Tag Archive for: DEGNZ members

DEGANZ Incubator Alum Selected for He Kauahi Catalyst Funding

Congratulations to DEGANZ members and Emerging Women Filmmakers Incubator alum Jolin Lee and Mīria George for receiving He Kauahi Catalyst funding. Their filmmaking teams make up two of the three selected. In addition to being their respective projects’ directors, both Jolin and Mīria are credited with writing positions. Both teams have received $90,000 for their short films and an additional $10,000 to develop their feature film concepts.

Jolin’s short, Chrysanthemum follows an anguished gardener who develops an unhealthy relationship with a chrysanthemum plant when her daughter mysteriously vanishes in a garden centre. Mīria’s film, Open Looks, tells the story of three sisters who share a love of basketball and must battle their way back from the underworld when their world is turned upside down.

This funding from NZFC allows filmmakers to develop high-end narrative short films to progress their careers. The projects pitched are required to be tonally or thematically linked to feature or long-form content, allowing the creatives to develop the short-form content with hopes of expanding it in the future.

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DEGANZ Members Nominated for The NZ Television Awards

Congratulations to the four DEGANZ members nominated as finalists for The New Zealand Television Awards.

The Awards recognise excellence in television, and honours the special skills and unique talents of the companies and individuals who create, produce, and perform in television programmes in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

​Vea Mafile’o is nominated for Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Drama Comedy alongside Tom Hern for directing Episode 3 of The Panthers (Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+) , a drama series based on the Polynesian Panthers.

Whatanui Flavell is nominated for Best Director: Documentary / Factual for his three-part documentary Ake, Ake, Ake (Scottie Douglas Productions Ltd / Whakaata Māori), which recounts events surrounding the historic Ihumātao occupation.

DEGANZ board member Margot Francis is nominated for Best Editing: Drama / Comedy Drama for The Panthers (Tavake Limited / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+).

Annie Goldson is nominated for Best Editing: Documentary / Factual alongside Prisca Bouchet and Julie Alp for A Mild Touch of Cancer (Occasional Productions / Prime), a documentary that follows writer and comedian David Downs as he sets out to help fellow Kiwis dealing with cancer (and for which Annie was also the Director, Writer, and Producer). The documentary is also nominated for New Zealand On Air Best Documentary.

The full list can be found on the NZ TV Awards website.

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The Gone Begins Production with Peter Burger Directing

Peter Burger

Six-part New Zealand/Ireland co-production, The Gone, commenced principal photography on location in Auckland and Te Aroha this week with DEGANZ member Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger (Ngāi Tahu, Rangitāne: One Lane Bridge, Until Proven Innocent, Resolve) directing the first block. Irish director Hannah Quinn (Vikings Valhalla, Blood, The Stranger) also directs.

The drama series stars Richard Flood (Grey’s Anatomy, Shameless) as Theo Richter, an Irish detective who teams up with Kiwi cop Diana Huia, played by Acushla-Tara Kupe (Under the Vines, Mr Corman), to find a young Irish couple who have vanished from an infamous rural North Island New Zealand town. Amidst the search and a race against time, the pair have to contend with a community’s growing disquiet that the disappearances may be linked to a series of historical murders.

The co-production will complete further shooting in Dublin, Ireland in late 2022. This new mystery series is produced by Kingfisher Films (NZ) and Blinder Films (Ireland), in association with Southern Light Films (NZ) for RTÉ and TVNZ.

“We’re delighted to be continuing our commitment to co-productions to bring the very best premium content to TVNZ. The Gone is a thrilling concept that is sure to resonate with our viewers across TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+,” says Cate Slater, TVNZ Director of Content.

The Gone is made with support from Te Puna Kairangi, the New Zealand Government’s Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund, and New Zealand’s Screen Production Grant, Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann, RTÉ, TVNZ, NZ On Air and the BAI Sound & Vision Fund. Global distribution is by Red Arrow Studios International.

Good luck to Peter and the rest of the team!

Learn more

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NZIFF: Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts Competition Finalists

Perfect Storm by Guild member Morag Brownlie is a finalist in NZIFF’s Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts Competition.

Directed, produced and edited by Morag, Perfect Storm follows one man’s enforced isolation on the wild west coast of Tāmaki Makaurau, as he paces the beach and wonders whether he will see those dear to him again. Dramatic, majestic, intimate and moving, this short documentary is sure to resonate with all who have been separated from their loved ones.

A Morning With Aroha, directed by Nicholas Rinni and edited by Francis Glenday (DEGANZ), is another finalist. The short film follows young Aroha as she embarks on her mission with increasing urgency, whilst her family begin to wonder about where she could be.

As Ngā Whanaunga is a competitive section of the New Zealand International Film Festival, all films in the collection are eligible for the Wellington UNESCO City of Film Award for Best Film ($3000 cash prize), as judged by a jury. Audience members at Auckland and Wellington screenings will also vote for the winner of the Letterboxd Audience Award, a cash prize of $1000.

Congratulations to Morag, Francis and their teams on this achievement. The finalists were selected by Leo Koziol and Craig Fasi, and will screen during NZIFF in all festival locations.

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Show Me Shorts Hearts Tāmaki Makaurau with Special Screening

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The pandemic kept many Aucklanders from enjoying the Show Me Shorts Festival last year, which meant that some of the best shorts never screened for their home crowd. To fix that, Show Me Shorts has put together a screening (July 2) to celebrate eight short films made in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland or by Aucklanders.

Among them are films crafted by DEGANZ members and alumni, including Green, directed by Rachel Ross (DEGANZ Emerging Women Filmmakers Incubator 2020) and edited by our member Ben Chesters. Green follows an estranged father and daughter, both with newly diagnosed life altering illnesses, as they smoke marijuana together for the first time. Green won the SAE People’s Choice Award at Show Me Shorts 2021.

Blood and Gold, directed by Yamin Tun (Incubator 2017) and edited by member Brendon Chan, will screen as well. This exciting short western follows a woman on the run as she makes a decision that will alter the course of two lives. Blood and Gold won the Best Actor Award at the festival and was nominated for a couple more awards, including DEGANZ Best Editor. The film has also been selected for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival this year.

Heart to Heart is written and directed by Incubator 2018 alumna Lauren Porteous. This short psychological thriller set in Raurimu in the dead of winter explores obsession and oppression, and asks are women really for or against one another?

Audiences will also get to see June, directed by Dwayne Cameron who edited alongside DEGANZ member Peter Roberts. June sees Willow and David receiving serious news that causes their world to rapidly disintegrate. But a transcendent occurrence offers them the hope of new life. June won the DEGANZ Best Editor award at Show Me Shorts 2021.

See the full list of films and book your tickets here!

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