March 2014

The New Zealand Screen Production Grant

We have been participating in recent meetings with the industry to discuss the implementation of the Government's decisions on screen production incentives announced in December 2014.

The changes are due to take effect from 1 April 2014.  Further information will be released in due course on our website.

Professional Development Update

We are pleased to be able to support individual filmmakers as well as work alongside industry organisations to provide valuable training opportunities. 

You can read about recent initiatives and important information for attending Cannes 2014 here.

Shorts Update

Congratulations to the six Premiere Shorts projects selected by the Executive Producer groups for 2014.

You can read the full Shorts Update here.

WIFT awards

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 WIFT NZ Awards.

A special award was presented to our Chair Patsy Reddy (pictured left) 'for leadership in achieving the changes necessary to secure a future for filmmaking in New Zealand'.

The evening also paid tribute to Keri Kaa (pictured right), Ella Henry and Katie Wolfe, the recipients of the WIFT NZ Mana Wahine Awards.  The awards recognise and support the achievements of Māori women in film who work tirelessly, diligently and with vision to support and promote Māori Culture, Te Reo Māori, Tikanga Māori and the welfare and stories of Aotearoa wahine.

You can read the full list here.

(Image courtesy of Andi Crown Photography)

Berlin International Film Festival

Five New Zealand films screened in the festival and market of the Berlin International Film Festival: 

• What We Do in the Shadows, European premiere
• UTU Redux, International premiere
• Eleven, World premiere
• Mt Zion, market screening
• Everything We Loved, market screening

Jasmin McSweeney and Chris Payne report back from their attendance at the festival and market here.

Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival

Clermont-Ferrand is billed as the world's leading film festival dedicated to short films, with more than 100,000 attendees each year.

We and New Zealand short films have a long relationship with the festival and market.  This year Killing Phillip screened in the festival's international competition section and the team behind Eleven attended meetings and network events on the way to their screening in Berlin.

You can read the full market report here.

International Film Festival Rotterdam

The International Film Festival Rotterdam was held in late January with the New Zealand contingent racking up a number of successful screenings.  The filmmakers also attended networking and professional development opportunities including a New Zealand/Australia dinner.

Congratulations in particular go to Fantail on its sell-out screenings and on Danish sales agent LevelK securing the world rights to the film and to Australian film Ruin, which also enjoyed strong audiences with New Zealand editor Simon Price in attendance. Sarah Cook (Fantail) also took part in the Rotterdam Lab (with the support of Curious Films).

You can read more here or can read the market report here.

South By Southwest

The South By Southwest festival is underway with Housebound, PULP and short film Queenie (pictured) all selected.

New Zealand is building something of a stellar history with the Austin, Texas based festival.  Last year New Zealand short Ellen is Leaving won the Narrative Shorts section, with director Michelle Savill there to pick up the award.

You can read more about the selected projects here.

Festival Success for What We Do in the Shadows

What We Do in the Shadows won over audiences and critics alike at their screenings in Sundance and Berlin.

What We Do in the Shadows is a vampire mockumentary written, directed and staring Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement and produced by Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley and Emanuel Michael.  It has received post production funding from the NZFC.

You can read more about What We Do in the Shadows here.

Reporting back from the NFTS

The NZFC in partnership with SPADA were pleased to support Carthew Neal and David White to attend the Entrepreneurial Producing for the Creative Industries course held at the National Film & Television School, United Kingdom last year.

The course covered film, TV, music, publishing, live, gaming & online industries and was sponsored by Ingenious Investments and Lee & Thompson Legal. It was championed by Sir Richard Branson, led by film producer Chris Auty and ran between between February and November 2013.

You can read Carthew's final report here.

Funding Decisions for January and February 2014

Please read the details of funding decisions for January and February 2014 here.  

The list also includes updated details of films that have received conditional offers to date, and those which have closed within this financial year.