Lulu Wang’s 2019 sophomore feature The Farewell, which she wrote and directed, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition. Wang went on to amass critical acclaim and awards for the A24 box office hit. The film won Best Feature at the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards, and received many accolades and nominations, including AFI’s Top Ten Films of 2019, a Golden Globe Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language nomination, as well as Best Feature and Best Screenplay nods from the Gotham Independent Film Awards. In addition, The Farewell’s lead actress Awkwafina was the recipient of the Golden Globe for Best Actress, while Zhao Shuzhen received a Best Supporting Actress nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards.   

  Wang’s production company, Local Time, has several features, television series, and podcasts in development. Wang’s limited series, Expats, starring Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Huston and Brian Tee premiered on Prime Video on January 26. The penultimate episode, Central, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and played at subsequent fall festivals. Wang served as the showrunner and writer and directed all six episodes. 

With over 30 years experience in the film industry, Cliff Curtis has established himself as one of New Zealand’s most successful actors and producers. 

Curtis made his feature film debut in a small role in The Piano (1993), before exploring a wide range of genres in NZ films including Desperate Remedies, Jubilee and River Queen. But it was Once Were Warriors (1994), Whale Rider (2002)and The Dark Horse (2014) that bought him to a wider audience. 

Christine Jeffs is a highly acclaimed filmmaker from New Zealand.

Jeffs studied at Massey University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Geography. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Editing with High distinction from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and a Master of Fine Arts with First-Class Honors from the Elam School of Fine Arts.

Jeffs quickly gained recognition for her distinct visual style, insightful narratives creating films with a focus on strong female characters. She made a significant mark with her short film Stroke and feature film, Rain. This powerful adaptation of Kristy Gunn’s novel showcased Jeffs’ talent for capturing the intricacies of human emotion and relationships and encouraging brave and compelling performances, displaying a unique and nuanced approach to storytelling.

Christine is known to create visually compelling films which often explore human experiences, delving into themes of identity, family dynamics and the human condition. With each project, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to blend poignant storytelling with striking visual imagery.

Rain, Sylvia and Sunshine Cleaning, had successful high profile international film festival participation and theatrical release with both Stroke and Rain officially selected for the Cannes Film Festival. A Mistake is Christine’s fourth feature film.

Christine is a member of Directors Guild of America and The Academy Of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.

Outside of filmmaking, Jeffs’ practice in photography is in portraiture and landscape, particularly focused on subjectivity. Her images explore the ethics of engagement and the slippage between constructed and documentary moments. Her landscapes and portraits open up a dialogue about what it is to look and what it is to see. Her work is held privately. Her first solo photographic show “Subject to Consent” was shown at The Vivian gallery, 2020.

In her downtime, Jeffs is passionate about eventing and holds a NZ National Championship title for One Day eventing.

James Napier Robertson is a New Zealand filmmaker.  His 2014 film The Dark Horse was nominated for over 50 awards around the world and won over 30, Variety stating it “exceptional…the most deserving cinematic export to emerge from New Zealand in years” and the RNZ Film Review declaring it “one of the greatest New Zealand films ever made.”  The Dark Horse won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Score at the 2014 New Zealand Film Awards. It was released theatrically in the United States in 2016, where it was presented by James Cameron, and in late 2016 was formally screened at the White House for then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. In 2018, Napier Robertson wrote and directed two episodes of Australian mini-series Romper Stomper, which won Most Outstanding Miniseries at the 2018 Logie Awards. In 2019 he worked on BBC mini-series The Luminaries, and in 2020 worked on Dame Whina Cooper biopic, Whina. His latest film, Joika, a ballet drama set in Russia starring Talia Ryder and Diane Kruger, premiered as the Closing Film for the prestigious Festival du cinéma Américain de Deauville in France and is set to be released in theatres globally in early 2024. 

New Zealand native, Lucy Lawless shot to fame in the mid 90s as the eponymous hero, Xena: Warrior Princess. She went on to star in many films and television series, including, Spartacus, The Rise of Gru, Parks and Recreation and was invited to appear in many cult classics such as Curb your Enthusiasm, Adventure Time and The Simpsons. 

Lawless exec-produces and stars in Acorn’s My Life is Murder which has just wrapped its fourth season. 

Lawless’s directorial debut was with Never Look Away, a documentary film about the extraordinary life of CNN camerawoman, Margaret Moth. Never Look Away has been selected to premiere and open both Sundance2024 and SXSW 2024. 

Alexander Swords is a writer, narrative designer and director in video games and interactive experiences. He’s also the creator of the Forest Paths Method for Narrative Design, a player-first approach to understanding story in an approachable and collaborative way, used internationally by developers and educators. Advising government, arts organisations, and educators, he’s an advocate for diverse stories and their writers, and is currently teaching at the National Institute for the Dramatic Arts (NIDA), a resident practitioner at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and on the Interactive and AI Committees for the Australian Writers’ Guild.  

As Chief Technology Officer, Kimball leads the strategy around future technology for VFX production at Wētā FX.

Kimball oversees the complex web of user facing tools, new research and the render software which fuels the ever-evolving VFX pipeline. His focus is on building an integrated and flexible system that has the capability to expand the volume and variety of projects that the company can work on, while retaining and enhancing the stunning visuals Wētā FX is famous for.

Key components of this are accomplished by managing external relationships with Wētā FX’s technology partners.

With the ambition of easing the future of VFX production, Kimball contributes time to the Academy Software Foundation.

He also plays a role in defining open standards and software within the industry for the interchange of data between Wētā FX and partners.

Kimball brings 25 years of VFX experience to Wētā FX, having originally joined the company in 2017 in a role that focused on our proprietary rendering software, Manuka. He then transitioned into a role that was focused on Gazebo. As a technology leader, he then moved to Head of Department of Engineering, and then Head of Architecture before taking this appointment.

Prior to Wētā, Kimball’s career in media and entertainment took him to Dolby Laboratories, Lowry Digital, Dreamworks Animation, Apple and Silicon Grail.

Although there are many career highlights, his time at Lowry Digital was particularly special as he received the Academy Scientific & Engineering Award in 2012 for the creation of a toolset to reduce noise and other artifacts in images for the filmmaking process.

During this time, Kimball worked on preserving numerous landmark films and repairing current film issues, as well as personally rewarding non-movie projects like working on the Apollo 11 moon landing footage.

Robyn Malcom, a celebrated multi Award winning New Zealand actress is renowned for her iconic portrayal of Cheryl West in “Outrageous Fortune.” She is currently engaged in the filming feature “Pike” alongside Melanie Lynskey and features in TVNZ/ITV’s “After the Party,” which she co-created and stars in alongside Peter Mullan. Her diverse screen presence extends to Warner Bros/Discovery’s “Far North” with Temuera Morrison, Apple TV’s “Black Bird” with Taron Egerton and the late Ray Liotta. Notably, she has made significant contributions to Australian television through appearances in series such as “Rake,” “Upper Middle Bogan,” “Wanted,” and “Harrow,” and has graced notable films like Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” “The Lovely Bones,” and Jane Campion’s “Top of the Lake.” 

Beulah Koale was last seen in Taika Watiti’s Next Goal Wins for Fox Searchlight opposite Michael Fassbender & Elisabeth Moss and in Bad Behaviour  for Alice Englert and opposite Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw. He has just finished filming Ash Director by Flying Lotus staring opposite Aaron Paul and Eiza Gonazalez.  Beulah also shot Dual for Riley Sterns opposite Aaron Paul & Karen Gillan (which sold at Sundance) and in The Panthers, a riveting new miniseries out of New Zealand.  He is best known as a tortured soldier in Dreamworks’ Thank You For Your Service for Jason Hall opposite Miles Teller & Haley Bennett.  He can also be seen in Shadow In The Cloud opposite Chloe Grace Moretz and was a regular on Hawaii Five-0 for CBS. 

Wellington-based actor Shane Rangi is one of New Zealand’s leading motion capture and stunt performers. He has been working as a core member of Weta Digital for 19 years, and was the primary performer for its initial Avatar and Iron Man pitch. 

He is perhaps best known for his various motion capture and creature performances in Andrew Adamson’s award winning The Chronicles of Narnia films and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He has three SAG nominations for Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble. 

Shane most recently features in James Cameron’s The Way Of Water, Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines and in the Australian feature film Pacific Rim: Uprising. He plays the lead role in short film Die Like a Shark for which he won “Best Actor” at the Wairoa Māori Film Festival . 

His experience over the years and his willingness to learn and grow within the industry has lead Shane down a new path of writer and soon to be director of his feature film Taonga. Which makes Shane an extremely proud “Film Maker”. 

Te Kohe Tuhaka is a New Zealand Māori actor of Ngāti Porou and Ngāi Tūhoe descent. Te Kohe is currently starring alongside Jason Momoa in Hawaiian history epic, Chief Of War, which came directly after producing and starring alongside Guy Pearce in action-adventure film The Convert  written and directed by Lee Tamahori.  

Te Kohe’s work spans film, television and stage, with standout roles including warrior chief ‘Wirepa’ in feature film The Dead Lands. The film’s success saw its universe expanded to a television series by AMC Shudder, with Te Kohe in the lead role of ‘Waka-nuku-rau’.  

Other recent highlights include starring alongside Dylan O’Brien in the the post-apocalyptic romcom Love and Monsters. Te Kohe also plays series regular ‘Wiremeu Poulan’ in Rotorua-set Vegas, a major supporting role in survival horror feature film Great White, and a recent guest appearance on award-winning crime drama The Brokenwood Mysteries. 

On stage, Te Kohe has toured internationally with award-winning play Strange Resting Places, going on to co-produce short film Maunga Cassino, inspired by the play, which won ‘Best Short Film’ at the Italian film festival Ora!Fest. He most recently received acclaim for his role of “Wiremu/Lopakhin” in Auckland Theatre Company’s modern adaption of The Cherry Orchard.  

Jess is a New Zealand actress of Chinese descent, who trained at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. She played the lead role of Jin Cheng in Netflix’s 3 Body Problem TV series released in 2024, produced by the legendary showrunners of Game of Thrones and inspired by Liu’s epic science fiction trilogy. Her most recent credits include a lead role in the horror movie Grafted, which will be distributed by Mr Smith International Entertainment. She also starred in the Lucy Lawless-led TV series My Life is Murder. Jess’ other credits include The Brokenwood Mysteries and the sci-fi series Creamerie. Her short film credits include lead roles in Got Milk (which she also directed as part of Toi Whakaari’s Festival Work in Development), Red Envelopes, and Baggage. Jess has appeared on stage as both an actor and a dancer; her theatre credits include lead roles in Romeo and Juliet (performed at Auckland’s Pop-Up Globe), An Organ of Soft Tissue, and 48 Nights on Hope Street. 

Pax is regarded as one of the most important comedic voices in New Zealand comedy by his peers & audiences alike.

Beginning his comedy journey in 2011, he has since racked up an impressive array of award nominations for his performances on stage including the Billy T Award, NZ Comedy Guild Breakthrough Comedian of the year and Best Male Comedian of the year Awards and the prestigious Fred Dagg award for best show at the NZ Comedy Festival.

Pax has also appeared on a number of local television shows Including The project, 7 Days, Have You Been Paying Attention and numerous International Comedy Gala’s. Pax has since gone on to host The Great Kiwi Bake Off, Endangered Species Aotearoa and in 2022 his critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical sitcom, Raised By Refugees, won best comedy at the 2022 NZ Television awards.

Born and raised in New Zealand and the son of refugee parents, Pax brings a distinct perspective that resonates with people of all backgrounds. Pax’s passion for telling honest, meaningful stories while making you snort laugh at the same time drives his creative process and shapes the work he has created over his 13 year career.

Loren Taylor is a director, actor and writer. Her debut feature as writer and director The Moon is Upside Down had its world premiere in competition at Estonia’s A-List festival POFF Tallinn Black Nights November 2023 where it played to sell-out houses and was awarded Best First Feature. Vendetta will release the film in Aotearoa New Zealand in May. 

Hey Brainy Man, the NZFC-funded short Loren co-directed with Jo Randerson, won NZ’s Best at Te Whānau Marama NZIFF 2023.  Evoke, a VR experience she wrote and co-directed was awarded the XR Award at DocEdge 2023.  

Loren attended the Sundance Feature lab and worked with Taika Waititi on their award-winning screenplay for Eagle vs Shark. She won Best Actress at the Newport International and St Tropez Film Festivals for her role as Lily. As a casting director Loren has worked on, among others, What We Do in the Shadows, The Light Between Oceans and Top of The Lake. She is known for her work with children, which began with casting and on-set coaching for the Oscar nominated short Two Cars One Night. She is an advisor for and Board member of Story Camp Aotearoa and has been a guest mentor at A Wave in the Ocean. 

Mike has built a remarkable career spanning nearly 30 years as a cameraman, director of photography, and director, contributing to television and film. Throughout his journey, he has garnered recognition for his outstanding documentaries and short films. 
  
One notable aspect of Mike’s expertise is his ability to serve as a one-man team, proficient in both shooting and directing. While he values collaboration and teamwork, certain projects necessitate a single-person operator. 
 
At Haka Boy Films, Mike and his team are equipped to handle projects of any scale, accommodating various budgets. While budget considerations are important, Mike believes that sometimes the power of a story surpasses financial constraints. He is deeply passionate about Māori storytelling and how each kaupapa (topic/theme) impacts his people. This passion drives him and his team to bring a unique perspective to every project they undertake. 
 
Whether working with a team or operating solo, Mike’s dedication to Māori storytelling and his ability to adapt to different project requirements make him a versatile and talented filmmaker.   

Sasha Rainbow is an award-winning New Zealand-born director and writer based in Los Angeles whose unique sensibility and vision inflects both her film and commercial work.   

Her first documentary Kofi and Lartey, about two boys living in the world’s biggest electronic waste dump in Ghana, won several awards. Her second documentary Kamali, about a seven-year-old Indian girl skateboarder, was long-listed for an Academy Award and nominated for a BAFTA. 

In 2019 her work for the Toyota Olympic and Paralympic Start Your Impossible campaign was the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Her directorial flare shines in her commercial work for EE Hope United, KFC, Puma, Lancôme, and Apple and music videos for Wild Beasts, Placebo, Suki Waterhouse, Priya Ragu, and Findlay. 

Sasha has been a mentee of the prestigious British Film Institute x British Academy of Film and Television mentorship since 2018. In 2020 she was selected as one of eight women for the Women in Film mentorship scheme in Los Angeles, and is a member of the Directors and Editors Guild NZ. 

Sasha believes in the power of storytelling to showcase true heroic role models, which she thinks is just what the world needs. 

Born in the village of Lefagaoali’i, Savai’i. Miki directed his first project in 2003, a set ofaward-winning ads. He continues to direct spots for major brands worldwide. In 2005, Miki was selected as a Breakthrough Young Director, representing Australasia at the AFEST film section, culminating in his first short film, “Rites of Courage.” He completed his second short film, “Uso”, the following year, where he was nominated for Best Script at the NZ Television Film Awards and won the Digital Dream Award at the HIFF. His short film “Sina & Tuna”, included in the “Teine Sa”(2021) television anthology, won Best Narrative Feature at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. That same year, his work with “The Panthers”, New Zealand’s first-ever drama series to screen at TIFF, was recognised with the Best Director: Drama/ Comedy at the NZ Television Awards. He collaborated with indigenous filmmakers from New Zealand and Australia with the “We Are Still Here”(2022) feature film, which opened the Sydney International Film Festival and won Best Dramatic Feature at imagineNATIVE. 

Miki is now set to release his feature film directorial debut with “TINĀ” – the story of a grieving mother who finds hope again by inspiring a new choir at a Christchurch private school. “Tinā” is led by the powerhouse Anapela Polataivao and features the incredible supporting cast of Beulah Koale, Dalip Sondihi, Nicole Whippy, and Jamie Irvine. It also introduces newcomer Antonia Robinson. 

Since the mid ’80s Timpson has worked in most facets of the film industry; from managing Charley Gray’s arthouse, programming for MGM, creating film events, operated drive-ins to producing. He operated two devolved government feature film funds (Headstrong & Make My Movie) that mentored new voices. His distribution company released specialist fare starting with Slacker (1993). He launched the The Incredibly Strange Film Festival in 1994 which moved inside the New Zealand International Film Festival a decade later. His national film competition 48HOURS with Peter Jackson as mentor began in 2003 and exposed talent such as Taika Waititi Jo Jo Rabbit, Damon Fepulea’i Red, White & Brass, Roseanne Liang Shadow in the Cloud, Gerard Johnstone M3GAN Tom Sainsbury Loop Track and many more. As producer he created the global hit anthology series The ABCs of Death (TIFF 2013) and has produced/ exec produced the following features The Devil Dared Me To (SXSW 2006), Housebound (SXSW 14), Turbo Kid (Sundance 15), Deathgasm (SXSW 15), The Greasy Strangler (Sundance 16) & The Field Guide to Evil (SXSW 18), Censor (Sundance 21), Mister Organ (Fantastic Fest 22), Family Dinner (Tribeca 22) and upcoming films She Loved Blossoms More (2024). He directed the critically acclaimed feature Come to Daddy (Tribeca 2020) starring Elijah Wood. His latest feature is called Bookworm (2024) also starring Wood. He was the inaugural recipient of New Zealand’s Art Entrepreneur Award and is a Board member of the New Zealand Film Commission. He recently resigned as programmer from the NZ International Film Festival after 20yrs. His 35mm print archive is the largest personal film archive in the Southern Hemisphere.  

Danny Philippou is one half of online twin-duo RackaRacka, who are filmmakers and stunt performers known for their horror comedy. They started making YouTube videos and now have 6.84 million subscribers. In 2022, they released a feature-length supernatural horror film, Talk to Me, set in their hometown of Adelaide which was their directorial debut. The film had its international premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, which unleased a competitive bidding war for distribution rights. A sequel is currently underway.

AACTA and Casting Guild Award (CGA) winner, Anousha Zarkesh has been a Casting Director for over 25 years, specialising in Australian TV and film for a wide range of genres including political satire, drama, comedy, tele-movies, documentary series and film.  

Productions include: Firebite, Total Control, Rake, High Ground, Mystery Road, Sweet Country, Black Comedy,  Operation Buffalo, Hounds of Love, Deep Water, Cleverman, The Principal, Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door, Redfern Now, Suburban Mayhem, Beautiful Kate, Underbelly Series, Mabo, Mary Bryant, Jasper Jones to name a few.  

Thomas Wright’s recent feature film, The Stranger, will be in competition in Uncertain Regard at Cannes Film Festival 2022.    

Anousha is currently Vice President of the Casting Guild of Australia (CGA),Vice President of Screen Illawarra and an active member of Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the CGA. 

Writer, media personality, TV presenter & MC Verity Johnson is Stuff’s most widely read weekly opinion columnist, and a regular on Radio NZ the panel, known for her funny, sharp takes on New Zealand society. She has written for The Guardian, The Listener, Metro & is an arts columnist for The Big Idea.  

In a nocturnal life she’s both comedian, show producer and MC, having written and performed for Melbourne International Comedy Festival, written for 7 Days and Comedy Central online, and is the founder and MC of the weekly burlesque show, Club Burlesque. Club Burlesque is NZ’s first burlesque club, performing shows celebrating and laughing at NZ’s attitude to sex & society, which has been featured everywhere from The Project NZ, the Washington Post & WOMAN magazine.  

As CEO Annie leads the operational delivery, guides the strategic policy and provides sector and staff leadership to the NZFC.  

Prior to NZFC, Annie was the Head of Sky Originals for three years after starting at Sky TV in 2014 as a Senior Commissioner. Before this, she was Head of External Programming at Māori Television. Annie also served as Interim Co-Chair of the Toi Mai Workforce Development Council Board, a member of Te Kāhui Ahumahi, and as a member of the Bay of Plenty Regional Skills Leadership Group. She was also a Trustee of Ngā Taonga.  

Annie also worked in the public sector with the Broadcasting Commission (NZ On Air), Māori Television and had two stints at TVNZ. Academically she holds a Master of Education (First Class Hons) from Waikato University and a Diploma in Bicultural Journalism from Waiariki Institute of Technology. 

To contact Annie email karen.anslow@nzfilm.co.nz 

Born in the Whanganui town of Raetihi, Larry Parr is of Ngati Raukawa and Muaupoko descent. After attending St. Stephen’s School (T̄pene), Bombay, South Auckland he went to the University of Auckland, graduating with a law degree in 1975. He has an extensive background in film and television production and played a role in several of New Zealand’s early film successes. He has dedicated a significant amount of his career to developing Maori involvement in the film industry. Before joining Te Mangai Paho, Larry was General Manager of Programming at Maori Television. In October 2008, Larry left Maori Television to become Manager of Television Funding at Te Mangai Paho. He was appointed Kaihautu of Te Mangai Paho in 2016.

Jonathon has worked in the Australian screen industry for over twenty five years, primarily as a director/producer and as an independant screen industry consultant. Jonathon has directed over 50 hours of broadcast television; he has produced and directed hundreds of commercial and social impact projects; and he has an Executive MBA from RMIT University. 

Jonathon partnered with Screen Well and the University of Melbourne in 2023 on the report ‘Leadership Matters’, which explores the screen industry’s known cultural and wellbeing challenges, and the role leaders can play in improving these outcomes. Following this, Jonathon has continued to work with Screen Well as an Advisor and Senior Consultant, including leading their Breaking Down the Barriers to Job-Sharing initiative. 

Angela Cudd is an award-winning screen producer with a passion for stories told through an indigenous or fresh lens and a vision for showcasing NZ screen excellence to the world. Coming from a background in fashion and beauty event and business management, Angela began working in the screen industry in the early 2010s. Angela initially worked across a range of fields including narrative film, documentary, reality-challenge TV, OB live events & studio shows before settling in the narrative and documentary space. She went on to produce the sitcoms ‘Sextortion’ and ‘Good Grief’, fluent reo Māori kids show ‘Pōtae Pai’ and co-produced the anthology feature film ‘We Are Still Here’, which interweaves eight stories of indigenous struggle and triumph and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022. In 2019, Angelafounded Caravan Carpark Films (CCF), a production house focussed on screen and indigenous excellence as well as capacity building of emerging screen innovators. Most recently, under the umbrella of CCF, Angelaproduced the feature film ‘Uproar’ and the documentary series ‘When Bob Came’. ‘Uproar’ starred Julian Dennison, Minnie Driver and Rhys Darby, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and released globally in early 2024 to critical acclaim. ‘When Bob Came’ explored the impact of Bob Marley’s only concert in NZ and was awarded Best Factual Series at the NZ TV Awards 2023.

Piripi Curtis, with roots in Ngāti Rongomai and Ngāti Pikiao, is a film and television producer deeply engaged in elevating indigenous stories. As the managing director of Hikoi NZ Ltd, he leads efforts to bring these narratives to the forefront. His roles as Chairman of Ngā Aho Whakaari and Deputy Chairman of Aronui, along with a history as Chairman of Waiariki Film Studio and involvement with Film BOP, signify his active participation in promoting indigenous culture through media. 

In the reality TV space, Curtis has produced “Hunting Aotearoa” for 18 seasons, and serves as the Executive Producer for two fully fluent language shows, “Nanakia” and “Harakore,” demonstrating his dedication to preserving and celebrating indigenous languages. His work in drama spans producing a range of short films, Producer for the tele-feature “Umbrella Man,” Associate Producer of “Vegas,” and Co-Producer for the upcoming TV series “End of the Valley.” 

Currently, Curtis is the lead producer of the feature film “Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End” and is a Co-Producer on the Indian Feature Film “Kannappa.” Both eagerly anticipated projects highlight his commitment to sharing compelling indigenous stories with audiences worldwide. 

Dianne’s latest project is the six-part t.v drama, After The Party, (dir. Peter Salmon) which she created in collaboration with lead actor, Robyn Malcolm. It screened on TVNZ in late 2023 and is available to view on TVNZ+.   Her previous work includes the feature film,  Beyond The Known World, (dir. Pan Nalin) which was filmed in India and released in New Zealand in April 2016. Her first film, Apron Strings, 2008 (dir. Sima Urale co-writer, Shuchi Kothari) opened the NZ International Film Festival and screened in numerous film festivals around the world, including Toronto.  Dianne also works as a script advisor and has mentored writers in the Show Me Shorts and Fresh Shorts development programmes.  In 2023 she was invited to tutor at the FilmNomad Screenwriting Workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 

Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is a screenwriter, filmmaker and author. Michael’s short films and feature films have screened and won awards internationally, including Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Locarno, New York, London, ImagiNative and Dreamspeakers. He is the 2020 recipient of the Te Aupounamu Māori Screen Excellence Award, awarded by the NZ Film Commission for excellence in Māori filmmaking. Michael devoted many years of his recent career to the fight for justice for Teina Pora, a young Māori man wrongly imprisoned for 21 years. Michael made the documentary The Confessions of Prisoner T, which lead to the discovery of evidence pivotal to Teina’s exoneration. Michael directed and co-wrote the TV feature film In Dark Places about Teina’s case, which was finalist for a record 11 awards in the NZ Television Awards, winning Best Film and Best Director. Michael has been head writer or showrunner for many dozens of hours of prime-time television drama including The Gone (NZ / Ireland crime thriller), Vegas (crime thriller), Te Kohu (supernatural drama), and Mataku (the Māori Twilight Zone). Michael’s debut novel Better The Blood, a crime thriller, was published in 2022 in the UK, USA, Australia and NZ, with nine international translations. Better The Blood was a finalist for the fiction prize at the 2023 New Zealand literary awards (The Ockhams) and won Best First Novel at the Ngaio Marsh Awards. Michael is currently adapting his novel for television, and his second novel, Return To Blood, is in bookstores now. 

Viva La Dirt League, a dynamic content creation collective operating from Auckland, comprises Adam King, Alan Morrison, and Rowan Bettjeman. Evolving into a highly successful YouTube channel and production company, their content entertains over six million subscribers across various platforms. Known for their witty sketch comedy and music videos, they infuse a nerdy, gaming-inspired sense of humour into popular series like ‘ored and Epic NPC Man. Their success extends beyond short sketches, with the production of the short film Baelin’s Route, based on their beloved NPC Man characters, following a triumphant Kickstarter campaign. Carving out a niche in New Zealand’s film production landscape, Viva La Dirt League, have established a film studio boasting Auckland’s largest permanent Green Screen. With innovation and humour at their core, Viva La Dirt League continues to redefine storytelling, captivating audiences worldwide. 

Adam King & Alan Morrison will be present at BSS2024. 

Philippa Rennie has over 20 years’ experience in the film and TV industry both in the UK and NZ. From 2007-2017 years she was Director of Business & Legal Affairs at Warner Bros. International Television Production. In 2017, she was appointed Head of Scripted at Warners, and since then has been the Executive Producer of black comedy Fresh Eggs, true-crime drama series Black Hands , documentary Heaven and Hell: The Centrepoint Story, upcoming scripted drama Testify and docu-series Escaping Gloriavale for international distributor Fifth Season. She has a number of other premium drama projects in development with local and international partners working alongside industry veteran Britta Hawkins. 

Founder, States of Sound
Board Member of Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS)

As an award-winning music supervisor and consultant, Aminé Ramer has influenced the sound and mood of feature films, documentaries, & television series. Ramer works between NZ and LA, Ramer’s success can be attributed to the careful selection of artists, ranging from the unknown to the popular. Her keen sensibility to create a visceral experience by connecting sight with sound along with an in-depth understanding of music rights and how to navigate the clearance process.

Credits include Bob Marley One Love (Paramount), Five Night’s at Freddy’s (Blumhouse), Shantaram (Apple TV+), Crip Camp (academy award nominated, Peabody award), Woodstock 99, Baby Done, Red White & Brass, Flint Town, Weeds, The Signal, The November Man, Faking it, Richard Pryor –Omit the Logic.

Upcoming projects include Lonely Planet (Netflix), Music Box Series 2 for The Ringer/HBO.

Ramer has been a panelist, The Great Escape, Iceland Airwaves, De Paul University, UK Trade and Investment Sync Mission, Music and Media Finland, Billboard Film & TV Conference, SXSW, and many others.

Sam is a creative producer at the Gibson Group and a producer on Miles From Nowhere. He is a recent arrival to Wellington with an impressive CV stacked with UK factual productions for the BBC, Channel 4 and Netflix. His balanced creative background in written, audio, and visual work provides him with excellent versatility and confidence to drive projects from development to completion.  

Ahmed Osman is a producer and filmmaker born in Somalia and raised in Wellington. Motivated by telling diverse and inclusive stories, Ahmed has directed the award-winning docu-series Third Culture Minds for TVNZ+, a series on the mental health and wellbeing of young migrants and refugees in Aotearoa. He is the producer of the SKY Originals NZ series Miles From Nowhere and co-founder of Homegrown Pictures.  

Chelsea Bridges is a curious and determined wahine Māori with a deep commitment to fostering positive change across the micro and the macro, from her personal healing journey, to her hapori and in to te ao marama beyond. Growing up in a low socio-economic environment fuels her drive to address societal discrepancies and advocate against injustice. Manaakitanga is an innate aspect of how Chelsea moves in the world, with her first training ground in mutual aid appearing as the eldest of four siblings. Her Ngāpuhi and Lebanese whakapapa dictate diversity is paramount in the spaces she moves in; she particularly advocates for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ artists and is excited to extend this tautoko to the DDN community.  

 As a Freelance Creative Coordinator & Producer across the arts, music and events industries, she has also recently ventured into Aotearoa’s film and TV scene, working in cast coordination and production with recent credits in Dark City: The Cleaner, We Were Dangerous & Head South. Chelsea envisions the Access Coordinator role as a kaitiaki, ensuring everyone has their mana and access needs upheld during production, thereby driving the evolution and improvement of well-being in the industry. 

Born and raised in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington, Aotearoa) Felicity Hamill is a freelance performer and crew member for film, television, theatre, and live events. Over the past two decades her varied career in the screen sector has crossed multiple departments on both local and international productions. Career highlights include charging into battles as an orc, leaping off rocks as a child ape in Rotorua’s Redwoods; and stepping through a magical wardrobe to be humbled on location by breathtaking views atop South Islands Flock Hill. Passionate about removing barriers to the arts, Felicity is honoured to have recently completed the Bridge 06 UK Access Coordinator Training programme in Sydney; with support from the New Zealand Film Commission and Screen Australia. She is looking forward to sharing an access first approach, helping productions as we create better access pathways for all; reflecting real life diversity on screens and in our talented crews.

Jared Flitcroft is a groundbreaking film director, the only Deaf and indigenous director in Aotearoa, New Zealand. With Ngāti Maniapoto heritage, he honed his craft at the NZ Film and Television School in 2012, sparking a lifelong commitment to filmmaking.

From the outset, Jared’s determination has propelled him in the world of cinema. His debut short film, Tama, earned acclaim at renowned global film festivals, setting the stage for his impressive career.

Jared’s directorial talents extend beyond film, including his work on the TVNZ+ series The Kids of Kōrero Lane. He’s also contributed to projects like Being Me, showcasing stories from the disabled community. His creative reach even encompasses music videos and acting in various short films.

Amidst his diverse body of work, a recurring theme emerges – Jared’s passion for the Deaf/disabled and neurodiversity community has enabled him to become an access coordinator.

Kahli manages Film Queenstown Lakes, the regional film office for Queenstown Lakes District Council, as well as co-managing Film Otago Southland. She is also the current Chair of the Regional Film Offices of New Zealand (RFONZ) network. 

Kahli has over ten years of experience supporting the creative, media and entertainment industries. Born in Canada and raised in Australia, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Creative and Professional Writing. Prior to moving to Queenstown in 2018, she spent time in London working for major media and entertainment events such as the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Kahli has worked for the film office in Queenstown for five years and is an advocate for creativity as an economic driver, streamlined location access for filming, and getting more South Island stories on screen. 

Jade Kent, of the regional film office Film Bay of Plenty, where she serves as a pivotal figure in connecting people, organising resources, and fostering community engagement within the regional film industry. 

As a people connector, Jade finds joy in building meaningful relationships and facilitating collaborations that support the growth and development of the local and national screen community. With her resourcefulness and keen organizational skills, she ensures that projects run smoothly and efficiently, from conception to completion. 

Driven by a lifelong love of learning, Jade dedicates herself to staying informed about the latest trends and developments in the film industry, always seeking new opportunities for professional and personal growth. Her commitment to continuous learning enriches her own skills and enables her to provide valuable insights and support to those she works with. 

Jade is on her own Reo journey and advocates for te Reo me ngā tikanga Māori, recognising the importance of honouring and preserving indigenous culture within the screen industry and beyond. Through her work, she strives to promote cultural diversity and inclusivity, creating a welcoming and respectful environment for all. 

With her dynamic blend of skills, passion, and dedication, she wants to play a vital role in shaping the success and vibrancy of the regional and national screen industry, aiming to leave a lasting impact on the community she serves. 

Mark Westerby is the Head of Attraction for Screen Wellington. Mark has a rich and varied history in the creative sector, working previously as the director of the NZ Fringe Festival and the Hamilton Arts Festival, the producer of the PANNZ Arts Market, CEO/MD of Random Group and for several years on international events like London Fashion Week, Australian Fashion Week, Sydney Film Festival and Tropfest Film Festival. Mark is a skilled interviewer and for 15 years was a host of Caffeine & Aspirin Arts Show on Radioactive.fm. In recent years, he has served as Executive Producer/Associate Producer on films such as Whina, Pork Pie, Born Racer, Dawn Raid and We Need To Talk About A.I. Mark has developed a specialist screen marketing company, producing and directing EPK/BTS, trailer and media content, and in the past year has delivered content for Uproar, Bad Behaviour, After The Party, The Lie and Never Look Away. Mark was awarded a Silver Award at the Golden Trailer Awards for his work on The Luminaries and won the Asia/Pacific category at the World Trailer Awards for Millie Lies Low. 

Petrina started her journey in print journalism after graduating in Mass Communication and Media Studies. As a Creative Director Petrina has spearheaded numerous shows for BCC Productions India.  She has produced short films, tv commercials, documentaries and feature films. In her capacity as COO for Priyanka Chopra Jonas she managed the regional slate of films for the production house – Purple Pebble Pictures, winning 3 National Awards for the feature film Ventilator. Her film ‘Newton’ under Drishyam Films was shortlisted as India’s official entry to the Oscars in 2018. 

She was the Founder President of WIFT India in 2012 putting representation of women in the Indian film industry front and centre of conversation. 

Currently based in Christchurch, she is the Head of Screen CanterburyNZ, the regional film office for Canterbury and manages a 1.5M grant fund to attract productions to the region. 

As Executive Director of The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), Jaclyn Philpott leads the only global organization representing film commission professionals in existence today. She oversees advocacy, educational programs and events that empower AFCI members to work more effectively with policymakers and businesses in the screen sector – all with the goal of fostering economic growth in an inclusive and sustainable manner. 

Philpott relocated from New Zealand to Los Angeles to take on the role in January 2023 and swiftly embarked on undertaking significant research, working with members and industry professionals to create a new strategy for the 49 year old organization to better serve commissions and private sector partners.

With its updated mission to enable Film Commissions and industry partners to bring productions to life through knowledge sharing, skill development and connection, the strategy will ensure AFCI embarks on its journey to diversified membership and digital transformation to connect the industry to Film Commissions and regions never before seen in its history. 

A former collaborator with the Regional Film Offices of New Zealand (RFONZ) and the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC)  through working at Screen Auckland and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Jaclyn is excited to be back on home turf for a few weeks enabling her presence at BSS.

Philpott earned an MBA from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand) with a specialization in management and growth strategies.

Chris connects filmmakers and industry with international partners, projects and business/career development opportunities. He has a focus on facilitating official film and television co-productions under New Zealand’s 18 bilateral co-production treaties and agreements. He also leads delegations of New Zealand producers and industry to China, Singapore and Taiwan, and attends international film festivals and markets. Chris also oversees Business Affairs and Policy. Prior to NZFC, Chris worked in development and production at 100 Meter Films in Tokyo. In New Zealand he worked in screenwriting/development and production and as business development manager at a commercial law firm.

Philippa is the lead contact for major international screen productions considering New Zealand and manages key relationships with studio production executives and independent producers. She is responsible for New Zealand’s provision of an international enquiry service and has wide-ranging expertise across screen production and the media sector. In December 2022 Philippa was elected as a director on the board of Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI).

Shuchi Kothari is an critically acclaimed writer and producer whose films have screened globally in film festivals including Venice, Cannes, Toronto and Telluride and on online platforms such as Mubi, Netflix and Amazon. Her creative work often focuses on issues of inclusion, exclusion, cultural hegemony, and personal resistance. Shuchi’s latest co-produced feature film Kāinga (2022), interrogates these themes within a portmanteau format. Shuchi co-founded the Pan-Asian Screen Collective in 2018 to advocate for increased Pan-Asian representation on and behind the screen in Aotearoa New Zealand. She is the director of the Screen Production programme at the University of Auckland where she teaches screenwriting and creative producing. 

Marc is a writer, director, and educator. Coming from a broadcasting and advertising background in his native Manila, he migrated to New Zealand where he studied English Literature, Media Studies, Drama and Education at the University of Auckland. Following the completion of his Master’s degree in screen production, majoring in directing and screenwriting, he served on occasion as a guest lecturer for screenwriting. Through Script to Screen, in 2021 he received a scholarship to UCLA’s 10-week online course on Writing Screenplay Coverage under the tutelage of Barry Lichtenstein. Formerly the General Manager of Pan-Asian Screen Collective, Marc now sits on the board, where he actively advocates for equity in the New Zealand Screen Industry.

Kellys’ career started in television in London in 1995 and with the New Zealand Screen Industry for 20 years. In April 2019, Kelly joined the Screen Industry Guild and ScreenSafe as their Executive Officer. Kelly has a lot of passion for Health, Safety, and well-being for all members of the Screen Sector and is working on a review of the ScreenSafe organisation looking at the future of Health, Safety, and well-being in the Screen Sector while supporting all crew daily in her role as EO for the Screen Industry Guild.  

Fraser is an award-winning creative producer and professional actor with more than two decades experience. He is the founder and Creative Director of FluroBlack, alongside producing partner, Leela Menon, and a co-founder and director of Tahi Production Services. Fraser graduated from Toi Whakaari – New Zealand drama school with a BA in acting in 2001 and also holds a BCOM from the University of Otago. As an actor, Fraser has featured in some iconic New Zealand film and TV projects including “Archibald Baxter” in Field Punishment No. 1, Mahana and The Insiders Guide to Happiness. Fraser has produced, or executive produced, nine feature documentaries since his first, McLaren, directed by Roger Donaldson, was the highest grossing NZ film at the local box office in 2017. His most recent, Stylebender, directed by Zoe McIntosh, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was voted RNZ’s Critics Choice – “NZ Film Of the Year” for 2023. Other notable credits include: Whina, The Dead Lands TV Series, Orphans & Kingdoms, Dawn Raid and the upcoming horror, Grafted. 

Raewyn (Ngāi Tahu/Kai Tahu) previously led the Public Interest Journalism Fund for NZ On Air and has a wealth of experience as a journalist, producer and manager within radio and television. Raewyn was the General Manager of Māori and Pacific Programmes at TVNZ and with her Māori, Samoan and European heritage has long championed diversity in our media. The Head of Partnerships is a new role tasked with establishing and maintaining partnerships with key stakeholders and communities to ensure NZ On Air’s funding reflects and celebrates Aotearoa New Zealand’s Te Tiriti principles and diverse cultural identity.

NZOA: Head of Music – Tumuaki o Te Puoro. Teresa is part of the Senior Leadership Team, heads the Music team and is based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She has worked in the Aotearoa music and arts industry in a wide variety of roles across major music labels, artist management, music festival and music tour management, marketing and PR, and mentorship. She used to head the Music Managers Forum Aotearoa, is on the board for SoundCheck Aotearoa and the Little Family Foundation. Teresa has a Diploma in Advertising and Marketing from AUT.

As the leader of Talent Development at the New Zealand Film Commission, Dale is a funding decision maker on all talent development grants and funds and the lead contact with the New Zealand Screen Industry Guilds and organisations. He is also one of the leadership team members on the NZFC Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Dale advises on career progression and on all funding administered by Talent Development.  Dale was the CEO/Creative Director of GMAC Film in Scotland responsible for identifying high quality emerging talent and supporting progression from shorts to features. 

Tayla is the Senior Advisor (Policy and Performance) and Chair of the Staff Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission. She has worked for government agencies in Aotearoa and Australia in social and cultural policy roles, leading initiatives that support the aspirations of underrepresented communities. Tayla has a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology, with expertise using visual research methods and analysing how marginalised communities are represented on screen. Tayla takes a human-centred and intersectional approach to her mahi and values the power of co-design. She uses her lived experience with mental health and neurodiversity to foster safe spaces, champion wellbeing and break down stigma. 

Steve Newall is the editor of Flicks, a role he’s had since 2012. Managing a talented team of contributors, he writes and commissions reviews and features on cinema and streaming content for millions of readers across Aotearoa, Australia and the UK. Steve can be heard talking up the best viewing on Newstalk ZB and 95bFM each week, and his writing has appeared in The Listener, Metro, The Spinoff, and Sunday Star-Times (plus too many outlets now consigned to the media dumpster). Steve also produces and programmes the biennial NZ International Fraud Film Festival, and fights for the future of live music venues as a director of Save Our Venues.