‘n00b’ Goes to Market in Berlin

Comedy-drama series n00b, directed by DEGANZ members Victoria Boult and Josh Frizzell, is heading to the Berlinale Series Market.

The market is a joint initiative of the European Film Market, Berlinale Co-Production Market and Berlinale Talents, dedicated to serial content. Across three days, series with high market potential are presented to industry experts, creatives, buyers, and distributors. It brings together networking opportunities, thematic panels analysing international trends, pitch sessions, and its acute selection of high-quality episodic content for acquisition, pre-sales, and co-production.

This year’s selection includes 17 series from 13 different countries. n00b is the sole selection from Aotearoa.

Congratulations to Victoria, Josh, and the rest of the n00b team for the prestigious selection!

 

Last updated on 23 January 2025

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‘The Haka Party Incident’ and ‘Tinā’ Coming to Local Cinemas Soon

2025 is kicking off strong with feature films The Haka Party Incident and Tinā coming soon to cinemas across the motu.

The Haka Party Incident, a documentary by Katie Wolfe (DEGANZ), hits theatres across Aotearoa in late January with Tinā, edited by fellow member Luke Haigh, screening locally just a month later.

Read more about the films and check out their trailers below.

The Haka Party Incident

Writer, Director, and Producer: Katie Wolfe

On May 1st 1979, a group of young Māori and Pasifika activists, He Taua, confronted a gathering of University of Auckland engineering students as they rehearsed a mock ‘haka’ for their annual capping stunt. The fracas that followed prompted the nation to confront systemic racism and begin to make change for a better and more equal partnership between Pākehā and Māori.

 

Tinā

Editor: Luke Haigh

When grief-stricken Mareta takes a substitute teaching role at an elite prep school, she forms a choir to unite the privileged yet disconnected students. As they prepare for an all-school competition, her passion for life reignites, transforming her students forever in this rousing crowd-pleaser.

The film won the Best Narrative Feature Audience Award at Palm Springs at the beginning of the year.

 

 

Last updated on 23 January 2025

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DEGANZ Members Pack their Bags for Story Camp Aotearoa 2025

Congratulations to DEGANZ members Mia Maramara, Pulkit Arora, William McKegg, and Matthew Saville on being selected for Script to Screen’s Story Camp Aotearoa 2025!

The residential feature film lab fosters the craft, voice, and vision of the selected screenwriters or creative teams for the development of their screenplays. The programme aims to meet the specific development needs of the selected projects with advice from local and international mentors in a rigorous four-day experience.

It’s great to see DEGANZ members with projects in the works. See more about their projects below and more about this year’s Story Camp cohort here.

In The Blood

Writer: Mia Maramara

Producer: Morgan Leigh Stewart

Soft

Writer/Director: Pulkit Arora
Producer: Shuchi Kothari

The Factory

Producers: William McKegg and Stacey Leilua
Writers: Anapela Polataivao and Vela Manusaute

The Frogman

Writer/Director: Matthew Saville

 

Last updated on 23 January 2025

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Catch Up on These Works from DEGANZ Members

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DEGANZ members have been busy with new films and series premiering over the holidays including a documentary about aging, a reimagining of a beloved children’s literary character, and a drama-filled teen mystery.

Check this list of new works to see if you have any catching up to do on local screen mahi.

Predict My Future

Documentary

Alarmed by her mother and grandmother’s advancing age, a young filmmaker turns to the world-leading Dunedin Longitudinal Study, asking how and why we age, how to do it healthily and more.

Directors: Ankita Singh

Producer & Additional Field Director: Mark McNeill

Director’s Mentor: Robyn Paterson

Editor: Jack Woon

Badjelly

Animated Series

A fresh reimagining of Spike Milligan’s Badjelly the Witch, the classic tale of a lost cow, a mysterious forest and a sinister sorceress. Featuring the voices of Miriam Margolyes, Rhys Darby & Rose Matafeo.

Animatic Assistant Editor: Gwen Lin

Literally Dead

Web Series

Set in modern-day Aotearoa, Literally Dead follows True–the most iconic b*tch you’ve ever met. She’s beautiful, smart, charming, and sharp, but on the cusp of graduating from high school, she died in a tragic accident (note: it wasn’t an accident). The series takes place entirely on the night of True’s graduation party, as her ghost presents her circle of friends and frenemies, uncovering her death was the least f*cked up thing that happened that year at Gilchrist Grammar.

Directors: Victoria Boult & Gwen Lin

Editor: Brendon Chan

 

To see more recent work from DEGANZ members, check out our 2024-2025 holiday watch list.

 

Last updated on 9 April 2025

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‘Jasper’s Belt’ Seeks a Boost

Celestine Ocean (DEGANZ) is crowdfunding for her next short film, Jasper’s Belt, on Boosted.

Inspired by her experience growing up in a lower-class home and how her younger self contextualised it, Jasper’s Belt unpacks the childhood experience of harsh realities. The film is a reminder of the softer moments, silliness, and simplicity of being a kid. When a group of neighbourhood kids hear about the infamous Jasper and his new belt, they stop at nothing to go on the epic journey down the block to see it.

The Jasper’s Belt team is aiming to raise $12,660 for the film. Funds will go towards paying those who work on the film, location and transportation costs, costuming, Boosted fees, and more. Additionally, they plan to donate a portion of the funds raised to KidsCan NZ, a charitable trust that works to help children living in poverty.

You can donate and find out more about Jasper’s Belt and the team behind the film on their Boosted campaign.

 

Last updated on 23 January 2025

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