter and they told me they’d taken up drawing as a means to combat the funk. This person isn’t the only one who’s said in recent times that their creative output for work has suffered. And I’m struggling myself to get excited about ideas that would normally have me fizzing and putting fingers to keyboard.

The frustration with our current situation is palpable. All you have to do is watch/read/listen to the news. I’m often reminded, though, how fortunate we continue to be in comparison to the US, the UK and even Australia. I listen to a number of international podcasts and the presenters have essentially been in lockdown and nowhere near their workplaces for the last two years. Granted, our lockdown is stricter… but still.

What I’m clearly talking about here is mental health and wellbeing. Mine, yours, everybody’s. The longer this goes on the greater the need for us to look after ourselves and others in ways that lift our mental, and our physical, states.

Laughter may not be the panacea for all our psychological ills, but it is good medicine. So find a way to bring a smile, have a chuckle, or get yourself rolling on the floor in paroxysms. You’ll feel better for it. For those who need real help, here is a list of resources on offer.

In the meantime… Knock, knock!

Best response wins a Do The Right Thing campaign bag from us and will go in the next newsletter.

 

Tui Ruwhiu
Executive Director

/by

Celebrating Asian Artists in Documentary Series Co-Directed by Member Nahyeon Lee

,

Spotlighting Asian Artists in Aotearoa, Portraits is a new 12-part micro-documentary series with six episodes directed by DEGANZ member and participant of the 2021 Emerging Women Filmmakers Incubator, Nahyeon Lee.

Presented by Asian arts organisation Oryza, Portraits is a nuanced snapshot of Asian Artists in Tāmaki Makaurau and the intersection of creativity and identity in the diaspora. Filmed last year, the series has just launched the first episode, directed by Nahyeon and featuring Rosabel Tan, the founding editor of Pantograph Punch.

“It started with the big questions that I’m always asking myself, about how to respectfully tread the intersection between identity and creativity, how to ensure the artists are uplifted in the process, not flattened into a prescribed identity,” writes Nahyeon.

“I wanted this process to be a collaboration, where I would let the artists lead the conversation on how they wanted to define themselves and their work instead of thrusting assumptions and labels onto them.

“I’m so proud of this lil series and feeling really grateful for all the artists who trusted me and let me into their worlds to discuss their work.”

Nahyeon also directed episodes with filmmaker Roseanne Liang, interdisciplinary designer Michael McCabe, producer Puteri Raja Ariff, actor Pamela Sidhu and zine-maker Helen Yeung. Well done Nahyeon!

Episodes drop weekly on Oryza’s Instagram and website.

/by

Chan Edits TVNZ OnDemand Series The Pact

Secrets, terminal illness, and differing opinions threaten to tear the Simpkins family apart in the The Pact, edited by DEGANZ member Brendon Chan. Described by Stuff.co.nz as a “thought-provoking and charming” series, The Pact comes right off the tail of last year’s euthanasia referendum. It follows a flawed but loving family as they are faced with tough questions and even tougher decisions when a family member decides to end their life after a terminal illness diagnosis.

The series explores a range of sensitive topics, including euthanasia and suicide. It was designed as a show to “open up conversations” by placing euthanasia at the forefront. The Pact examines how the decision to end one’s life impacts not only the individual concerned, but for those closest to them.

The Pact is available to watch now on TVNZ OnDemand.

/by