Tag Archive for: The Vision Feast

DEGANZ Members Ate at Vision Feast

Congratulations to DEGANZ members Joe Murdie, Sophie Black, and James Fink-Jensen for their success at the 2023 Vision Feast awards!

Joe won big with the Rubber Monkey Best Aotearoa Project Award for WALK. Along with the accolade, he received $3000 worth of rentals from Rubber Monkey and the festival’s iconic Golden Chompy trophy. Written and directed by Joe, the short follows Amelia on a seemingly casual stroll in the wilderness. However, the innocent and carefree nature of the walk grows increasingly at odds with the protagonist’s actions.

Sophie’s animation-hybrid Believing is Seeing earned her Best Documentary. Joined by Dr. Robert Bartholomew, the world’s leading expert on mass psychogenic illnesses, the film investigates the mysterious outbreak of tic disorders on TikTok. You can watch Believing is Seeing on Youtube and Vimeo now!

James took home the Emerging NZ Filmmaking Talent Award for Strangers, which he wrote, directed, produced, and edited. The film dwells on the nervous pressure of first impressions on a date. With a cast of zany characters, a simple cafe date goes awry on an emotional roller coaster.

Well done to the winners and all the nominated directors. It’s always exciting to see our members recognised for their hard work!

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Feast Your Eyes on DEGANZ Members at Vision Feast 2023

DEGANZ members Sophie Black, James Fink-Jensen, Eva Fulco, and Brian Gill have been nominated at this year’s Vision Feast 2023. 

Vision Feast is an annual short film and music video festival that acknowledges filmmakers with a creative passion, technical skills, and what they call a ‘stroke of madness’. The festival accepts both domestic and international submissions. This year’s international entries are from the USA, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, and Europe.

Vision Feast nominated Sophie’s project Believing is Seeing in two categories – Best Aotearoa Project and Best Documentary. The short film features Dr Robert Bartholomew who debunks myths about ‘psychogenic illness’, a stress response caused by social media. 

Strangers, a short directed by James, is nominated for the Emerging NZ Filmmaking Talent. The film explores the struggles of a young and awkward journalist to make a lasting impression on a first date. Despite hopes of a romantic cafe date, it unavoidably all goes wrong. From the unconfident protagonist to the impatient waitress, all the characters undergo an emotional roller coaster ride in just 5 minutes.

Brian’s short film Solitaire and Eva’s Buona Notte, Mio Amore are in the Best New Zealand Student Work category. Solitaire is about a lonely security guard who plays a card game only to witness the cards come alive to keep him company. Meanwhile, Buona Notte, Mio Amore explores a romance during World War II.

You can grab seats for the festival’s evening screening at Academy Cinemas in Auckland now. Congrats to the selected filmmakers!

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