News

Screening Near and Far

DEGANZ members April Phillips and Jeremy Masters have had films accepted to film festivals both near and far. Blind Panic, a feature film co-produced by April, is celebrating its premiere here in Aotearoa at the Terror-Fi Film Festival in…
Read more

A Kōrero with Director of Photography Simon Raby NZCS

,
For this iteration of DEGANZ's new blog series, A Kōrero With..., Izzi Hoskyn spoke with Director of Photography Simon Raby NZCS. Simon is a freelance Director/Cinematographer with 45 years of industry experience. He works largely in feature…
Read more

Show Me Shorts 2025 Nominations

Show Me Shorts has unveiled the nominees for this year's awards, with multiple films from DEGANZ members in the mix! As an Oscar-qualifying short film festival, Show Me Shorts provides a pathway to international recognition at the highest level. The…
Read more

Catalyst Lights the Spark for Short Films from Ratana and Luping

DEGANZ members Te Waiarangi Ratana and Jo Luping are attached to projects that have received funding from the latest round of the New Zealand Film Commission's He Kauahi Catalyst. The fund provides up to $90,000 to local filmmakers to create…
Read more

‘Deathgasm II: Goremageddon’ Coming Soon

The long-awaited sequel to the 2015 Kiwi cult classic Deathgasm is coming soon! Deathgasm II: Goremageddon, edited by DEGANZ member Brendon Chan, celebrated its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, in September. It will visit…
Read more

Film Festivals Galore!

DEGANZ members’ work is being showcased across Aotearoa and around the globe at a range of film festivals. It’s always inspiring to see our members’ mahi, whether drama shorts or documentary features, being recognised and shared with wider…
Read more
View from the Top banner

Scraped From the Internet

I’ve been writing View from the Top almost every two weeks now for the last ten years. With AI such a topical issue, I thought I would task AI to write the blog for me this week to see what it came up with. I gave it one prompt, and here’s…
Read more

Reflections of A Wave in the Ocean at Venice

This year, seven short films from Aotearoa screened at the Venice International Film Festival in a dedicated tribute programme to Jane Campion's A Wave in the Ocean (AWITO) film school. Of the seven, three include work from DEGANZ members. The…
Read more

Show Me Shorts Reveals 2025 Programme

Show Me Shorts has announced the programme for 2025, marking the 20th anniversary of Aotearoa's leading short film festival! This year, the festival will run from 7-27 October at 40 cinemas and community venues across the motu. 83 shorts…
Read more

Tuiburelevu Heads to London for NZFC International Placement

Congratulations to DEGANZ member Litia Tuiburelevu, one of three recipients of the NZ Film Commission's International Placements! She is heading to London this October to work with Protagonist Pictures. Designed for emerging to mid-career…
Read more

‘Ka Whawhai Tonu’ Wins at Septimius Awards

Ka Whawhai Tonu, directed by DEGANZ member Mike Jonathan, written by fellow member Tim Worrall, and edited by board members Te Rurehe Paki and Martin Brinkler, won Best Oceanian Film at the prestigious Septimius Awards. Lead actress Hinerangi…
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‘Choir Games’ Drops in Canada

DEGANZ member Leanne Pooley's docuseries Choir Games drops in Canada on Super Channel on 20 September. The series is an uplifting story about the power of music to change lives. In four episodes, two choirs—one from New York City and one…
Read more

Opportunity to Boost Maramara’s Short ‘Homestay’

Writer/Director Mia Maramara (DEGANZ) is crowdfunding on Boosted for her upcoming short film, Homestay. The short follows a Filipino nurse who finds herself trapped between losing her job or losing her mind when her dementia patient pushes…
Read more
View from the Top banner

John Barnett CNZM, ONZM 1945 – 2025

Producer John Barnett was at the heart of the NZ film and TV industry pretty much from its formative years through to today. He’s made multiple films, documentaries and TV series, employing thousands of above and below the line people along…
Read more

The DGA’s Visit to Aotearoa

Last month, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) President Lesli Linka Glatter and Executive Director Russell Hollander visited Aotearoa to connect with the local screen industry. While only here for six days, their schedule was packed and took…
Read more

Fall into ‘Warren’s Vortex’

,
New sci-fi comedy series Warren's Vortex, edited by DEGANZ board member Martin Brinkler and fellow member Alex Boyd, is out now on TVNZ+. The show was created by the team behind Wellington Paranormal and shares a similar humour and tone…
Read more

‘Invisible Dragons’ to Premiere at Bend Film Festival

DEGANZ member Victoria Boult's newest short film, Invisible Dragons, edited by Jack Woon (DEGANZ), is heading to the Bend Film Festival in Oregon, USA, for its world premiere in October. The short is set in Aotearoa's remote bush and is included…
Read more

Day One Showing Shorts at Show Me Shorts

Day One Hāpai te Haeata is partnering with Show Me Shorts to host the world premiere of this year's eight Day One Shorts, which involve the work of five DEGANZ members. Day One is a supportive community that provides rangatahi with the…
Read more

Screening Near and Far

DEGANZ members April Phillips and Jeremy Masters have had films accepted to film festivals both near and far. Blind Panic, a feature film co-produced by April, is celebrating its premiere here in Aotearoa at the Terror-Fi Film Festival in…
Read more

A Kōrero with Director of Photography Simon Raby NZCS

,
For this iteration of DEGANZ's new blog series, A Kōrero With..., Izzi Hoskyn spoke with Director of Photography Simon Raby NZCS. Simon is a freelance Director/Cinematographer with 45 years of industry experience. He works largely in feature…
Read more

Show Me Shorts 2025 Nominations

Show Me Shorts has unveiled the nominees for this year's awards, with multiple films from DEGANZ members in the mix! As an Oscar-qualifying short film festival, Show Me Shorts provides a pathway to international recognition at the highest level. The…
Read more

Catalyst Lights the Spark for Short Films from Ratana and Luping

DEGANZ members Te Waiarangi Ratana and Jo Luping are attached to projects that have received funding from the latest round of the New Zealand Film Commission's He Kauahi Catalyst. The fund provides up to $90,000 to local filmmakers to create…
Read more

‘Deathgasm II: Goremageddon’ Coming Soon

The long-awaited sequel to the 2015 Kiwi cult classic Deathgasm is coming soon! Deathgasm II: Goremageddon, edited by DEGANZ member Brendon Chan, celebrated its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, in September. It will visit…
Read more

Film Festivals Galore!

DEGANZ members’ work is being showcased across Aotearoa and around the globe at a range of film festivals. It’s always inspiring to see our members’ mahi, whether drama shorts or documentary features, being recognised and shared with wider…
Read more
View from the Top banner

Scraped From the Internet

I’ve been writing View from the Top almost every two weeks now for the last ten years. With AI such a topical issue, I thought I would task AI to write the blog for me this week to see what it came up with. I gave it one prompt, and here’s…
Read more

Reflections of A Wave in the Ocean at Venice

This year, seven short films from Aotearoa screened at the Venice International Film Festival in a dedicated tribute programme to Jane Campion's A Wave in the Ocean (AWITO) film school. Of the seven, three include work from DEGANZ members. The…
Read more

Show Me Shorts Reveals 2025 Programme

Show Me Shorts has announced the programme for 2025, marking the 20th anniversary of Aotearoa's leading short film festival! This year, the festival will run from 7-27 October at 40 cinemas and community venues across the motu. 83 shorts…
Read more

Tuiburelevu Heads to London for NZFC International Placement

Congratulations to DEGANZ member Litia Tuiburelevu, one of three recipients of the NZ Film Commission's International Placements! She is heading to London this October to work with Protagonist Pictures. Designed for emerging to mid-career…
Read more

‘Ka Whawhai Tonu’ Wins at Septimius Awards

Ka Whawhai Tonu, directed by DEGANZ member Mike Jonathan, written by fellow member Tim Worrall, and edited by board members Te Rurehe Paki and Martin Brinkler, won Best Oceanian Film at the prestigious Septimius Awards. Lead actress Hinerangi…
Read more

‘Choir Games’ Drops in Canada

DEGANZ member Leanne Pooley's docuseries Choir Games drops in Canada on Super Channel on 20 September. The series is an uplifting story about the power of music to change lives. In four episodes, two choirs—one from New York City and one…
Read more

Opportunity to Boost Maramara’s Short ‘Homestay’

Writer/Director Mia Maramara (DEGANZ) is crowdfunding on Boosted for her upcoming short film, Homestay. The short follows a Filipino nurse who finds herself trapped between losing her job or losing her mind when her dementia patient pushes…
Read more
View from the Top banner

John Barnett CNZM, ONZM 1945 – 2025

Producer John Barnett was at the heart of the NZ film and TV industry pretty much from its formative years through to today. He’s made multiple films, documentaries and TV series, employing thousands of above and below the line people along…
Read more

The DGA’s Visit to Aotearoa

Last month, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) President Lesli Linka Glatter and Executive Director Russell Hollander visited Aotearoa to connect with the local screen industry. While only here for six days, their schedule was packed and took…
Read more

Fall into ‘Warren’s Vortex’

,
New sci-fi comedy series Warren's Vortex, edited by DEGANZ board member Martin Brinkler and fellow member Alex Boyd, is out now on TVNZ+. The show was created by the team behind Wellington Paranormal and shares a similar humour and tone…
Read more

‘Invisible Dragons’ to Premiere at Bend Film Festival

DEGANZ member Victoria Boult's newest short film, Invisible Dragons, edited by Jack Woon (DEGANZ), is heading to the Bend Film Festival in Oregon, USA, for its world premiere in October. The short is set in Aotearoa's remote bush and is included…
Read more

Day One Showing Shorts at Show Me Shorts

Day One Hāpai te Haeata is partnering with Show Me Shorts to host the world premiere of this year's eight Day One Shorts, which involve the work of five DEGANZ members. Day One is a supportive community that provides rangatahi with the…
Read more