Congratulations to WIFT members Leigh Minarapa and Sapna Samant for their selection into the South Shorts Mentorship Programme!
From July to November, the participants will embark on an incredible journey of development led by acclaimed screenwriter and director Briar Grace-Smith (Cousins, Rūrangi, Waru).
Sapna Samant is a writer, director and producer. She has independently produced short documentary Dance Baby Dance about Auckland Diwali and Bollywood dance competitions. She produced and wrote two shorts Kimbap and Debts We Pay, the latter which she directed. All these films have been to various film festivals. She has two M.A.s in film, television and media studies from the University of Auckland with first-class honours in directing drama. Sapna is a South Shorts alumnus. Her script Raju was developed through this writing lab and was shortlisted for Fresh Shorts in 2021 and Day One in 2024.
Leigh Minarapa (Ngāti Rangitihi) (she/her) was born and raised in Matatā and now resides in Tāmaki Makaurau. A filmmaker, writer, and freelance contractor for film and television, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies from Victoria University of Wellington, a Master’s in Creative Writing (First Class Honours), specialising in Screenwriting from Auckland University of Technology, and a Diploma in Māori Language Fluency from Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa. She is also a board member for Day One Hāpai te Haeata. Her directing credits include the short documentary Street Smart and the recent short film Shades of Blue and Green, which has screened at festivals worldwide.
We wish you both all the best in this programme!