DEGANZ Members Feature at NZIFF 2023
New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) has announced this year’s NZ feature films, with DEGANZ members involved in half of the twelve selected.
In their announcement press release, NZIFF General Manager Sally Woodfield commented:
We’re proud to have secured such an incredible line-up of homegrown films and it’s an honour to share this world-class line-up with audiences around Aotearoa this winter.
Of the twelve features, nine are having their world premiere at the festival, including all member projects. This is one of the largest collections of world premieres NZIFF has had in years.
The Strangest of Angels
Set in the Seacliff Mental Hospital in 1945, director Rebecca Tansley (DEGANZ) offers a dramatic and moving interpretation of the contemporary opera of the same title. Inspired by the events and life of Kiwi writer Janet Frame, the film sheds light on mental health from the past and present.
The Paragon
A hit-and-run victim learns psychic abilities to reap revenge on the car that hit him. Directed by former DEGANZ board member Michael Duignan, this cosmic comedy horror embodies Kiwi ingenuity with its microbudget of $25,000. Fellow members and Incubator 2020 alumnae Jessica Grace Smith and Michelle Ang feature in the stellar cast.
King Loser
Co-directed and edited by DEGANZ member Cushla Dillon, this career-spanning documentary follows legendary 90s rock band King Loser on their 2016 farewell tour. The film offers an earnest and affectionate portrait of the band through rich archive footage and reflective present-day interviews.
Red Mole: A Romance
Annie Goldson (DEGANZ) expertly assembles archival footage, photographs, scrapbooks, posters, and stage designs of the radical theatrical troupe Red Mole in this exhilarating retrospective. Co-edited by fellow member Cushla Dillon, the documentary considered the troupe’s romantic goals, tenacious performers, and tumultuous career.
Ms Information
Filmed across two years during the pandemic, DEGANZ member Gwen Isaac‘s observational documentary dives into the trenches of microbiologist Siousxsie Wiles’ public service. While encouraging the public not to panic, Siouxsie became the target of misogynistic hate and conspiracy that threatened her professional and personal life. The film reveals a small nation under pressure, confronting a new type of leadership that excites, incites, and polarizes.
Grant Sheehan: Light, Ghosts, & Dreams
Robin Greenberg (DEGANZ) celebrates the life and art of avant-garde New Zealand photographer and publisher Grant Sheehan and his creative Artificial Intelligence (AI) explorations. Known for not confining himself to a single specialty, Grant’s career has taken him on adventures across the globe with little more than his curiosity and camera.
Congratulations to all members featured; we are excited to see your work in the festival!
Last updated on 21 June 2023
