Archive November 2024

After sellout screenings at the Sydney Film Festival, WIFT Member, Loren Taylor’s bittersweet comedy feature film The Moon is Upside Down has won the Special Jury Award for Narrative Feature at the 2024 Santa Fe International Film Festival! The team includes producers Philippa Campbell and…

This year, over 200 entries were submitted across the categories and we would like to congratulate our members who took home awards!!!

Commercials
Gold: María Inés Manchego NZCS, NZ Sport

Feature Films – Budget Under $5M
Silver: María Inés Manchego NZCS, Uproar

Feature Films – Budget Over $5M
Gold:…

Congratulations to Dame Julie Christie for her recognition as the 2024 TV Legend!

Julie has transformed the television landscape in New Zealand. As former journalist and a multi-award-winning creator and producer of unscripted formats in 30 countries, her work on shows like Treasure Island, Dragons’…

For the first time ever a New Zealand film, Crocodile, by WIFT member and filmmaker Pietra Brettkelly has been selected for the International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam Rough Cut Presentation.  IDFA is the world’s largest documentary film festival and market, and Crocodile was one of…

n00b, the series is written and directed by WIFT member Victoria Boult, is screening on Three and Three Now!

Set in Gore, NZ in 2005, n00b follows the social downfall of Nikau Bennett. When Nikau is outed as gay, we see him plummet from cool…

The first cohort of students have begun the first steps in gaining the industry first qualification, the National Certificate in Screen Industry Craft Skills! 

With over 100 applications, 64 students have been selected to work with top industry leaders to learn key applied skills then…

Show Me Shorts 2024 announced their winners:

Vea Mafile'o, Eldon Booth and Alex Lovell took home the coveted Department of Post Best NZ Film Award for Lea Tupu'anga (Mother Tongue) – a dramatic short about a young speech therapist disconnected from her Tongan heritage. The…

Put the kettle on for a poignant tale about tree stumps, family, and dynamite! 

Writer/director Elinor Teele’s short film Pulling Up Stumps, produced by Emma Martini of FrameUpMedia and Phillida Perry of Perrys Road/Daughter, has been released online and is free to watch. That’s three…

Katherine Mansfield’s not dead, she lives on vibrantly in the hearts and minds of scores of people here and everywhere. Shine On Katherine Mansfield is not about her...it’s about her legacy.

This 8-part mini series for Newsroom & RNZ introduces a cast of Kiwi creatives:…

Dear members, we have another fabulous giveaway for you. This is Memory, starring Jessica Chastain & Peter Sarsgaard. This giveaway is provided for you by Potential Films. 

Sylvia, a single mother, confronts her traumatic past after a chance encounter with Saul, a former schoolmate who…

Film Talks proudly presents Vigil (1984), the 40th Anniversary Screening and Q&A with Vincent Ward, Fiona Kay, and John Maynard.

Tuesday, 19 Nov, 6:15pm - 8:30pm

The Grand, Embassy Theatre, Wellington

General Admission - $15.00

Concession - $12.00 (Students, Seniors, Film Guilds, Film Society Members…

Aotearoa has a new studio in the country, and WIFT member, Philly de Lacey, Chief Executive Officer at Screentime New Zealand is the entrepreneur behind the vision! The Studios are located five minutes from Queenstown airport and near several hotels. The 2,300sqm space has been…

The 2024-2026 cycle of the Screen CanterburyNZ Production Grant is officially open and accepting applications for round tahi. Overall $600,000 will be distributed to eligible productions over the 2024-2026 period.

The fund will accept applications for scripted and factual content, including film, television, web series,…

Script to Screen has released an online recording of: Writing Compelling Applications with producers Halaifonua Finau (Red, White and Brass), Karin Williams (We Live by the River), and Angela Cudd (Uproar). In this discussion, with Dale Corlett Script to Screen’s Executive Director, they delved into…

Māoriland has extended the deadline for expressions of interest to their Indigenous Co-Lab. They are calling Aotearoa based Indigenous Producers. This is a chance to be part of Aotearoa’s first kaupapa Māori feature film lab and join one of 8 Māori writers to produce their…

Ngā Aho Whakaari is offering Aho Wānanga: Exploring AI in Te Ao Pāpāho, in association with AcademyEX and with funding from NZOA. This wānanga is FREE. Click here to learn more. 

Program: 

09:30 - Mihi Whakatau | Kai o te ata

10:00 - AcademyEX AI…

The Day One New Filmmaker Awards 2024 are now open for nominations, and they’re inviting the screen industry to help celebrate New Zealand’s emerging talent. If you know any promising filmmakers under 30, they’d love for you to nominate or share this opportunity with your…

Pan-Asian Screen Collective and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities are presenting Being Seen, a showcase of powerful ethnic voices in New Zealand cinema made by Pan-Asian film-makers.

This event will feature four critically acclaimed short films that celebrate diversity, challenge perspectives, and explore what it…

Are you an Indigenous filmmaker or media artist? imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival are now accepting submissions in Film + Video, Digital + Interactive, and Audio.

Don’t miss this chance to showcase your work at the world’s largest Indigenous film and media arts festival,…

Script to Screen is presenting a one-day scriptwriting workshop in South Auckland. This is a great opportunity for local storytellers to learn from renowned writer, director, and author Michael Bennett (The Gone, In Dark Places). Michael has worked across a range of genres within feature…

Sound Designer
Grinding Gear Games 

Videographer
AUT

Lecturer in Media and Creative Technologies
The University of Waikato

Creative Content & Social Media Creator/Producer
Superbold Limited

News and Current Affairs Editor
Whakaata Māori

Senior Project Manager
Wētā FX

Financial Accountant
Wētā FX

Simulation Intern, Expressions of Interest
Wētā FX

Associate Production Manager
Wētā FX

Junior…

Our members are behind this vital documentary series Hua Parakore- Rebuilding our Broken Food Systems now available on Whakaata Māori & Māori+. 

Hua Parakore is directed by Jess Fest, produced by Ruth Korver and Libby Hakaraia, with Vanessa Patea, production managing. And, four episodes edited…

We have four WIFT members to congratulate on their selection for the NZWG Seed Grants!

This funding round received 112 Seed and 36 Seed Advanced eligible applications. This is the highest number of Seed Advanced applications ever received. Congratulations to the following members:

SEED Rautaki…

C21 have announced the finalists for the 2024 Content London Drama Series Pitch. From over 100 submissions, eight projects have been invited to pitch live at Content London, and one of the selected projects is from Luminous Beast, an innovative screen production company from Auckland,…

Nominees for the prestigious 63rd annual Rose d’Or Awards have been announced.

These finalists were voted for by a jury of over 100 broadcast executives, distributors and producers, from across the international television industry. Mark Rowland, Chair of the Rose d’Or Awards, shared “ This…

Script to Screen, in collaboration with Compton School, have announced the participants for their new innovative mentorship programme, Rainmakers Aotearoa. 

They received 100 applications, of which six were chosen to be a part of this first year of Rainmakers Aotearoa, four of whom are WIFT…

We have three double passes to GIVEAWAY for the powerful documentary film, Taki Rua Theatre - Breaking Barriers.

On 24th November, ahead of the theatrical release, there will be a Special Event Preview Screening of Taki Rua Theatre - Breaking Barriers at Bridgeway Cinema, Auckland,…

Pākehā is a short film inspired by the true life events of writer and director Mana Hira Davis. The film is being produced by three wahine WIFT members: Sarah Oemcke, Melissa Mae, and Larissa Allen. They are representing the Bay of Plenty community, while committed…

NZ Consulate General in Guangzhou is to host screenings of the feature documentary Dame Valerie Adams: More Than Gold, directed by Briar March, produced by Leanne Pooley. This will screen at the 2024 Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival on December 1st and 7th at GZDOC…

Our Party is a contemporary adaptation of the celebrated classic story The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield. This project is produced by WIFT member, Jill Macnab, and directed by Joshua Prendeville.

Our Party is a short film that tells the story of 18-year-old Laura as…

Myths and Maidens, a documentary directed and produced by WIFT member Lisa Taouma, is premiering on the Coconet TV on Nov 20th 2024!

Myths and Maidens is a love letter to fafine Moana, looking at some of our trauma, challenges and inequities across Pasifika, and…

We celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Vincent Ward's acclaimed first feature film, Vigil with an upcoming screening at The Hollywood Avondale, followed by a very special Q&A with Vincent Ward & lead actor Fiona Kay, who is flying over from Sydney to attend this special…

We extend congratulations to two of our members for winning Best Directing at the NZ Web Fest 2024 in two categories!

Webseries:
BEST DIRECTING
Michelle Ang, ADHD + Me

Short films:
BEST DIRECTING
Angela Cudd, Ahi & the Stars

Congratulations on your achievements!

Earlier this month, the Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, Paul Goldsmith, announced 'Amplify' - a strategy designed to “ amplify our arts and culture to make New Zealand a global creative powerhouse.” Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? This strategy is for Aotearoa to review…

We congratulate Screen Australia on these encouraging results and their Gender Matters initiative, though we note that female directors are still lagging behind in the bigger budget areas.  Read the report here.

Screen Australia has gathered industry-wide data that includes productions that haven't received funding from…

Marek Żydowicz, founder and head of Poland's prestigious Camerimage Film Festival wrote an op-ed titled, Time for Solidarity, published in the craft magazine Cinematography World, in which he writes, "Can we sacrifice works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements solely to make room for mediocre…

Australia’s premier forum and marketplace for documentary and factual storytelling - the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) - has launched its theme and first confirmed guests for AIDC 2025, taking place 2-5 March at ACMI in Melbourne / Narrm, and followed by an online international…

Since its launch a year ago, Greenlit has become a major force in guiding Aotearoa New Zealand’s screen industry toward sustainability! To date, Greenlit has supported 55 productions, equipping them with the tools to reduce carbon footprints and adopt eco-friendly practices. With 15 sustainability managers…

For 16 years, the small but mighty Basement Theatre has been an iconic cultural beacon. It's the place where some of our country's best stories are told, and where your favourite performance artists cut their teeth. Those local comedians all over TV that you know…

Spada is hosting two webinars, one TODAY on Sustainability, and another in December on Accessibility. 

SUSTAINABLE SCENES: Greening Your Production (Webinar)
4:00PM, Wednesday, 20 November, 2024

SPADA and Greenlit invite you to an engaging seminar about Greenlit's sustainability initiative for the screen industry. Discover practical strategies…

Share the Knowledge and Compton School have a new season of Practical Producing. Season 2 covers the following subjects:

Session 1 - Understanding the New Zealand Tax Rebate and the Australian Tax Incentive

                    Thursday, 21 Nov at 8:00pm

Session 2 - Co-Productions

                    Thursday, 5 Dec…

Are you looking to stay on the cutting edge of tech?

Join for an engaging, hands-on evening with RED’s latest camera platforms at Reel Factory HQ, led by RED rep Vince Clark and Reel Factory’s camera team.

This event isn’t just a presentation—it’s a fantastic…

Wellington Film Society will screen each film in its 2025 programme twice, doubling the offering to current and prospective members for the same low price.

Wellington Film Society (WFS) brings hundreds of Wellingtonians together at the Embassy Theatre on Monday nights throughout the year to…

People & Capability Manager
Whakaata Māori

Kaiurungi Toi Tangata | Director of People, Language, and Culture
Whakaata Māori

Chief Advisor
Whakaata Māori

Visual Journalist
Stuff

Digital Content Advisor
Department of Conservation

Video Editor & Motion Graphics
Pure Productions Ltd

Video Producer
MediaWorks

Content Creator
Boxer

Junior Producer
AE Live Ignite

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Cinematic…

The Arts Foundation is on the hunt for artists from any discipline, brimming with potential and ready to take their artistic practice to the next level! Springboard aims to kickstart sustainable arts careers for artists at a formative stage of their practice with a year-long…