After nearly 25 years in the screen industry, director Julia Parnell is still driven by the same determination that saw her start out washing dishes on Ready Steady Cook. Today, she is celebrating the release of her latest work, as well as soon to be traveling overseas to undertake an international placement with London powerhouse Misfits Entertainment. We talked with her about the layers behind her new RNZ documentary.
The web series, released through RNZ, dives into the world of fashion, body image, and the pressures of perfection, with plus-size model and opera singer Isabella Moore at its heart.
How did you land here with this project?
If it wasn’t for WIFT, it wouldn’t have happened! Evelyn Ebrey, a fashion journalist with a TV background, wanted to get back into making video content. She went to Patricia and said, “I want to make a fashion documentary.” Patricia knew I’d been trying to get fashion stories made for some time—it’s always been an interest of mine, fashion and how clothes make us feel, the aesthetic art of it. So she sent Evelyn to me.
How did it become this particular storyline?
Evelyn and I looked at what stories she had. I’d had a few commissioning meetings about fashion, but it’s tricky—there isn’t a huge amount of interest, and you need a dramatic story to go beyond what we usually see. Evelyn told me about Isabella Moore, who became the central character in Cutting the Curve: a plus-size model, opera singer, living in London with a strong career, but also facing real challenges.
We developed the idea slowly, over nearly two years of proposals. When we pitched it at Doc Edge two years ago, Megan Whelan, RNZ’s head of content at the time, really believed in it. She stuck with us and wanted it made.
How did you balance the aesthetic with the storytelling?
I had it in my head, I could imagine some of those scenes and the story always comes first. I filmed in two blocks. I did a block of a couple of weeks in London and then an Auckland block of time. I knew what some of those really big story moments were for people. And that actually it's quite hard to film them in actuality, both because we had a short filming window and not a huge budget. So the challenge is, how do I visualise those moments in a way that feels unique and chic, but still grounded in reality?
What are you hoping audiences will take away?
I want people to stop and consider how they think about themselves. To question whether the way we see ourselves—our bodies, but also our self-worth more generally—is shaped by industry and unrealistic standards. And I hope people come away loving themselves a little bit more, in all sorts of ways.
It’s not just about body size. It’s also about those moments where we don’t feel smart enough, or good enough, or that we measure up. These are the things that make us, especially as women, feel less than.
How do you keep going after rejection?
We’re all different, but at this stage in my career I trust my intuition about stories. I don’t always get it right or get funded, but if I’m drawn to a project, that instinct keeps me going.
Having partners helps too. When I’m getting worn down, someone else might have the energy to keep pushing. That’s important. You also have to accept rejection as part of the process. Stay determined, strategise, listen to feedback. Don’t be so headstrong that you assume only you know what it should be. The challenge is to keep shaping the project into something that fits the marketplace, without losing its heart.
How was the collaboration with Evelyn?
It was really good. Because it’s her lived experience, and that perspective was so important. And honestly, when you get tired—after editing and all the work—having a partner with fresh energy is invaluable. She came in with enthusiasm for marketing just when I couldn’t send another email about selling the show.
Partnerships are crucial. Different people bring different energy at different times. Collaboration is a big part of our jobs, and you have to put in the effort to make it work. Evelyn brought a lot to the table.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
For me, this is the first time I’ve really been able to dive into a female narrative. We haven’t had a fashion documentary in Aotearoa for a very long time, and to do something so centred on a female perspective was refreshing. Surprisingly, I haven’t done much of that in my career, and I loved it.
What’s the best outcome for you?
Small changes. Designers watching it. Fashion industry insiders seeing it and thinking differently.
For me, documentary is about shifting dials—drawing awareness, making people connect to an issue in a personal way, in a way you can’t achieve in an article or a short piece. It’s about making audiences feel. If people watch this and feel the issue, maybe it will create change in their lives or careers. That’s the best outcome.
Congratulations to Julia and Evelyn and all the humans involved in bringing this important story to life.
RNZ docuseries Cutting the Curve is a bold look at fashion, culture and power. In an era of Ozempic bodies and curated tokenism, curve and plus-size women speak with fierce honesty about visibility, rejection, and the resilience it takes to keep showing up when your body is no longer trending. At the centre is Samoan New Zealand opera singer-turned-model Isabella Moore, who refuses to shrink to fit. Through raw, first-person storytelling, the series follows Isabella and other women navigating fashion in New Zealand, London, and New York, revealing what it costs to be visible only when it’s profitable, and why true inclusion must go beyond trends. Available to watch on rnz.co.nz/video Produced by Notable Pictures and funded by RNZ.