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BIG SCREEN SYMPOSIUM 2025

 

Friday 4th & Saturday 5th July

University of Auckland, City Campus – Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Be immersed in two-days of conversations, workshops, panel discussions and case studies with a stellar line-up of local and international speakers.

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PRIME MINISTER –  DOCUMENTING POWER

The team at BSS 2025 is thrilled to offer an exclusive session about Prime Minister, the Sundance World Cinema Audience Award winning documentary. Co-Director Michelle Walshe (Chasing Great, Short Poppies)…
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ELEVATING FILM THROUGH WORLD CLASS VISUAL EFFECTS

From large-scale battle scenes to subtle environmental world-building, the visual effects in Ka Whawhai Tonu played a vital role in immersing audiences in the film’s 19th-century setting. Accompany the film’s…
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CRAFTING THE SOUND & MUSIC FOR THE RULE OF JENNY PEN

The Rule of Jenny Pen is a bold, genre-blurring NZ feature film that pushed creative and technical boundaries across production and post. This session brings together the Sound & Music…

2025  SPEAKERS

Big Screen Symposium
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View photos from every Big Screen Symposium since 2012.

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LUKE DAVIES

THANK YOU so much for having me at Big Screen Symposium! I’m really glad I made it — it was an awesome weekend, I met great people, the sessions (both the ones I was in and the ones I watched) were wonderful, the Saturday pōwhiri welcome was really moving, and I had a good time. Thanks for making all that so smooth and fun! Invite me back some time!

OPEYEMI OLUKEMITRIBECA FILM INSTITUTE

Big Screen is a breath of fresh air. Literally traveling halfway across the world to attend, I met some of the most interesting, and interested, filmmakers.

LULU WANGWriter, Director, Showrunner - 2024 Guest Speaker

Thank you so so much for your generous hospitality. I had such an incredible time and haven’t been able to stop talking about it. When I got back to LA, I bought a feijoa tree because I loved them so much!!! Now I’ll always have a bit of NZ at home. Thank you for the tremendous work you do, inspiring so many future filmmakers!

JENNIFER KENT

The Big Screen Symposium was a wholly inspiring weekend devoted to independent filmmaking and the power of voice. I was struck by the positive energy of both the speakers and the participants. It reminded me of one of the core reasons why we make films - to share (and experience) a unique point of view. I can heartily recommend it to any filmmaker wanting inspiration and confidence that their particular voice is something worth listening to.

JOHN LANDAU

The Big Screen Symposium encapsulates the passionate and creative spirit of the New Zealand film industry, and it was my absolute pleasure to participate.

ALIX MADIGAN

The Big Screen Symposium was a wonderful experience for me in every possible way. Aside from being introduced to many members of the exciting, prolific New Zealand film community, it was a terrific way to meet new filmmakers, become aware of their work and be immersed in a vibrant, eclectic group of artists.

ROLF DE HEER

What I found most satisfying about speaking at the Big Screen Symposium is the degree to which I was infected by the enthusiasm of the participants, the audiences and other speakers alike. I went back to my own projects refreshed and energised, and with new perspectives and renewed passion.

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