Six new Premiere short films with production budgets of $90 thousand each have been green-lit for production in 2014.
Premiere Shorts is our highest level of short film funding targeted at launching New Zealand talent on the international stage.
“The support for these new Premiere projects and the teams behind them is part of our commitment to developing feature filmmaking talent,” says NZFC Short Film Manager Whetu Fala. “New Zealand shorts have earned a reputation for telling distinctive stories with high production values and this announcement closely follows the selection of three NZFC-supported shorts to compete at Clermont-Ferrand, Berlin and South By Southwest in Austin, Texas.”
The six new shorts have been selected by the three independent Executive Producing groups of Robin Scholes, Short & Sharp (Michelle Turner & Nick Ward) and Blue Harvest (Daniel Story, Paul Swadel, Steve Barr).
“Premiere Shorts is a stepping stone for filmmaking teams who want to make their first feature and I’d love to help the teams I’ve chosen achieve this.” Robin Scholes.
“We were looking for the best new mainstream filmmakers in New Zealand and we believe we’ve found several of them!” Daniel Story.
“We’ll be working with our teams to make their films a success.” Nick Ward.
With more than 180 short film projects vying for six places, competition was fierce. The films are expected to be delivered in late 2015 or early 2016.
The six new projects are:
BLUE HARVEST (Daniel Story, Paul Swadel, Steve Barr)
Judgment Tavern
“On a stormy night, a young girl carrying her father’s living head takes shelter in the Judgment Tavern, where a retired witch-hunter waits to finish what he started.”
Director/Writer: Dean Hewison
Producer: Ruth Korver
Feeder
“A songwriter must decide which lines he’s willing to cross when a dark entity begins to provide him with musical inspiration in exchange for animal sacrifices."
Director: Christian Rivers
Writer: Guy McDouall
Producer: Mhairead Connor
ROBIN SCHOLES
Zealandia
“In 2032, Zealandia has become the only virus free country left on earth, but at a high cost to its population due to intrusive medical regulations. Could the bag carried by a fearless woman be the downfall of this oppressive state? ”
Director/Producer: Bruno du Bois
Writer: Aline Tran
Producer: Axel Paton
21 Points
“A light-hearted and eccentric buddy movie between a grown man, his imaginary friend, and his mum.”
Director/Writer: Pete Circuitt
Co-writer: Steve Best
Producer: Rob Linkhorn
SHORT & SHARP (Michelle Turner, Nick Ward)
The World in Your Window
“A brassed-off imaginative boy recruits a caravan park full of troubled souls in order to give its gloomy tyrannical owner a new perspective on life.”
Writer/Director: Zoe McIntosh
Producers: Hamish Mortland, Natasha Romaniuk
Restoration
“A struggling painter takes on a commission that promises fame but may cost him his soul.”
Director: Tim Tsiklauri
Writers: Tim Tsiklauri & Luke Watkinson
Producer: Nicola Peeperkoorn