Time to Boost ‘Takahoa’

DEGANZ member Maddison Grigg is crowdfunding on Boosted for Takahoa,  a new coming-of-age YouTube mini-series.

The Takahoa team has three days left to hit their goal of $35,000 and already has the the backing of 197 donors. Funds raised will go towards production, cast and crew fees, locations, marketing, and post-production.

The five-part series follows the lives of five childhood friends navigating love, family drama, and self-discovery as they transition into adulthood in Auckland, New Zealand. It explores themes of identity, culture, and belonging, showcasing the complexities and triumphs of young people finding their way in the world.

You can find out more and support the production on their Boosted page.

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Milligan’s Editing for Kid Cudi’s ‘Neverland’ Premiered at Tribeca

DEGANZ member Scott Milligan edited Kid Cudi’s latest music video, Neverland. The musical short accompanies the American rapper’s latest single and premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on 7 June under the Shorts Programme’s Music Videos: Playlist category.

Directed by Ti West and produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, the 11 minute music video tells the story of a 200 year old vampire who takes his newly initiated love on her first feed. Alongside Kid Cudi, the music video features horror acting icons Kiernan Shipka (Longlegs, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Brittany Snow (X), Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense, Blink Twice, Tusk), Cary Elwes (Saw), and Brandon Scott (Descendent).

The music video continued Scott’s working relationship with Ti West, having been part of the editorial team for West’s X, Pearl, and MaXXXine, all of which had post-production work done in Aotearoa.

Congratulations to Scott and the team on the premiere! We look forward to watching Neverland when it releases to wider audiences.

 

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Lee’s ‘Chrysanthemum’ Blooms at Palm Springs ShortFest

Incubator alum Jolin Lee‘s short film Chrysanthemum is having its world premiere at the Palm Springs International ShortFest on 27 June. In addition to writing and directing the film, Jolin co-edited it with fellow DEGANZ member Steven Chow.

The film follows an anguished gardener who develops an unhealthy relationship with a chrysanthemum plant when her child mysteriously vanishes in a garden centre. It will screen in the Beneath the Surface programme, a collection of shorts that “simmer [and] push towards revelation, rupture, or release.”

Palm Spring’s ShortFest is one of the largest showcases of short-form cinema in North America. The seven-day festival is Academy Award, BAFTA, and GOYA-qualifying. It also acts as a hub for filmmakers and industry professionals from around the world to connect, learn, and grow.

Congratulations to Jolin, Steven, and all involved on the prestigious selection!

 

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BBC Acquires Local Sitcom ‘Homebound 3.0’

Local comedy series Homebound 3.0, co-directed by DEGANZ member Hweiling Ow and starring fellow member Michelle Ang, has been picked up by the UK’s BBC for global sales and distribution. Exciting news following season two’s premiere in May 2025!

The series follows the schemes of two thirty-somethings who fake a relationship to appease their demanding Chinese parents.While season one saw the two actually fall in love, season two continues the charade with a fake pregnancy in attempts to obtain an early inheritance from their wealthy overseas relatives.

Currently, season one is streaming on iPlayer in the UK, with season two yet to be released. Lucky for us, both seasons are available to watch on Three Now in Aotearoa.

Congrats Hweiling and the entire Homebound team! It is great to see DEGANZ members’ mahi doing well internationally.

 

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‘Devils on Horses’ and ‘Mighty Indeed’ are Finalists for the Doc Edge Awards 2025

Devils on Horses, directed by DEGANZ member Edward Sampson, and Mighty Indeed, directed by Vanessa Wells (DEGANZ) and edited by fellow member Emma Smart, are finalists in the New Zealand Feature Film category for the 2025 Doc Edge Awards.

Doc Edge is Aotearoa’s premiere international documentary film festival and an Oscar-qualifying event. The winner of the New Zealand Feature Film category will receive a cash prize and be eligible for Oscar consideration in 2026.

Devils on Horses

Directed by Edward Sampson

Set against the brutal backdrop of the Sinai-Palestine campaigns in WWI, this powerful story reveals the unbreakable bond between soldiers and their horses, trusted companions that offered comfort, courage, and connection in the face of unrelenting war. Through stunning visuals, raw interviews, and immersive reenactments, the film brings to life the emotional journey of men who found strength in their steeds.

But when peace arrived, a cruel twist — strict quarantine laws — forced many to leave their loyal partners behind. Heart-wrenching and deeply human, this is a timely reflection on the scars of war and the battles soldiers continue to fight long after returning home.

Mighty Indeed

Directed by Vanessa Wells

Edited by Emma Smart

In one of the harshest places on Earth, three women from different generations chase a hidden and ephemeral world beneath the Antarctic sea ice. Dr Natalie Robinson leads a world-first expedition to McMurdo Sound, joined by microbiologist Jacqui Stuart on her first trip south. Mentoring them from afar is veteran sea ice physicist Professor Pat Langhorne.

Battling brutal weather and isolation, the team discovers extraordinary tiny creatures within the delicate structures of the ice. Weaving personal stories with rich archival footage and groundbreaking science, this is an intimate and deeply human portrait set against the immense scale of Antarctica, shared with grit, wit, and surprising warmth.

 

Both Edward and Vanessa will be attending Q&As following the screenings of their films in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

 

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