Jackie van Beek

Jackie van Beek - Writer/Director

She has made six short films and is in development with her first feature. Her first film, One Shoe Short, was inspired by two indigenous boys living on a town camp in Alice Springs. The film played at the 2008 BFI London Film Festival and was selected for the WIFT International Showcase. It won 'Best Indigenous Achievement' at the St Kilda Film Festival (Australia) and was voted 'Best Film made by Adults for Children', at the Auburn International Film Festival (Australia).  It sold to Australian networks; SBS and NITV.

Jackie made her second film, Just Like The Others, with a community group in London. It won 'Kodak Best Film' in the Show Me Shorts Festival (NZ) and toured as part of the Clermont-Ferrand Schools' Tour.  Both films are being used as educational resources in Denmark, UK, France, Australia and New Zealand.

Go The Dogs was inspired by working with students at a special development school in Melbourne, Australia.  The film stars a twelve-year-old girl with special needs. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2011 and is currently playing on the festival circuit. Jackie attended Accelerator, an intensive directors' workshop, when the film played at the Melbourne International Film Festival. It won 'Best Short Film' at the Magma Film Awards (NZ) and has been sold to German/French broadcaster ZDF/ARTE.

Little Red Riding Hood was also made at Sunshine Special Development School and stars over forty students with autism and special needs. It premiered at the Human Rights and Arts Film Festival that is currently touring Australia.

In Safe Hands was based on a medical scandal that occurred in New Zealand concerning a major hospital that was storing the hearts of deceased children without parental consent. The film premiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival 2012 and won 'Best Independent Short Film' in the NZ Film Awards 2012.

Jackie has recently completed her sixth short film, Uphill. A drama set in the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Jackie is in development with the NZFC with her feature script, In the Roar. It was a finalist for 'Best Unproduced Feature Film Script' at the 2012 SWANZ Awards (NZ) and one of the projects selected for the First Feature Lab 2013.

Jackie won SPADA New Filmmaker of the Year 2013.