Zhu Continues Having ‘Conversations With My Immigrant Parents’

Season three of DEGANZ member Julie Zhu‘s podcast and video series Conversations With My Immigrant Parents comes out on 3 April. In addition to directing, producing, and hosting the series with co-creator Saraid de Silva, Julie is also the series’ cinematographer.

The deeply personal series dives into conversations between immigrant parents and their children across Aotearoa. They cover topics of ancestry, home, food, expectation, acceptance, and love. Through these conversations, whānau learn new things about each other and confront complex issues that are deepened by generational and cultural differences. Previous episodes tackle balancing cultures in an Indian-Māori whānau, interrogating colonial tools in NZ within a Zimbabwean family, and divorce with a Korean mum and daughter.

Julie is a Chinese-born, Aotearoa-raised multi-disciplined creative. She is passionate about telling stories that champion marginalised voices and stories, as seen in her work on Conversations With My Immigrant Parents.

Watch the trailer for season three here, or catch up on previous seasons here!

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‘Red, White & Brass’ Drums Up Rave Reviews

Catch Red, White & Brass, co-edited by DEGANZ board member Ben Powdrell, on the big screen! The unapologetically Tongan film is now in cinemas across Aotearoa, sharing māfana and good vibes.

Based on a true story, the film follows Maka when he hatches a scheme to get into the sold-out Rugby World Cup by forming a traditional Tongan marching band. With plastic bottles and tin cans in hand as stand-in instruments, he must band together a group of misfits to make their community proud. What starts as a self-serving plan to see the big game turns into a journey of self-discovery and understanding of the importance of their Tongan culture.

The film has been drumming up rave reviews and is proving to be the epitome of a feel-good movie. It may be just what we all need after a few difficult years. The New Zealand Herald writes: “It’s a heart-warming and uplifting watch that everyone will enjoy” with its infectious māfana on and off screen.

Congratulations to Ben and all on such a successful release!

You can check show times for the film near you here.

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Boult Strikes Fresh Shorts Funding

DEGANZ member and participant in this year’s Incubator, Victoria Boult, has been selected for Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts. This is a massive feat; this year, the final six projects were chosen from 89 applications.

Through this fund, Victoria’s team will receive development support and a grant of $25,000 to make their short film, Invisible Dragons. Industry experts will offer advice over an intensive three-week period. During this time, teams will be able to refine their story, vision, and production plans.

In addition to directing this project, Victoria is credited as the writer.

This has come along with a string of other successes for Victoria recently. This year alone, she has been selected for DEGANZ’s Incubator, Show Me Shorts’ Development Lab, and Screen Canberaa’s POD program. Additionally, since the release of her TikTok series n00b, created as part of NZOA and Screen Australia’s TikTok Every Voice initiative, her work has garnered over 1.5 million views and 12,000 followers.

Congratulations to Victoria and the rest of the team; we cannot wait to see your finished film!

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Big Things Brewing for DEGANZ Members According to Latest NZFC Funding Decisions

The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) released its March 2023 funding decisions, featuring many DEGANZ members’ projects in the mix.

Seven applications were approved for the Early Development and Documentary Development Fund, totalling over $143,600. Of the four feature dramas chosen, DEGANZ members are key creatives on three of them. Tom Augustine is on the team for Arsonist, Jackie van Beek on Sea Hags, and Kim Webby on Memory/Longing. Additionally, Thomas Burstyn (DEGANZ) is on the core creative team of Iggy In Love, one of the three feature documentaries approved for the fund.

NZFC’s annual fund for producing dramatic feature films in te reo Māori, He Pounamu Te Reo Māori Feature Film Initiative, has gone to writer/director Kath Akuhata-Brown (DEGANZ). This fund aims to increase the number of films produced in te reo Māori by creating culturally appropriate production financing pathways for such films. Kath’s film, KŌKĀ, follows the unlikely friendship that forms between Māori elder Hamo and delinquent teen Jo while on a road trip that bridges generations, culture, and morality.

Additionally, the lasting effects of COVID are not stopping DEGANZ members Marina Alofagia McCartney and Roseanne Liang. Marina’s short film The Return was one of four applications that received Extended Screen Production Recovery Funding. Meanwhile, the second season of the series drama Creamerie, directed and co-written by Roseanne, was approved for conditional equity as part of the Premium Contingency Fund.

Congratulations to all on the good news!

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Brettkelly’s Boosted Snaps Up Its Goal

DEGANZ member Pietra Brettkelly‘s Boosted campaign for her feature documentary Crocodile needs help to reach its stretch goal.

Due to Boosted’s all-or-nothing stipulation, Pietra and oscar-nominated producer Chelsea Winstanley (Ngai te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) set a leaner goal of $20,000 to achieve in the 30-day campaign. However, generous donors propelled the project to this goal in just 12 days, allowing the team to start reaching for their stretch goal. They currently have nearly $29,000 but hope to reach their new target of $100,000 in the next 15 days.

The film highlights the creativity and tenacity of nine children living in Crocodile, Nigeria, as they rise out of their circumstances to rewrite their future… and set it in a 2049 sci-fi world. Pietra began filming the group three and a half years ago and is determined to continue until they start filming their own sci-fi feature, despite the various hardships they’ve faced.

Until now, Pietra has been self-funding the project and is confident that it has the ability to go as far, if not further, than her and Chelsea’s previous projects. Notably and uniquely, Pietra has given the young subjects 50% ownership of the doco and all its profits.

Contributions to the Boosted will go towards editing, translations, researching soundtracks, and further filming.

You can donate to Pietra and the team’s Boosted here!

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