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Thursday 6 August 2020
Production Funding Decisions
The Board approved two applications for production financing at the July meeeting and conditional offers have been made to:
Going Going
A lonely empty-nester on an uncharacteristic mission of mercy, a duped Siberian mail-order bride, and a numbed anaesthetist determined to have a romantic weekend – each navigates her way through a mountain landscape and the contours of the human heart.
Produced by Philippa Campbell and Georgina Conder. Written and directed by Loren Taylor.
James & Isey
99 year old Isey lives with her adult son James in Kawakawa, Northland. They are descendants of Ngāti Manu – the Bird People. In a week, Isey will celebrate her 100th Birthday! A documentary with a big heart and soul, similar to Florian's celebrated Kaikohe Demolition.
Directed by Florian Habicht. Produced by Florian Habicht and Lani-Rain Feltham.
$1.2 Million Awarded to New Zealand Screen Businesses
$1.2 million was awarded to 33 companies, through the NZFC's business and slate development schemes BOOST, BOOST UP and He Ara.
Announced in April as an expansion of the existing BOOST fund to address the challenges posed by COVID-19, the NZFC offered $1 million to fund the initiatives. In response to the high number of quality applications the NZFC expanded the pool of funds by a further $275K, awarding an additional 11 $25,000 Business Development Grants. More...
Hunga Taunaki ā Rorohiko - Online Mentorships
Fifteen filmmakers have been matched with experienced New Zealand filmmakers in the inaugural round of Hunga Taunaki ā Rorohiko, the NZFC's new online mentorship programme.
43 applications were received from writers, directors, cinematographers and production designers at a mid-career level. Applicants were matched with experienced filmmakers from a pool of mentors.
All applicants presented a long-form project in development, indicating the support they were seeking from the mentorship. To ensure the best possible match was made, mentors were interviewed about the kinds of projects they would be interested in and what they were looking for in a mentee. More...
2020 Gender Scholarship
A record number of applications - over 120 - were received for this year’s New Zealand Film Commission 2020 Gender Scholarship. Under the patronage of Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, five scholarships were awarded to:
- Producer Abba Rose Dinah Vaiaoga-Ioasa
- Writer and performer Ana Scotney
- Director, producer and performer Becky Kuek
- Writer and director Paloma Schneideman
- Writer, director and performer Florence Noble
Each will receive $10,000 to support further development of their projects and careers. More...
In Cinemas
Coming Soon
The Girl on the Bridge
In New Zealand cinemas from 24 September. You can view the trailer here.
Coming Soon
Lowdown Dirty Criminals
In New Zealand cinemas from 20 August. You can view the trailer here.
Coming Soon
Six60: Till The Lights Go Out
In New Zealand cinemas from 8 October. You can view the trailer here.
Update to NZSPG New Zealand Criteria
Temporary provisions have been added to the NZSPG Criteria for New Zealand Productions to assist applicants whose productions have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.
These provisions recognise that domestic productions have been disrupted by COVID-19 in a way that significantly affects their relationship to the NZSPG. More...
Meetings with Sales Agents, Financiers & Platforms
While New Zealand’s borders are closed and travel not advised, the local industry remains connected to the global market through attending virtual markets and curated one-to-one meetings between producers and financiers, platforms and sales agents. Since late May, New Zealand producers have participated in over 200 such meetings, with more ongoing.
In total, 28 producers connected with 21 sales agencies across 121 meetings, discussing 32 projects.
21 experienced producers connected with 21 financiers across 111 meetings in July regarding project financing opportunities.
50 experienced producers are currently holding meetings with AMC, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Netflix during July and August.
Filmmaker Opportunities
Big Screen Symposium Scholarships
The NZFC has up to 30 scholarships available to attend the Big Screen Symposium in Auckland on 9 and 10 October 2020.
Ten of these scholarships are available directly through the NZFC's Talent Development Team, and 20 scholarships are available through our industry organisation partners (five per organisation) Women In Film & Television (WIFT), Pan-Asian Screen Collective (PASC), Pacific Island Screen Artists Group (PISA) and Ngā Aho Whakaari (NAW). Please contact them directly for more details.
Each scholarship will include a ticket to the two-day event. If you live outside the Auckland region, there is also travel grant available as a contribution towards your travel costs. $250 is available if travelling from the North Island, and $350 if travelling from the South Island.
The theme for this year’s Big Screen Symposium is Transforming Culture. It is about the transformative power of story, and the transformation of the screen industry through technological advances. Delegates are immersed in two days of conversations, masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions and case studies with a stellar line-up of local and international filmmaker speakers. More...
Upcoming Finance & Co-Production Markets
Apulia Film Forum
Online
8-10 October, 2020
Application Deadline: 31 August, 2020
CineMart 2021
Online
27-30 January, 2021
Application Deadline: 1 September, 2020
Doc Edge Funding for Short Documentaries
The Rei Foundation and Doc Edge Film Fund are now accepting submissions from New Zealand and international filmmakers.
The Fund is a significant opportunity for filmmakers to make a short documentary film for a youth audience. Up to NZ$80,000 (approx. US$50,000) is available to support the production of up to four short documentaries over the next year.
In its first round in 2019, the Fund supported James Muir's A Broken Earth, Jess Feast's Rise, and Morgan Leary's We Rock, all of which premiered in the 2020 Doc Edge Festival.
The Fund accepts applications from filmmakers around the world until 31 August (New Zealand date). Info and application forms can be found here.
Catalyst Funding
The next Catalyst He Kauahi rounds:
- Opens Monday 24 August 2020 – closes Monday 5 October 2020.
- Opens Monday 18 Jan 2021 – closes Monday 1 March 2021.
New dates for Fresh Shorts funding and Interactive Development Funding are on their way. We do not have exact dates for these yet, but announcements will be coming soon.
Upcoming Festival Deadlines
Molins Horror Film Festival Barcelona - Short film deadline Aug 15 / Feature film deadline Aug 31
LesGaiCineMad – Madrid International LGBTIQ Film Festival - Extended deadline Aug 15
Aspen Shorts Fest - Earlybird deadline Aug 16 / Regular deadline Oct 5
Sundance Film Festival - Earlybird feature film deadline Aug 17 / Official short film deadline Aug 24, feature film deadline Sep 7 / Late short film deadline Sep 14, feature film deadline Oct 2
PÖFF Shorts – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival - Final deadline Aug 17
Rotterdam International Film Festival - Short film deadline (completed before July 1) Aug 24 / Short film (completed after July 1) and VR Immersive deadline Sep 21
Stockholm International Film Festival - Late deadline Aug 20
Brussels Independent Film Festival - Deadline Aug 23
Slamdance Film Festival - Regular deadline Aug 24
Tampere Film Festival - Earlybird deadline Aug 31
Ann Arbor Film Festival - Regular deadline Aug 31
GZDOC – Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival - Late deadline Aug 31
CPH:Dox Film Festival - Deadline (completed before Sep 1) Sep 1
DOCVILLE – International Documentary Film Festival Belgium - Earlybird deadline Sep 1
New York International Children’s Film Festival - Earlybird deadline Sep 1
Minimalen Short Film Festival - Earlybird deadline Sep 1
Flickerfest International Short Film Festival - Deadline Sep 11
Doc Edge Festival - NZ Secondary & Tertiary Student deadline Sep 15
Palm Springs International Film Festival - Deadline Sep 15
Short Shorts Film Festival Japan - Earlybird deadline Sep 30
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival - Regular deadline Sep 30
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival - Deadline Oct 5
WIFT NZ Awards 2020
The biennial Women In Film and Television (WIFT) NZ Awards 2020 will be hosted on Thursday 8 October, 7pm at Auckland’s ASB Waterfront Theatre.
This revised date, moved in response to COVID‐19 restrictions, has created an exciting new opportunity for the screen
industry. This positions the WIFT NZ Awards in the same week (and same venue) as The Big Screen Symposium. More...
Festival and Market News
Shadow in the Cloud from New Zealanders Roseanne Liang (director), Tom Hern (producer), Alexander Borgers and Belindalee Hope (co-producers) will have its world premiere as one of three films screening in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival. Chloë Grace Moretz stars in the film as a WWII pilot trying to warn her obstinate male comrades of a sinister stowaway aboard their Flying Fortress, in a new nightmare at 20,000 feet.
The 45th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, taking place September 10–19, will include physical screenings and drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences, and industry talks. This year’s selection comprises a lineup of 50 new feature films, five programmes of short films, as well as interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.
The 2020 Cannes Marché du Film was re-scheduled to late June and presented virtually. The NZFC had a presence at the inaugural virtual event with an online pavilion designed and built by Wellington-based digital agency, Wrestler. The booth was awarded the “Coup de Coeur” silver jury prize in the Pavilion Design Awards.
The NZFC supported 100 producers and industry practitioners to attend the virtual market.
The NZFC hosted two panels at the Marché du Film, each of which had over 100 participants:
- Kua rite mātou | Aotearoa New Zealand – Open for Business
- Night Raiders: Making an Indigenous Canada/Aotearoa New Zealand Co-Production
New Zealanders Matthew Metcalfe and Finola Dwyer participated in an additional panel:
Four New Zealand documentaries, The Girl on the Bridge, Fiona Clark: Unafraid, James and Isey and Six60: Till The Lights Go Out were presented in Cannes Docs. The filmmaking teams for each documentary presented their projects to decision-makers, sales agents and festival programmers.
Animated film, Mosley will screen in competition at the Ottawa International Film Festival in September and will be the opening night film at the Festival of Cinema NYC in October. This will be the first time an animated feature has opened the festival. The film will also screen at the Burbank International Film Festival.
The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps will screen as part of the Danish Film Institute’s 2020 Musikfilm Festivalen in September.
Workshop, a short film written and directed by Judah Finnigan and produced by Olivia Shanks will have its world premiere In Competition in the Horizon Short Films section of the Venice Film Festival in September.
Fresh Short, Daddy's Girl (Kōtiro), written and directed by Cian Elyse White and produced by Tweedie Waititi will screen in the short film competition at Geena Davis' Bentonville Film Festival.
Savage, written and directed by Sam Kelly and produced by Vicky Pope screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival in late July.
The Legend of Baron To'a will screen in the Hawaii Film Festival's Spring Showcase which runs 7-14 August.
Congratulations go to...
Kiel McNaughton, whose debut feature, The Legend of Baron To’a, has been acquired by US distributor, Gravitas Ventures which will release the film in North American cinemas and on demand from November 2020.
Feature film, Capital in the Twenty-First Century which hit number two on the iTunes Movie charts in the USA after its first weekend on release in late July. New Zealand audiences can stream the film on Neon, Apple TV+,Microsoft and YouTube right now.
Short filmmakers Robyn Grace and Claire van Beek who were announced the winners of the ninth annual New Zealand’s Best short film competition at Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival.
The Creative New Zealand Jury Prize for Best New Zealand Short Film was awarded to Oranges & Lemons. Director Robyn Grace received a cash prize of $4,000.
The Madman Entertainment Emerging Talent Award was awarded to Daniel. Director Claire van Beek receives a cash prize of $2,000.
Oranges and Lemons received NZFC development funding and attended the Fresh Shorts Development Lab in 2018, and Daniel received a $10,000 Fresh Shorts grant in 2016. More...
Director Cian Elyse White whose short film, Daddy's Girl (Kōtiro) was the winner of the New Zealand’s Best Audience Choice Award and will receive 25 per cent of the box office from the film's online screenings.
Director Mika X, whose film Gurl was the winner of the Ngā Whanaunga CineMāori Audience Award and receives a $1,000 cash award sponsored by CineMāori, the new online platform for Māori cinema. More...
Raqi Syed and Areito Echevvaria whose project Minimum Mass has been selected for Venice Film Festival’s ‘Venice VR Expanded’ programme. The 20-minute narrative VR experience was developed for the Oculus Rift-S platform and is set in contemporary Rotorua, New Zealand. It is the story of a couple who experience a series of miscarriages and come to believe their children are being born in another dimension. The project was proudly developed with the support of the NZFCs Interactive Development Fund.
Expat New Zealand producer, Zoe Sua Cho whose project, Saltwater, has been selected for the No Borders International Co-Production Market in NYC. Saltwater is written and directed by Jih-E Peng and produced by Zoe Sua Cho. On a summer vacation in affluent Maine, Anna, a 13-year-old biracial girl, discovers what she’d trade to belong to a group of older white teenagers.
NZFC News
NZFC Board Welcomes Heperi Mita
At the July meeting, the NZFC Board was pleased to welcome filmmaker Heperi Mita (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāi-te-Rangi) as a Kaiwhirinaki - Board Observer. In this role he will attend Board Meetings, but has no voting rights when it comes to governance and funding decisions. This is a tuakana/teina (senior/junior) role offering Heperi insight into the governance process.
Heperi has a film making whakapapa as the son of Geoff Murphy and Merata Mita (who herself was a former board member). His professional background is in film archiving and journalism - the combination of which culminated in his NZFC-supported documentary Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen, which screened at the Sundance and Berlinale Film Festivals in 2019 and is now available on Netflix. He is currently a funding advisor for NZ On Air.
Co-production Guidelines
The NZFC promotes official co-productions with international treaty partners to stimulate screen production activity and provide an avenue to creative and financial partners for New Zealand producers.
The NZFC has developed guidelines as New Zealand’s Competent Authority to underpin its administration of the film and television co-production treaties or agreements.
These guidelines provide general information on what is required to make an official co-production and the NZFC's processes for assessing co-production applications. Guidelines should always be read in conjunction with the relevant treaty or treaties applicable.
The draft Co-Pro Guidelines underwent industry consultation via SPADA, which included written feedback and a session between the NZFC and producers via Zoom. The feedback received was constructive and helped inform some adjustments to the draft to ensure the guidelines are clear, concise and informative. It’s important to remember these are guidelines, so it’s beneficial, and encouraged, to talk to the NZFC early in the process to ask questions and seek the appropriate guidance.
You will find the co-production guidelines here.
NZFC Publishes 2020-21 Statement of Performance Expectations
The NZFC published its Statement of Performance Expectations for the 2020-21 financial year on 31 July. You can read it here.
Live Webinar on Screen Sector Recovery Package
On Wednesday 8 July the NZFC held a live webinar outlining the Government's Screen Sector Recovery Package which was announced on 1 July. The panelists were NZFC CEO Annabelle Sheehan, Head of Development and Production Leanne Saunders, Head of Incentives Catherine Bates, Head of Talent Development Dale Corlett and NZ On Air's Head of Funding Amie Mills.
Annabelle, Leanne, Dale, Catherine and Amie spoke about the overall package, the $2M fund for cultural capacity building, the $13.4M Recovery Fund, changes to the NZSPG and the $50M premium Drama Fund. You can view the session here.
Mauri
NZ Film On Demand
Over 17,000 people now subscribe to NZ Film On Demand, the NZFC's video-on-demand platform, offering over 160 feature and short films ranging from recent cinema releases to digitised back catalogue classics.
The transactional service is available to audiences in Australia and New Zealand and generates revenues for filmmakers and investors, with 70% of the gross receipts returned to each film's rights-holders.
See the full NZ Film On Demand collection and sign up for an account here.
Staff News
Grace Alexander has joined the Business Affairs team as a Business Affairs Executive.
Grace has a background in entertainment and commercial law, having previously acted for producers and other creatives at a specialist entertainment law firm. She has experience providing advice and support across many legal aspects of the screen industry, from financing and development to production and distribution. At the NZFC, Grace supports the Business Affairs team by providing legal assistance on a broad range of contractual and commercial matters, including film closings.
Thanks for keeping up with what's going on in New Zealand film. Got a suggestion for us? Email us at feedback@nzfilm.co.nz.
Ngā mihi,
The NZFC Team