Bird Runningwater belongs to the Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache Tribal Nations and grew up on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico. He is a Producer and Executive Producer for film and television. He is an Executive Producer on Erica Tremblay’s debut feature film Fancy Dance starring Lily Gladstone which world-premiered in Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and is being distributed by Apple TV+. He produced the Free Leonard Peltier documentary, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Festival and is also an executive producer on the Norwegian/Danish Co-production Phantoms of the Sierra Madre, which world premiered at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen in March 2024.  Prior to launching his own production company, Runningwater guided the Sundance Institute’s commitment to Indigenous Filmmakers for 20 years, nurturing new generations of filmmakers through the Institute’s Labs and Sundance Film Festival. He also served as the head of the Institute’s Equity and Belonging work, Institute-wide.

In 2001, Runningwater began leading the Sundance Institute’s investment in Native American and Indigenous filmmakers while building a global Indigenous film community. He nurtured a new generation of filmmakers whose films put Indigenous Cinema into the global marketplace, serving audiences worldwide. Under his tenure, 154 different Indigenous filmmakers were mentored and supported through Sundance Labs, Grants and Fellowships. More than 119 films written, directed and produced by Indigenous filmmakers were curated by Runningwater to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. In the 10 years prior to his departure, Sundance Institute welcomed into its programs artists representing more than 95 different Indigenous nations from around the world.

Highly sought after for his expertise and knowledge, Runningwater has led workshops and been featured on panels ranging from the Sundance Film Festival’s From Oral Tradition to the Screen: Indigenous Screenwriting to A Conversation with Merata Mita, who was the first Indigenous woman to solely write and direct a feature film, at the MessageSticks Film Festival held at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. He was a panelist at the Raising Voices Conference, hosted by the Hubert Bals Fund at the Rotterdam Film Festival in the Netherlands, exploring training programs that will stimulate the next generation of culturally distinctive and authentic filmmaking voices; And, he has been featured as the Opening Keynote Speaker at the Indigenous Film Conference hosted by the International Sámi Film Centre in Kautokeino, Norway.

Runningwater is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was recently appointed to serve on the Library of Congress’s National Film Preservation Board. He is a past member of the Board of Jurors for the George Foster Peabody Awards, and in Time Magazine’s 2019 Optimist Issue, Runningwater was listed among “12 Leaders Who Are Shaping the Next Generation of Artists”. He began his career in media as a Program Associate for the Media, Arts, and Culture Program at the Ford Foundation in New York, where he helped fund non-commercial radio, TV, and film work across the US and globally. He also built and managed the private philanthropy of one of the Rockefeller family members focused on revitalising Indigenous languages in North America. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with degrees in Journalism and Native American Studies, and he received his Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, both of which have honoured him as a Distinguished Alumnus for his career thus far.

A graduate of Chicago’s Columbia College, Paul Garnes was VP of Operations for Jamie Foxx’s Foxx-King Productions and Head of Production at Simmons-Lathan Media Group before joining the Tyler Perry company in 2006 where he oversaw creation of its multi-million dollar studio and backlot along with production for over 250 episodes of television. In 2011, Garnes produced Ava Duvernay’s Middle of Nowhere, beginning their relationship as producing partners. Paul now serves as President of Production at ARRAY Filmworks overseeing a slate that has included Queen Sugar (2022), Origin (2024), and Oscar-nominee Selma (2014).

Fran Borgia is a film producer, researcher, and educator born in Spain, and now based between Singapore and New Zealand, where he is currently pursuing his PhD at Auckland University of Technology. He is the founder of Akanga Film Asia, an independent film production company based in Singapore. One of the most prolific independent producers working in Asia, Borgia is closely associated with several award-winning and critically acclaimed films, including Lav Diaz’s A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery (Berlinale Competition 2016 – Silver Bear Winner), K. Rajagopal’s A Yellow Bird (Cannes Critics’ Week 2016), Boo Junfeng’s Apprentice (Cannes Un Certain Regard 2016), Yeo Siew Hua’s A Land Imagined (Locarno 2018 – Golden Leopard Winner), Kamila Andini’s YUNI (Toronto 2021 – Platform Prize Winner), Jow Zhi Wei’s Tomorrow is a Long Time (Berlinale Generation 2023), Amanda Nell Eu’s Tiger Stripes (Cannes Critics’ Week 2023 – Grand Prize Winner), Chia Chee Sum’s Oasis of Now (Busan 2023 / Berlinale Forum 2024), Yeo Siew Hua’s Stranger Eyes (Venice Competition 2024), Rima Das’ Village Rockstars 2 (Busan 2024 – Jiseok Award / Berlinale Generation 2025), and Chie Hayakawa’s Renoir (Cannes Competition 2025).

An internationally bestselling author with a passion for stories of survival, resilience and hope.

Born in Te Awamutu, New Zealand, Heather Morris has lived between Australia and New Zealand since 1971. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at Monash University, she worked for over two decades in the Social Work department at a major Australian teaching and research hospital. During this time, Heather continued to pursue her lifelong passion for storytelling, enrolling in professional scriptwriting courses in both Australia and the USA.

In 2003, Heather was introduced to an elderly man who ‘might just have a story worth telling’. The day she met Lale Sokolov changed both their lives. Lale’s story formed the basis for The Tattooist of Auschwitz, published in 2018, and for the follow-up novel, Cilka’s Journey (2019). Three Sisters (2021), the story of three Holocaust survivors who knew Lale from their time in Auschwitz-Birkenau, concluded the Tattooist trilogy. The Tattooist of Auschwitz went on to become one of the 21st century’s bestselling books, and in 2024 an adaptation of the novel was released as a Stan Original Series, to wide acclaim.

Her most recent historical novel, the heart-wrenching Sisters Under the Rising Sun, is based on the true-life experiences of women held in Japanese POW camps during World War II.

Together, Heather’s books have so far sold over 18 million copies worldwide.

The Wish is Heather’s first contemporary novel. It was inspired by her years spent working in a busy public hospital, alongside families facing the toughest of times with love and courage.

Toa Fraser is a New Zealand filmmaker whose work spans theatre, feature films and television. After establishing himself in cinema with award-winning features including No. 2 and Dean Spanley, Fraser made a successful transition into international television directing. His television credits include Penny Dreadful, The Shannara Chronicles, Into the Badlands, Marvel’s Daredevil, The Affair and The Rookie. He served as producing-director on all three seasons of Netflix’s acclaimed seriesˆ, and most recently, on season one of Murderbot, for Apple+. Fraser brings a distinctive perspective to his television work, drawing from his background in both theatre and film to create compelling visual narratives that bridge different storytelling mediums.

Keith joined Wētā FX in 2005 to work on Peter Jackson’s King Kong. He currently works as Wētā FX’s Special Projects Creative Director, leveraging his experience as an award-winning Visual Effects Supervisor along with his expertise in developing interactive/immersive content for realtime systems. Having developed VR content for CAVE systems in the early 2000s, Keith’s passion for real-time spans more than two decades. Keith has recently wrapped on the Oscar-winning animated short WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John
and Yoko. In 2021 he was awarded the SIGGRAPH Jury Prize for Wētā’s Meerkat. Keith additionally lends his expertise to the virtual production team, developing XR filmmaking tools and processes alongside LED wall content for in-camera visual effects on film and streaming.

Keith was Visual Effects Supervisor for Grammy® Award winner Childish Gambino’s 2018 ‘Pharos’ concert and received a VES Award for the creation of the 360° real-time animated visuals and the VR prototyping tools for the show. Other memorable experiential and interactive projects include The Matrix Awakens (2021) video game and his work with Director Jon Favreau on King Louie: Cold Lairs (2016), a 360° VR experience.

Highlights as a Visual Effects Supervisor include the Academy award nominated films Jungle Book (2016) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). Other highlights include DC Extended Universe projects Wonder Woman (2017), Batman v Superman (2016) and Man of Steel (2013). Keith was nominated for a BAFTA for The Adventures of Tintin (2011).

Chelsea Winstanley is an Oscar® nominated producer, an award-winning filmmaker and has worked across many genres as a producer, writer and director for over two decades.  

As a p.g.a. producer on Taika Waititi’s Academy nominated feature Jojo Rabbit, Chelsea became the first indigenous female Oscar® nominee for Best Picture.  

In 2014, she produced the hit mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows, directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement – now a TV show for FX. And early in her career, she produced several award winning short films two of which premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.  

In 2019 she joined Night Raiders as a producer on the first Canadian / NZ Indigenous Co-Production written and directed by Creē first nations filmmaker Danis Goulet.  

She produced the critically-acclaimed documentary feature, Merata: How Mum Decolonised The Screen. It was distributed by visionary filmmaker Ava Duvernay and Array, which played at the 2019 Sundance and Berlin film festivals and is now on NETFLIX worldwide.  

In 2017 under Matewa Media she produced the first ever DISNEY reo māori animated film MOANA Reo Māori and has since reimagined and theatrically released six films over seven years.  

In November 2024 Matewa Media became the first indigenous company in the world to theatrically release a new Disney title in an indigenous language, alongside the English version, of MOANA 2 in the same territory.   

As a Director she was one of nine women who made the anthology feature WARU which won the LAAPFF best film award in 2018. Her short film Forgive Me has screened at ImagineNATIVE Film Festival and NZIFF. She is currently in Post Production with her Documentary Debut Feature Toi Tū Toi Ora Toitū!  

Under production company This Too Shall Pass, Chelsea has several projects in various stages of development and production as both a director and producer and is in post production with her feature documentary TOITŪ Visual Sovereignty.   

Heading into the future, Chelsea aims to create a distribution disruption and along with a growing circuit of independently owned cinemas, Chelsea’s focus to participate in every part of the filmmaking pipeline is being realised.  

Chelsea is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture and Science, The Academy Indigenous Alliance, Women in Film & Television, and co-chair of The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi. 

Director, producer, composer, performer, sound mixer for Tiki Taane in session with CSO concert documentary 2023.
Composer for Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End film 2024.

Composer for When a City Falls documentary 2011.
Composer for SIX60: Till the Lights Go Out documentary 2020.

Ruth Underwood was instrumental in picking up the rights to Heather Morris’ international bestseller, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, for Synchronicity Films. She story-lined the series alongside lead writer, Jacquelin Perske, ran the script department throughout development, and was Story Producer on the six-part adaptation which premiered on Sky Atlantic, Stan and Peacock in May 2024. She subsequently Script Produced and wrote on Critical Incident, a crime drama created by Sarah Bassiuoni for Matchbox which aired in August 2024 on Stan.

Ruth is currently developing her own slate including two original TV projects of her own, a third with co-creator Stuart Page, a feature film with director Ruth Borgobello, and two adaptations. She is Script Producing a biographical drama which is in pre-production for ABC. She has also just worked for a semester at Melbourne University’s VCA, teaching Adaptation to the third year students on the BA in Screenwriting.

Rob Sarkies made his feature debut with black comedy Scarfies (1999), premiering at Sundance and becoming an enduring hit in NZ. His sophomore feature, Out of the Blue (2006) premiered at TIFF to critical and NZ box office success. His latest feature Pike River premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in June and will release in NZ cinemas in October. Rob’s television projects include acclaimed tele-features Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story and Jean about the early life of aviator Jean Batten. Rob has also directed episodic television including episodes of The Gulf, One Lane Bridge, Australian series Wanted and many well known commercials. 

Nikki Si’ulepa (she/her) is an award-winning actor, writer, and director whose work spans film, television, and digital platforms. She’s lit up screens in Bookworm, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Tangata Pai, Creamerie, Housebound, Same But Different, and Pot Luck—and her films have screened (and won stuff!) at Berlinale, Tribeca, Sydney, Melbourne, FIFO, and NZIFF.

A proud Sāmoan, queer creative, Nikki tells bold, heartfelt stories that champion underrepresented voices and communities—stories with grit, soul, and the occasional cheeky wink. She is a co-founder of PISA – PACIFIC ISLANDS SCREEN ARTISTS – a global Pasifika screen collective. She also runs ACTING UP! FOR SCREEN and SCREENFIT—fast-paced, no-fluff workshops where actors, writers, and directors flex their creative muscles and get real-time feedback (with less sweat, more script).

Whether she’s behind the camera or holding space as a kaihautū for emerging storytellers, Nikki’s all about inclusive, collaborative, fun spaces—with purpose, passion, and a healthy amount of laughs along the way.

Born in Lefagaoali’i, Savai’i, Miki Magasiva represented Australasia at the AFEST film section, culminating in his first short film, Rites of Courage. For his second short film, Uso, the following year, 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, he won Best Director: Drama/ Comedy at the NZ Television Awards.

His collaboration with indigenous filmmakers from New Zealand and Australia with We Are Still Here (2022) opened the Sydney International Film Festival and won Best Dramatic Feature at imagineNATIVE. His latest work, Tinā , which he wrote, directed and co-produced, is the 6th biggest box office film in NZ. 

Briar Grace -Smith is a filmmaker of Ngāti Hau and Ngāpuhi descent and a writer of plays, screenplays and short fiction. Her plays include Ngā Pou Wāhine, When Sun and Moon Collide and Purapurawhetū. Briar was one of eight Māori women filmmakers who created the acclaimed feature film omnibus Waru. She was a writer and co-director of Rūangi S2 and screenwriter, co-director and actor in the feature film, Cousins – an adaptation of the novel by Patrica Grace. She was a writer on the Australian series Grace Beside Me and Swift Street which was in competition at Canneseries 2025. In 2019 she received an ONZM for her services to theatre, television and screen. Briar is an Arts Foundation Laureate, a recipient of the Merata Mita Fellowship and was made a member of the Directors Branch of the Academy in 2022.

Fiona Samuel is a writer and director for television, theatre and film; an NZ Arts Foundation Laureate; and a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to television and theatre. 

She has a body of work that is dedicated to putting the female experience front and centre, starting with her groundbreaking drama series The Marching Girls, featuring ten young female leads at the helm. Continuing through her acclaimed Sunday Theatre telefeatures is Piece of My Heart and Bliss – The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield. Fiona wrote & directed both films, which won high ratings and multiple awards. 

More recently, she has specialised into translating complex and controversial real-life stories into compelling drama, writing the screenplay for Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story and co-writing Princess of Chaos with Ally Xue. 

Her latest project is another true story – Pike River, a feature film starring Melanie Lynskey and Robyn Malcolm, will be released in 2025. 

Leanne Pooley has been a documentary filmmaker for over 25 years, has directed films all over the world and has won numerous awards (including Best Documentary at TIFF). In 2011 Leanne’s work was recognised by the New Zealand Arts Foundation and she was made a New Zealand Arts Laureate. Leanne was made an ONZM for Services to Documentary Filmmaking in the 2017 New Year’s Honours List and she is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The Oscars). Her documentaries have screened in more than 100 countries and include topics ranging from the Topp Twins to the Pope. Leanne’s most recent work is Choir Games, an inspirational four part series following two choirs, one from New York City, one from Kaitaia, on a life changing journey to the World Choir Games- the Olympics of choral singing.

Mike Johnathan has achieved an extraordinary career spanning over three decades, excelling as a cameraman, director of photography, and director in the dynamic and ever-evolving realms of television and film. Throughout his impressive tenure, his work has garnered widespread acclaim and recognition, particularly for his remarkable contributions to documentaries and short films. These projects have not only showcased his technical prowess and artistic vision but also demonstrated his deep commitment to storytelling and authentic representation. 

 A significant milestone in Mike’s illustrious career is the highly anticipated release of his debut feature film, Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle without End, in 2024. This film stands as a testament to his dedication, skill, and passion for filmmaking. It represents a culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and creative exploration. Ka Whawhai Tonu is more than just a film; it is a powerful narrative that sheds light on important historical events, reflecting Mike’s ability to blend compelling storytelling with cultural significance. The release of this film marks a pivotal achievement in Mike’s journey as a filmmaker, solidifying his place in the industry and leaving an indelible mark on audiences and critics alike. 

International Emmy Award winner, Shoshana McCallum is a writer, actress and producer in Auckland. Television writing credits include Step-Dave (for which she won the 2016 SWANZ Best TV Comedy Script) West Side, Head High, Stand Up Girl, My Life is Murder and Creamerie. Her feature film script, Daisy Chain won the 2017 SWANZ Award for Best Unproduced Feature Film. 

In 2020, she formed Luminous Beast, and co-created the critically acclaimed, multi award-winning INSiDE, with Dan Musgrove and Peter Salmon. Shoshana was nominated for both Best Comedy script (Creamerie) and Best Drama script (INSiDE) at the 2021 NZTV Awards. She was nominated and won the Fulcrum Media’s Woman to Watch Award at New Zealand’s WIFT Awards 2022. Her theatre credits include Looking At Stuff in Clouds, Leopard, Merely Beloved, and Erotica By The Fire. 

Shoshana was co-Showrunner and Head Writer for Madam, a comedy-drama series, which has picked up numerous international awards, including Best Comedy at the Asian Academy Creative Awards 2024, and Best Comedy Drama at the C21 International Drama Awards 2024. She is currently Head Writer on Luminous Beast’s newest series, Good Bones – a spooky comedy-mystery, starring Josh Thomson.

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 Better The Blood for television. Return To Blood and Carved In Blood, the second and third novels in his Hana Westerman series, were published in 2024 and 2025 and are in bookstores now.

Te Whānau a Apanui, Rongowhakaata 

Tweedie Waititi is a producer and director, driven by a deep desire to push the boundaries and forge new pathways for Te Reo Māori in a wide range of creative spaces. She is happiest when serving her people on her marae in Te Whānau a Pararaki while building towards creating the ultimate iwi environment for the next generation. 

Under Matewa Media Tweedie has produced and directed Disney’s Lion King Reo Māori, Frozen Reo Māori, Moana Reo Māori and Encanto Reo Māori; and Disney and Pixar’s Coco Reo Māori.  

In 2021, Tweedie was awarded an International Emmy in her role as co-producer for the series Rūrangi, a ground-breaking transgender drama series set in rural Aotearoa, New Zealand. Tweedie is also producing several projects under her company Kokko Media including Puta Mōhio a Māori STEM program and Get Home a docuseries about responding to the call home for TVNZ OnDemand. In 2022, Tweedie was awarded the Te Aupounamu, Māori Excellence in Film & Television award for her contribution to Te Reo and the industry. 

Dan Higgins is an award-winning producer and founder of Wabi Sabi Media Group, one of Australasia’s leading production companies. Renowned for his creative vision and production expertise, Dan has built a reputation for delivering both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. 

His latest feature, Tinā, is a cultural phenomenon—becoming the highest-grossing New Zealand film in over a decade and the third highest-grossing NZ film ever released in Australia. The heartwarming drama about a Samoan teacher has won Audience Choice Awards across international festivals and opened the Hawaii International Film Festival. 

With over 15 years of experience, Dan’s films have screened at Cannes, Palm Springs, Melbourne, and beyond, earning numerous accolades including multiple NZ Film Awards. Beginning in journalism and radio, he brings a rare mix of creative insight and production know-how, making him a sought-after partner for global co-productions. 

Dan is currently promoting Tinā on the international festival circuit while developing new projects that reflect his passion for inclusive, impactful storytelling. 

Te Arawa

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.

Te Arawa : Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi – Ngāti Wahiao, Ngāti Whakaue. Mataatua: Ngāti Awa – Ngāti Pūkeko

Te O Kahurangi is responsible for guiding the effective implementation of the NZFC’s Te Rautaki Māori. She is a producer with extensive experience in governance, culture, intellectual property rights, iwi and community organisations as well as active involvement in Māori screen issues. Prior to joining the NZFC in 2018,  she worked for 15 years at Kura Productions, producing with Quinton Hita a range of television productions in te reo Māori. She has served as a board member of Ngā Aho Whakaari – the Māori in Film & Television legacy collective and prior to her screen industry career, she worked extensively in the tourism industry in Rotorua.

Michelle Walshe is a New Zealand–based director celebrated for Chasing Great, the nation’s highest-grossing documentary. Co-founder of Dark Doris Entertainment (Girl on the Bridge) and executive producer of Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles, she creates films that blend intimate storytelling with global relevance to inspire social change.

NZ-born Samoan Mario Gaoa has worked in film, television, and theatre for over 25 years. He began studying film and television at Auckland University before finding his true education in the industry itself. Early in his career, he co-founded The Naked Samoans with Oscar Kightley, David Fane, and Shimpal Lelisi—a groundbreaking theatre group that became a cornerstone of Pacific storytelling in Aotearoa. This led to the cult-classic films Sione’s Wedding and New Zealand’s first prime-time animated series, Bro’Town, where he was a writer, director, and voice artist.   

As a writer and director, Mario has consistently brought a distinct comedic style to his work. His contributions have earned him multiple accolades, including awards for Best Script in a Comedy Series, Best Narrative Feature, and Best Dramatic Feature. In 2021, he wrote and directed a short film for the Teine Sā anthology. The following year, he produced TVNZ’s Duck Rockers, a prequel to Sione’s Wedding, and was one of the indigenous filmmakers behind the feature film We Are Still Here.   

Most recently, he completed a documentary series exploring gangs, addiction, and obesity among Māori and Pasifika communities in New Zealand. He is also a producer and contributing writer on the feature film Tinā, which won the numerous film festival awards. 

In recent times, Mario has chosen to focus on creative works with deeper meaning—and has successfully become a broke filmmaker in the process. 

Cameron Harland is responsible for the operational delivery of the agency. He has had a long and varied career in the screen and entertainment industries including running Park Road Post Production and Stone Street Studios in Wellington. Prior to working at NZ On Air he was also involved in advertising, working for Saatchi & Saatchi in London and Wellington and before that Head of Professional Rugby at NZ Rugby. He is a former Board member of the NZ Film Commission and Te Papa, and was Deputy Chair of TVNZ. 

Amie Mills is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and has overall responsibility for the Scripted, Non-Fiction and Platforms streams of funding, and the Game Development Sector Rebate. Amie has worked in the media industry in Aotearoa and abroad in a range of creative and digital production roles. She is the former Digital and Children’s Commissioner at TVNZ and was co-lead of the New Blood Innovation Programme aimed at reaching non-traditional audiences with local content. In 2015 she joined Saatchi & Saatchi London to help deliver a BAFTA-winning mobile game, Sea Hero Quest. 

Cass Avery is EVP of Production & Development at Dark Doris in Auckland, New Zealand. As a producer, executive producer and writer, Cass has helmed and scripted documentaries and television series commissioned in NZ, Australia and the US.

Her projects have screened on Netflix, Amazon, WBD, Hulu, SKY UK and Seven Australia. Her credits include; Chasing Great, releasing in 2016 which is New Zealand’s highest grossing cinema documentary.  The Amazon original Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles that premiered at SXSWSydney 2023, the 4 part true crime documentary series Black Coast Vanishings made for Warner Brothers Discovery with Studio Canal, releasing in 2024, and in 2025 she produced the film Prime Minister that premiered at Sundance and won the coveted International Documentary Audience Award.

Sam Snedden graduated from Toi Whakaari in 2006. His film and television credits include Westside, Fresh Eggs, Legend of the Seeker, Spartacus, Golden Boy, The Educators, Baby Done, The Keeper, Six Days and the Emmy Award winning iNSiDE.

He ran Auckland’s Basement Theatre from 2011-2017, and was instrumental in transforming it from a struggling theatre to a thriving, well supported artist development hub. Since leaving the Basement he has worked with dozens of independent artists and organisations advising them on strategy and fundraising.

He has worked extensively in the theatre as an actor, producer and director. He is the current head of acting at Unitec’s School of Performing and Screen Arts

Workmates is his first feature as a producer.

James Brookes is the Co-founder and Post Supervisor at Auckland’s Department of Post. Each year, James oversees the post-production for numerous domestic and international projects.

Throughout his career, James has built a reputation for his collaborative approach. He is deeply committed to ensuring that every producer, regardless of the size or budget of their project, has access to the best technology, resources, and expertise available in our region.

James is driven by a vision to connect and strengthen the screen sector. His goal is to foster greater collaboration, create a more reliable and consistent workflow, and ultimately maximize the economic benefits generated by our industry.

Shuchi Kothari is a critically acclaimed screenwriter and producer whose films have screened globally in film festivals including Venice, Cannes, Toronto and on online platforms such as Mubi, and Amazon. Shuchi co-founded The Pan-Asian Screen Collective (www.pasc.co.nz) to advocate for equitable representation of Asian screen practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand. She is the recipient of WIFT (NZ)’s award for “Outstanding Contribution to the Screen Industry.”

Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti  Pikiao, Te Whakatōhea

Ainsley is a seasoned producer and director of more than two dozen short and feature films, documentaries and television drama. She was one of nine wåhine Måori filmmakers to write and direct the acclaimed feature film Waru, selected for the Toronto Film Festival in 2017. She co-directed her second feature, Cousins, the top grossing NZ feature in 2020. Other projects include Taika Waititi’s Eagle vs Shark in 2005 and his first No. 1 Box Office hit, Boy, in 2009, as well as The Breaker Upperers. Ainsley has hosted a short film programme on Māori Television, previously sat on the Māori development arm of the NZ Film Commission, Te Paepae Ataata, and as an Advisory Board member of Script-To-Screen’s Story Camp. In 2018 she was awarded the Mana Wåhine award at the Wairoa Film Festival and also made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to film.

Esther Cahill-Chiaroni is the Film Development Lead at New Zealand Film Commission. Over the past 15 years, she has been instrumental in supporting the filmmakers and screenwriters of Aotearoa. Executive Director of Script to Screen for eight years from 2011, she co-created and directed Big Screen Symposium and created a number of high impact filmmaker development programmes, including Story Camp Aotearoa – which she led until 2024. In 2019 Esther was the director of Raupapa Whakaari Series Drama Lab for NZ Film Commission and NZ On Air, and programmed the Power of Inclusion Summit for NZ Film Commission and Walt Disney Studios. Esther co-directed Te Taumata Toi A-Iwi Creative Leadership Programme with poet Anahera Gildea (2021-2023), and founded and helmed Rupture: a development programme for series writers funded by NZ On Air. Esther is an alumnus of the Art Venture programme for creative entrepreneurs, and has a first-class Honours and Masters Degree in Screen Production from the University of Auckland. She lives in Tāmaki Makaurau with her partner and 3 children.

Richard Fletcher is the Managing Director and a founding partner of Libertine Pictures with Neil Cross. With over 25 years of experience in international film and television production, Richard has produced or executive-produced 33 feature films, documentaries, and TV series. Recent projects include Secrets at Red Rocks for Sky and BYUtv, and three seasons each of Mystic for CBBC and TVNZ, and Under the Vines for Acorn TV and TVNZ. Richard’s productions have been featured at major international festivals such as Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto. He has worked with partners including ABC, BBC, Netflix, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Richard previously worked at the New Zealand Film Commission and has extensive experience in production, financing, and distribution. He also has significant public policy experience as a former President of SPADA and a New Zealand Screen Council board member. In 2009, he received the SPADA Independent Producer of the Year award and, in 2017, the SPADA/Data Book Industry Champion award.

Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa has worked in the screen industry for over 15 years, with a focus on championing Pacific Islands people and stories. His career spans television; Tagata Pasifika Fresh and self-funded and self-distributed feature films; Three Wise Cousins, Hibiscus & Ruthless, Take Home Pay, Mama’s Music Box. Stallone is currently the General Manager of Pacific Islands Screen Artists. (PISA).

Kath Akuhata-Brown (Ngati Porou) Kath’s career as a filmmaker spans 35 years and includes the making of shortfilms, documentaries, drama and commercials. These include the award winning short films Washday and Purea, drama Kairakau, and as a Director’s attachment on New Zealand’s first international indigenous co-production Night Raiders.

Kath’s name has become synonymous with projects that are culturally poetic and meaningful. She was a lecturer in screenwriting at Unitech, Industry Advisory to the University of Auckland, has been a script assessor and script executive for national funding bodies and an advocate on Industry guilds.

Chris Lyne is the calm in the creative storm – known for his technical excellence, quiet confidence, and ability to bring clarity to complexity. With nearly 20 years in the film and television industry, his career spans advertising, animation, episodic series, and high-end screen productions.

As Head of 3D at Cause and FX, an Auckland-based visual effects studio, Chris has spent the past four years guiding the studio’s ambitious projects and growing the department into a multidisciplinary powerhouse. But it’s not just his eye for detail or mastery of CG that sets him apart. Chris is a ballast for the team: steady under pressure, deeply collaborative, and the kind of leader others instinctively turn to when things get tough.

At Big Screen Symposium, Chris brings insight into leading high-performing VFX teams, navigating complex productions, and why strong leadership is just as essential as strong renders.

Philly de Lacey (CEO of Screentime NZ and Executive Producer) is one of New Zealand’s leading, multi-award-winning Producers, and is Screentime NZ’s CEO. She has produced / executive produced and at times directed hundreds of hours of television content in the last 20 years. She is responsible for the development and oversight of all Screentime NZ productions. Having worked across both international and domestic productions, Philly is most passionate about creating and bringing New Zealand fiction and factual stories to life for international and domestic audiences.

Her slate of drama productions includes the telemovies Bloodlines, Siege, In A Flash, Safe House, Ablaze, Resolve, Venus and Mars, The Rainbow Warrior, and How to Murder Your Wife (nominated for 6 awards, winning 3 at the NYC IFF, and winning Best TV Movie at the C21 International Drama Awards), as well as a number of romcoms. Her series include Anzac Girls, Underbelly NZ, Dear Murderer, Straight Forward, The Gulf and most recently A Remarkable Place to Die which has been a prime time hit in NZ, Australia and Germany, and performed exceptionally well for the US streamer Acorn. Her shows screen all over the world. 

FEATURE FILMS:

Kōkā (2025) – Directed by Kath Akuhata-Brown
Ka Whawhai Tonu (2024) – Co-composer with Tiki Taane
The Mountain (2024) – Original score, with music by Troy Kingi
Stylebender (2023) – Documentary, directed by Zoe McIntosh
Dame Valerie Adams: MORE THAN GOLD (2022) – ,directed by Briar March
Savage (2019) – Feature film, directed by Sam Kelly
Songs for Maria –  Feature film, directed by Carl

SHORT FILMS:

Defaced (2025) – Directed by Isaac Bell
Datsun (2021) – Directed by Mark Albiston
Washday (2021) – Directed by Kath Akuhata-Brown
Nai/Milk (2021) – Directed by Michelle Ang
Purea (2020) – Directed by Kath Akuhata-Brown
Ways to See (2019) – Directed by Jessica Sanderson

TELEVISION:

The 36th America’s Cup (2021) – theme music
Moko (2022) – TV documentary series, directed by Jessica Sanderson
The 37th America’s Cup (2024) – theme music

After completing a degree in opera singing Janet was a member of eclectic Wellington bands Four Volts and Six Volts from 1984 to 1991 performing gigs, dance and theatre shows.

She has been part of the composing partnership Plan 9 since the mid 1990s when their first score was Forgotten Silver. Their many film and tv score credits include A Remarkable Place To Die, Dark City: The Cleaner, Pacific Mother, Our Big Blue Backyard, What We Do In The Shadows, Antarctica: A Year On Ice, Predicament, Perfect Strangers, and numerous series for Discovery, National Geographic, NHK and Animal Planet. Their score for Peter Jackson’s documentary They Shall Not Grow Old was a nominee for the 2019 Critics Choice Documentary Awards. They have won Best Feature Film Score 3 times at the NZ Film & TV Awards.

In 2021 they were awarded the SOUNZ Contemporary Award for their album The Bewilderness. With her usual collaborators Plan 9 and David Long she co-wrote the dwarves song Misty Mountains for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and was singing coach for the actors. The song was used by Howard Shore as one of the main soundtrack themes of the movie. She was the voice of the Ring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and was involved in creating cultural music and musical sound design for all 3 films as well as composing additional music for King Kong.

Janet is a committee member of The Screen Music And Sound Guild.

Toby Parkinson is a veteran film and television producer whose career began at just 13 years old. From early days on set as an extra and stand-in, he worked his way behind the camera to become a trusted figure across theatrical features, television, and premium live events. Most recently, he produced the 2024 New Zealand historical feature Ka Whawhai Tonu (In the Fire of War).

He is the founder of Bluedog Productions, the leading producer of live concert films in Australia and New Zealand, and heads Avoca Blue, a boutique distributor bringing distinctive local content to global platforms. His client list includes Viacom, Beta, ABC, Foxtel, Discovery, and Netflix.

Known for his strategic thinking and on-the-ground production expertise, Parkinson brings a deep understanding of visual effects integration and post-production pipelines in a fast-changing screen industry.

Matt has worked for 25 years as a sound designer in the NZ film industry, and is well-versed in both large international film projects and local gems. He has led the creative sound direction of POW Studios since its inception. He holds a Masters Degree in Musical Arts from Victoria University of Wellington and has spent time teaching at various tertiary institutions. Matt lives in Wellington with his wife and two children.

Tim is an award-winning screenwriter and actor as well as a storyliner, script editor and producer.

Tim has been writing for television since 2005. Credits include: Interrogation, Almighty Johnsons, 800 Words, The Sounds, Under the Vines and Outrageous Fortune over five seasons.

From 2010 – 2013, Tim worked as Head of Development for South Pacific Pictures .

As Producer and Head Writer for The Brokenwood Mysteries now entering its 12th season, he has written or co-written 35 of the 54 x 2-hour murder mystery episodes. He also wrote the screenplay for the crime drama telefeature Stolen based on the true story of the abduction of Baby Kahu.

He is also the Producer of Katie Wolfe’s documentary The Haka Party Incident.

Curtis Vowell is a Cook Island Maori director who has worked in the New Zealand film industry for the last 15 years. His debut feature film Fantail won over crowds both at home and overseas screening at a number of international film festivals.
Fantail was nominated for 8 New Zealand Film Awards including Best Director and Best Film and was invited to have its international premiere at Rotterdam International Film Festival. The film was also selected for the Melbourne International Film Festival, winning a People’s Choice award.
His second feature film Baby Done with Taika Waititi and Carthew Neal’s Piki Films was released theatrically in the US and UK and stars Rose Matafeo and Matthew Lewis.
In 2023 Curtis directed 3 episodes of Stephen Merchant’s UK television comedy The Outlaws (Amazon/BBC). Between films and UK Television, Curtis has also directed
multiple blocks of New Zealand’s favourite hospital drama Shortland Street. In 2024 he released Seize Them! a UK medieval comedy starring Aimee Lou Wood and Nick Frost. Workmates is his 4th feature film funded by the NZFC, written by and starring Sophie Henderson.

Tim Hamilton is an accomplished filmmaker based in New Zealand whose income is largely supplemented from winning short film competitions. Renowned for his innovative yet “safe” homemade camera gear, stunts equipment and budget-conscious visual style, he has gained recognition among established directors and major brands worldwide. His work spans hundreds of projects, accumulating millions of views.

Karin is a descendant of British settlers in Aotearoa and ancestors from the Pacific island of Aitutaki. She began her career as a reporter at the Cook Islands News in Rarotonga, going on to work for broadcast networks in New Zealand and the USA. She founded Multinesia Productions to support global indigenous storytelling, working with First Nations communities in Canada, Alaska and the Pacific on grassroots community projects. Her independent films have screened on PBS prime time and at festivals around the world. Credits include Burning of the Gods, an experimental short film which premiered at NZIFF, and Pacific Mother, a feature documentary on Moana birth practices. Karin co-chairs the Board of Script to Screen and is a former board member of SPADA, the NZ producers’ guild. She also serves as a company director for Taro Patch Creative, a South Auckland arts hub.

Sheldene Seth is Able’s Communications & Engagement Manager – a broad role covering engaging stakeholders across the screen sector and disability sectors, looking after our kiritaki, and raising awareness of Able’s services and how to access them.

With a background in Aotearoa’s screen industry, Sheldene built her career directing, producing, and writing across television, digital, and social media. Her work has spanned children’s programming, factual content, and branded campaigns – developing a sharp eye for storytelling that resonates.

Now in the media access space, Sheldene leads initiatives that champion inclusive content and connect audiences with stories in meaningful, equitable ways. Recently she played an instrumental role in Able’s first web series, Sight Unseen, centring blind and low-vision rangatahi, integrating open audio description and inclusive production practices.

She’s driven by a belief that accessible storytelling can challenge perceptions, foster connection, and create lasting change. 

Tracey Corbin-Matchett is a proud hard of hearing woman with a passion for advocacy and inclusion. Her 30-year career has crossed social housing, women’s domestic violence services and the film and television industry. She received her Order of Australia in 2023 for services to people with disability and the arts.

Her advocacy work in the Australian screen industry has seen her lead on strategies driving greater representation and employment of people with disability across film, TV and advertising, including hosting the Driving Change: Disability Employment Summit and leading the work of Bus Stop Films on a global scale, enacting human rights outcomes for people with disability through filmmaking, skills development, employment and advocacy.

Tracey previously worked with Legal Aid NSW as the State Manager of the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance (now Advocacy) Program and with both Screen NSW and Housing NSW in roles leading on policy, programs and stakeholder engagement. Tracey is a member of the Disability Council of NSW, Screen Australia Gender Matters Taskforce, an advisor to the Screen Producers Australia Council and an Equality at Work ambassador to the Australian Human Rights Commission.  Tracey was previously a Director Northcott (Disability Services), Northcott Innovation and Deaf Sports Australia
Tracey holds a Bachelor of Arts – Welfare Studies from University of Western Sydney and a Diploma of Business Frontline Management from University of Technology, Sydney.

John Gibson composed his first major work at the age of 16. By the age of 24 he had done time as musical director at theatres in Dunedin and Auckland, and acted on-screen as one of the musical quartet in TV drama Heroes. Since then Gibson has composed music for a wide range of mediums, including television, theatre and dance, and co-composing Rain of the Children.
(NZonScreen bio)

Claire Pullen is Executive Director of the Australian Writers’ Guild and Group CEO of the Guild’s group of companies, including AWGACS. AWGACS is the collecting society for royalties for Australian and New Zealand screen authors, which distributes millions every year to writers. Her members’ work has been stolen by AI.

Prior to working at the Guild, Claire was a Director at several large trade unions, both private and public sector. She led communications, media and campaign teams in unions and NGOs.

She began her career as a union organiser, becoming an Industrial Officer and then senior Industrial Officer ensuring fair treatment for workers including paramedics, teachers’ aides, waitresses, morticians, and firefighters.

Claire drafted the landmark firefighter occupational cancer list now in place in every state and territory in Australia while completing her Masters of Labour Law from Sydney University.

She has begun her Masters of Copyright Law, but as yet there are no signs of her finishing it.

Nat Boltt, a versatile South African-born artist, is increasingly making her mark as a writer and director. Her directorial debut feature film, Holy Days, a Canadian-New Zealand co-production, is slated for release in 2025. Boltt not only directed this road-trip adventure comedy but also wrote the screenplay, attracting an A-list cast including Jacki Weaver, Judy Davis, and Miriam Margolyes. 

Her directorial prowess extends to television, having notably helmed Chapter Ninety-Three: Dance of Death for The CW’s Riverdale. Boltt’s short film work, including the award-winning The Silk (winning multiple Best Short Film and Director awards) and comedies like A.T.A.C.K. and Vajazzle, showcases her diverse talent and craft, honed at the Warner Brothers Director’s Workshop. She is also developing her second feature, Sweet Child of Mine, slated for 2026. 

John McKay, CEO POW Studios, has extensive experience in film and television Post Production spanning 50 years.
As a sound editor he has supervised over 50 major film and television projects. His most notable works include sound design, editing and Re-Recording Mixing on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Quiet Earth, Footrot Flats, Coming Home in the Dark, I Am What I Am 1 & 2, The Rule of Jenny Pen. He is the recipient of awards for Footrot Flats, A Soldier’s Tale, Jubilee and Lord of the Rings. John was part of the team nominated for Best Sound Editing awards by the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE, USA) for his work on The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers.

Tihini Grant is an award-winning independent Writer/Director with over 20 years of experience in the NZ film and television industry. Raised in tribal traditions of his Ngāti Pikiao people Tihini is a keeper of traditional histories and a fluent speaker of Te Reo Māori with a commitment to indigenous stories. Collaboration is an integral part of Tihini’s creative process. He is a founding member of the Steambox Film Collective – a cabal of Māori filmmakers based in Rotorua NZ. The group formed to support development, writing, direction, production and distribution of their screen projects. In his early career Tihini wrote and directed docudrama, documentary and reality style television, He also wrote and directed Matatua for the Māori Television series Whare Taonga, which won Best Māori Language Series at the 2012 NZ Television awards. Incidentally, a second series he wrote and directed Tamaki Paenga Hira was nominated in the same category that year. Tihini moved into scripted drama with his 2015 short film Elevation, which screened in the NZ International Film Festival. His next film, Mareikura – 2019, was a collaboration with indigenous filmmakers Tristin Greyeyes (Cree Nation – Canada) and Alika Maikau (Kanaka Maoli – Hawai’i). As co-writer and director, he travelled to Toronto for the world premiere at the Imaginative Film Festival. Currently in development, Tihini has international co-production, Bi-lingual Māori/Gaelic Language period drama series’ Seal Woman and is collaborating as co-writer/co-director on contemporary Police drama Scoria. In Post Production, he also has the new drama series End of the Valley for Whakaata Māori on which he co-directed and was HOD of language and cultural expertise. Tihini Grant – Te Arawa, Ngāti Pikiao

Alex Leighton is a director, concept artist and co-founder of Mukpuddy Animation. With two decades of experience, he has played a crucial role in shaping beloved series such as  Jandal Burn,  Tumeke Space,  Night Eyes and  The Barefoot Bandits. With a keen imaginative vision, Alex has helped shape Mukpuddy into a prominent force in the animation industry, producing content that is both enjoyable and captivating for audiences of all ages.   

Mia Henry-Teirney (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa) is an accomplished Producer and Line Producer based in Tāmaki Makaurau. With a deep commitment to Indigenous storytelling, Mia has produced a wide slate of film, television, and digital projects that centre Māori and Pasifika voices. Her credits span high-profile productions such as Disney’s Reo Māori adaptations of The Lion King, Frozen, Coco, Encanto, and Moana 2, as well as the internationally acclaimed anthology film We Are Still Here, which premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. 
 
Mia continues to champion bold, world-class Indigenous narratives—including award-winning works like First Horse, Season 1 of Baby Mamas Club, and a range of acclaimed short films, brand campaigns, and music videos featured in Vogue, The Guardian, and beyond. 

Tim Evans is a key writer, director, and co-founder of Mukpuddy Animation. He has played a pivotal role in creating, writing, and directing many of the studio’s successful animated series, including The Barefoot Bandits,  Jandal Burn,  Night Eyes, and the recently released Badjelly series. With a passion for storytelling and a sharp creative vision, Tim has helped shape Mukpuddy into a leading force in the animation industry, producing content that is both entertaining and engaging for audiences of all ages.  

Teuila Field is a Samoan-New Zealand mother of three. Based in Auckland, she was born in Wellington and comes from the villages of Neiafu and Vaisala in Savai’i, Samoa.

Teuila is a 1st Assistant Director, most recently wrapping on the Netflix adaptation of East of Eden. The series was written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan and follows a multi-generational family saga from the perspective of Cathy Ames, played by Florence Pugh. Teuila worked with Director Laure de Clermont-Tonnère on Episodes 5-7.

Teuila’s credits also include Time Bandits, with Directors Taika Waititi and Jackie van Beek for Apple TV+; Sweet Tooth for Netflix; Spartacus: House of Ashur, with Director Toa Fraser for Starz; and Miki Magasiva’s feature film Tinā.

A film industry worker since 2009, Teuila is passionate about her role as a creative collaborator in the story-telling process.

Ryan Cooper, a co-founder of Mukpuddy Animation, is a key writer and director. His creative vision and passion for storytelling have been central to the success of numerous animated series, including The Barefoot Bandits, Jandal Burn, Night Eyes and the recently released Badjelly series. Ryan’s contributions have helped establish Mukpuddy as a leading force in the animation industry, helping to produce content that entertains and captivates audiences of all ages. Through his work, he has played an instrumental role in shaping the studio’s success. 

Fairooz conducts research projects to understand our sectors and the impacts of our work, and to identify gaps. She liaises with other agencies on potential joint research projects and knowledge sharing. Fairooz was previously the Journalism Funding Advisor, and prior to that worked in the humanitarian and community sectors. She has completed a PhD thesis in Media Studies at Victoria University about the industrial and cultural practices of internet-distributed television. 

With over 10+ years of experience in the education sector, an MBA graduate and a NIDA trained actress, Dianna La Grassa is Bus Stop Films Chief Operating Officer, Head of Screen and resident Producer. Her background in adult education underpins the delivery of our Accessible Filmmaking Program.

As the COO it has given her great pleasure to watch the organisation pave ground-breaking pathways for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the film industry and watch the participants blossom in these interactive and unique environments, seeing them develop real life skills and opportunities for their passion. Dianna has produced more than 55 film projects with Bus Stop Films including the multi award winning Groundhog Night and What Was it Like? and acclaimed films Filters, Visible and This Is News Radio. 

Daisy Lawless is a writer, production crew member and animation enthusiast. She has worked across multiple departments from pre-production to editorial in film and television. She was hired by Mukpuddy to coordinate the production of their series, Badjelly. Daisy has multiple animation and live-action film projects in development and would like to see a more sustainable future for all screen arts of any scale.

Dan Buckingham is the Chief Executive of Able, a not-for-profit funded by NZ On Air, and Aotearoa’s leading provider of media access services. Able’s work helps make the magic of television and film accessible by providing captions for the 880,000+ people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, and audio description, an alternate audio track that narrates on screen action, for the 180,000+ New Zealanders who are blind or who have low vision.

Dan’s experience in the screen sector goes back to working in production since 2008. EP and Producer credits cover television series, documentaries, web series, sports coverage and live events.

Dan remains connected to the production world through SPADA. The most recent project he was involved with was Sight Unseen, a web series released this year that reached 2.5 million views across TikTok and Instagram.

Sophie Henderson is a New Zealand screenwriter. Her debut feature, Fantail, premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival and won a People’s Choice Award at the Melbourne Film Festival. In 2021, Baby Done – produced by Taika Waititi’s Piki Films and starring Rose Matafeo – screened at the Toronto Film Festival and won audiences over both at home and and overseas.

That same year, The Justice of Bunny King, starring Essie Davis and Thomasin McKenzie, premiered at Tribeca, receiving a Nora Ephron Award Special Jury Mention. Her next feature, Workmates, is set for release in August 2025.

Sophie is the incoming Artistic Director of Auckland’s Silo Theatre.

Arthur Machado is an experienced advertising film producer and a pioneering AI Director and Artist, working with brands, agencies, and production companies around the world. With nearly 20 years in the industry, he has held key roles at AlmapBBDO and Paranoid Films in Brazil, and at Resonate in New Zealand.

Now focused on pushing the boundaries of storytelling through AI, Arthur works across a range of formats, from leading creative and production end-to-end to collaborating on projects by producing visual assets or providing AI consultancy.

Arthur’s personal AI-driven projects have also gained wide acclaim. His short film LLM – Modello Linguístico Divino has been selected and awarded at festivals worldwide, alongside other viral and award-winning AI productions.

Represented by Paranoid BR as an AI Director in Brazil, and by The Moon Unit as an AI Artist internationally, Arthur continues to explore how emerging technologies can unlock new visual languages and contribute to the future of filmmaking.

Matt Horrocks is the Manager of Screen Auckland. Prior to this position he most recently worked as an Investment Advisor on the $50m Premium Production Fund (Te Puna Kairangi) which supports high-quality productions that tell New Zealand stories for global audiences. In 2021 he wrote the report “Pan Screen Sector Body – Comparable Organizations”, for SINZ, an outcome of the Aotearoa Screen Strategy 2030.

From 2017-2021 he worked for Screenwest in Australia. As the Head of Screen Investment & Strategic Projects he was responsible for the management of Screenwest’s development & production funding programs and $16m WARFF fund. As the head of the funding team, he oversaw Business Affairs, Indigenous, Diversity, Production Attraction and Talent Development activities along with VR/Immersive and Australian/Indonesian co-pro strategies.

Matt has produced short films, documentaries and feature films in New Zealand, including Beyond he Known World – a NZ/Indian co-production. In the UK he worked in production roles on 28 Days Later and Calendar Girls.  

Matt was a Development Executive, and Industry Training Executive for the New Zealand Film Commission. He has guest lectured at the University of Auckland, played a key role in setting up Script to Screen, and designed and instigated the Big Screen Symposium, New Zealand’s leading annual event for screen content professionals.

Dr Gavin Ellis is an honorary fellow at Koi Tū The Centre for Informed Futures.

He is a researcher, consultant, and commentator with six decades of experience in news media. A former editor-in-chief of the New Zealand Herald, he lectured on media, communications, and propaganda at the University of Auckland for a decade.

He is the author of three books and numerous research papers including a series on the Christchurch mosque attacks.
He is an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to journalism, and a recipient of the Commonwealth Astor Award for contributions to media freedom.

Taratoa Stappard (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa me Ngāti Tūwharetoa) was born in Hawera, Aotearoa.

His debut feature, Mārama, received funding to treatment from B.F.I. London and development to first draft in the 2020 imagineNATIVE Indigenous Screenwriting Intensive. His script was subsequently selected for the 2021 Toronto I.F.F. Writers’ Studio, the 2021 Black List New Zealand Project and the 2022 Zurich I.F.F. Academy.

Mārama was an Official Project in the 2023 Berlinale Co-Production Market.

In 2021 Taratoa was commissioned to direct his script, Taumanu (Reclaim) for TVNZ’s anthology of supernatural, indigenous stories, Beyond the Veil 

His short films have screened in festivals including Angers, Aspen, Busan, Edinburgh, BFI London and Māoriland. They have all been acquired for broadcast (BBC2, BBC3, Film4, SVT and Canal+).

He lives in London, U.K. and Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa.

(Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Arawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Ngāti Porou)

Miriama is a full-time artist and works from her studio in Te Whanganui-a-tara, Wellington. She is a multidisciplinary artist, she has worked as a curator, muralist, illustrator, fashion designer, film costumier, and art director, currently focusing on her design, illustration, and mural work. Miriama is also a member of ‘Dream Girls Art Collective’ and designs in collaboration with New Zealand brand ‘Moana Rd’.

Read About the art work here. 

Peter Thompson is an Associate Professor in Media and Communication at Victoria University of Wellington (Te Herenga Waka). His research focuses on media policy (notably public media and funding mechanisms) and also communication processes in financial markets.
Peter has also undertaken commissioned work for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, NZ On Air, the Department of Internal Affairs and the Canadian Department of Heritage, SPADA, and the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Peter is a founding trustee of the Better Public Media trust and is primary author of several of BPM’s policy submissions including the recent response to the government’s Media Reform proposals.

William Earl’s experience includes senior management and production and channel start-ops at TVNZ, and twelve years of policy and regulatory experience with pay-tv, public and commercial broadcasters, telcos and NGO’s in Asia and Eastern Europe.  After a term as a Controller of Policy and Planning at BBC Corporate he established the NZ Freeview platform.

Samuel Van Grinsven is a New Zealand writer and director based in Sydney. His upcoming second feature film Went up the Hill stars Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread, Corsage) and Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things) and is a New Zealand/Australian co-production produced by Causeway Films (Talk to Me, of an Age) and POP Film, (Savage, Pike River).

His debut feature film Sequin In A Blue Room had its world premiere at the 2019 Sydney Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. It soon became a festival hit screening globally at Palm Springs, TIFF Next Wave, BFI Flare and Melbourne International Film Festival. The film was nominated for an Australian Academy

Award (AACTA), Australian Directors Guild (ADG) Award and German Independence Award, and screened theatrically in Australia, Germany and the UK. In 2020, the film was released as an Amazon Exclusive on Prime Video in Australia followed by streaming releases worldwide.

Samuel completed a Masters of Directing at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) with a research area focused on the New Queer Cinema movement of the 90s and the work of Gus Van Sant, Gregg Araki and Derek Jarman. He was the first Masters student to graduate with a feature, Sequin In A Blue Room. His previous short films have been selected for international and domestic film festivals.

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. 

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.  

Aidee Walker is an accomplished NZ actress and director with a passion for telling female centric and the underdog stories.

Aidee is the series director for Kid Sister S1 & S2 for Greenstone TV which was shortlisted for a Rose D’or and won Best Comedy at the Asian Academy Awards, and Aidee picked up Best director for Television for the Australia/NZ region. She was the director of Australian Series White Fever (ABC) and has directed on Westside S4 & S5, The Brokenwood Mysteries S6 & S7 and BBC’s family drama, Mystic S1 and S2, for which she was the lead director for S2. She directed webseries Stand Up Girl in addition to music videos for Crowded House and Benee.

Her debut short made for $400, The F.E.U.C, was officially selected for the Palm Springs Film Festival and her second short, Friday Tigers, won Best Short Film and the Audience Award at NZIFF and was selected for MIFF, where she attended the Accelerator Program. Shortly after, Aidee joined the writing team for SPP’s Step Dave, in which she also starred.

Aidee is the writer/director of factual comedy Don’t (Greenstone Pictures) and is in production for her feature documentary The White Thing To Do in collaboration with Jamaican filmmaker Gabrielle Blackwood (Norman/Norman). Aidee is developing her first drama feature with long time collaborator (and Emmy Award winning) Shoshana McCallum.