Pike River’s Emotional and Rewarding Opening Week

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Pike River, directed by Rob Sarkies (DEGANZ) and edited by fellow member Peter Roberts, has had a well-deserved, smashing opening week. Not only has the feature grossed half a million at the box office, but it has also touched the hearts of audiences and earned a stream of positive reviews.

Dame Gaylene Preston reviewed the film for RNZ, saying,

This is mature filmmaking in the hands of a committed director with experience and empathy. The mark of a good director is that everyone does their best work, in front and behind the camera. […] The domestic world of the families become somehow elevated, as the personal experiences of Sonya Rockhouse and Anna Osbourne become central and heroic.

Rob, along with writer Fiona Samuel and the women behind the story, Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse, have been travelling the motu for a series of screenings and Q&As. While celebrating the film and the creative team behind it, Rob maintains focus on Anna and Sonya’s ongoing story. As the film earns its fair share of applause and congratulations, the women receive it in equal parts, if not more, with teary-eyed standing ovations.

Congratulations to Rob, Peter, and the whole Pike River team on the successful release!

You can find a screening of Pike River near you here (remember to bring tissues)!

 

Last updated on 6 November 2025

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Burstyn, Mikha & Murdie Win at NZCS Awards

The 8th annual New Zealand Cinematographers Society (NZCS) Awards took place on 18 October 2025 in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, with DEGANZ members Thomas Burstyn NZCS CSC, Benjamin Mikha, and Joe Murdie taking home awards.

The NZCS Awards were established in 2016 to celebrate and honour outstanding cinematography from Aotearoa. The awards offer cinematographers the opportunity to have their work recognised by their peers and the wider industry across a range of genres, formats, and budgets. Each category presents a gold, silver, and bronze award, recognising filmmakers at multiple career levels.

Thomas won Silver for International Drama and Drama Series for his work on Invasion (S2, Ep 10 Old Friend, New Frontiers). The Apple TV series follows what happens when aliens visit Earth and threaten humanity’s existence. The show unfolds in real time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unravelling around them.

Both Benjamin and Joe won Silver Awards in the Social Media & Online Category. Benjamin won for his work on The Warrior Within, a minute-long video about the art of fire knife dancing filmed in Oahu, Hawai’i. Joe took home the silver for his micro-doc ZƎDYN, which follows a young skatboarde from Wānaka.

Benjamin also won Gold in the Specialised Category for his work on Inhabitants, a compilation of time-lapse, hyper-lapse, motion control time-lapse, and drive-lapse footage from around the world.

On the night, DEGANZ Executive Director, Tui Ruwhiu, presented the Short Film, News & Current Affairs, Magazine, Lifestyle & Reality, and Corporate, Brand & Promo Awards.

DEGANZ ED Tui Ruwhiu presents Adam Luxton with an NZCS Silver Award for Short Films.

Congratulations, Thomas, Benjamin, Joe, and all winners at the 2025 NZCS Awards!

 

Last updated on 6 November 2025

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DEGANZ Watch List: Kiwi Zombies & Kiwi Teachers

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Another newsletter, another DEGANZ Watch List! This time, DEGANZ members are behind the new comedy series Bloke of the Apocalypse and the latest season of Educators. Both shows offer a cheeky look into classic Kiwi culture and propose that maybe the attitudes of younger generations can teach the adults something new.

DEGANZ Board President Ben Powdrell co-produced the new animated web series, Bloke of the Apocalypse. The series is inspired by series creator Charlie Foulks’ childhood growing up in Gisborne on a sheep farm and his love for the zombie genre. What transpires is a silly series that lovingly pokes fun at the classic Kiwi bloke.

Beloved comedy series Educators is back for its fourth season. Co-created by Jackie van Beek (DEGANZ) and board member Jesse Griffin, and directed by Jesse, the series peeks into the staffroom of Aotearoa’s most questionable teachers. Despite being responsible for the next generation’s education, these adults are often more troubled than the kids they teach.

Check them out below!

 

Bloke of the Apocalypse

Animated Web Series

Co-Producer: Ben Powdrell (DEGANZ Board President)

In the rural back blocks of New Zealand, a father and son battle a zombie apocalypse and some annoying neighbours, all while taking care of their pet lamb, Lambie.

 

Educators

Comedy Series

Created and Written by Jackie van Beek, Jesse Griffin (DEGANZ Board), and Johnny Brugh

Director: Jesse Griffin (DEGANZ Board)

Set behind the scenes of an ordinary Kiwi secondary school, this comedy favourite follows the hopelessly and hilariously inept staff in charge of educating the next generation. Season four is out now!

 

Last updated on 6 November 2025

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Misty Flicks Celebrates Waikato Filmmakers

DEGANZ was a proud sponsor of Misty Flicks Film Festival this year, and is excited to join them in celebrating the 2025 award winners, including multiple of our members.

Misty Flicks is a not-for-profit organisation that supports film and filmmakers in the Waikato & Central North Island of Aotearoa. Each year since 2018, it has hosted the festival to uplift local filmmakers and share their work with audiences. This year, the three-day festival included a range of screenings, Q&As, filmmaker talks, as well as the awards ceremony.

Here are the DEGANZ members who won at this year’s awards ceremony:

Best Director – Misty Flicks Challenge Award

Adam Harvey

Snowfall

Best Documentary – Short Film

Phillida Perry

Good Kunst

Best Director – Short Film

Phillida Perry

Good Kunst

Outstanding Female Filmmaker – Short Film

Phillida Perry

Breaking the Mould

 

Additionally, DEGANZ member Mark Prebble‘s PleasureDora took home the awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, for Edwin Wright and Marion Prebble’s performances. James Fink-Jensen produced and edited the short Faces, which won Best Short Film and Best Production Design. Meanwhile, fellow member Ashley Pitman‘s The Box received an honourable mention.

Congratulations to all the winners!

 

Last updated on 6 November 2025

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15 Projects from DEGANZ Members in the 2025 NZ Web Fest

It’s time for NZ Web Fest once again! This year, 15 selected projects are from DEGANZ members, with 12 as finalists for an array of awards. Of the selections and nominations, several DEGANZ members are being recognised for their talent and skills in direction, writing, and editing.

Since its inception in 2015, the virtual festival has been curating and celebrating online entertainment from around the globe. This year, the festival is running from 7-17 November and includes a series of Creator Convos, covering both fiction and factual podcasts, series, and films.

If you’re keen to check out this year’s festival and watch all the selected podcasts, short films, and series, you can register for free here.

 

Congratulations to all the DEGANZ members below!

Short Films (Fiction)

Constance

Writer/Director: Jayde Hudson

* Nominated for Best Film NZ Short Fiction, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Editing & Best Performance NZ Short Fiction (Caitlin Mactavish)

Planet 13

Writer, Director & Editor: Joe Murdie

* Nominated for Best Film NZ Short Fiction, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Editing & Best Performance (Jordan Rivers)

 

Short Films (Student Fiction)

Haera Mai

Writer, Director & Editor: Benjamin McQueen

 

Short Films (Documentary)

End of an Era

Director, Cinematographer & Editor: Joe Murdie as Bunker Street Film Co.

* Nominated for Best Short Documentary & Best Directing Short Documentary

 

Music Videos

Lambs Aren’t Walking Yet

Produced by Joe Murdie as Bunker Street Film Co.

Vendetta

The official video for ‘VENDETTA’ from the forthcoming debut album by Powder Chutes.

Director: Joe Murdie

* Nominated for Best Music Video

 

Web Series (Factual)

Breaking Silence

Series Director: Karen McKenzie

* Nominated for Best Editing NZ Factual Series & Best Host NZ Factual Series

d8talk

No matter where we come from, how we identify ourselves or what we’re into, the desire to find connection is universal. Over the next six months, a diverse group of young New Zealanders will take part in a dating conversation via a new social media project, d8talk. Simply put, d8talk is people talking about dating.

Director: Joe Canham

* Nominated for Best NZ Factual Series & Best Editing NZ Factual Series

Home Education

From a dahlia farm to a house bus, six families find their own ways of educating their children.

Director, DOP, and Editor: Chris Pryor

* Nominated for Best NZ Factual Series & Best Editing NZ Factual Series

K’ Rd Chronicles

K’ Road Chronicles delves into the gritty reality of those living within the margins of society, shining a critical eye on overlooked issues and sharing deeply personal stories of hope and inspiration from our street communities.

Editor: Brendon Chan

* Nominated for Best NZ Factual Series, Best Editing NZ Factual Series & Best Host NZ Factual Series

Kaputī with the Cousins

Kaputī with the Cousins follows Jade Lee-Walker and Kura Turuwhenua as they deal with kaupapa Māori in the way they always do: with a kaputi and a kōrero.

Online Editor: Jack Woon

* Nominated for Best NZ Factual Series & Best Host NZ Factual Series

Sight Unseen

Blind rangatahi highlight their (un)sensationalised day-to-day lives, and their honest, funny, silly and serious conversations.

Directors: Julie Zhu & Sheldene Seth

 

 

Web Series (Narrative)

Camp Be Better

17-year-old outsider Niah is surrounded by spoiled rich kids after somehow ending up at Camp Be Better, a cushy alternative to community service for the offspring of the rich and famous.

Co-director: Chye-Ling Huang

* Nominated for Best NZ Narrative Series, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Performance (Louise Jiang), Best Score, Best Ensemble, Best Editing & Best Cinematography NZ Narrative Series

Literally Dead

True is the most iconic b*tch you’ve ever met, but on the cusp of graduating from high school, she died in a tragic accident (note: it wasn’t an accident). On the night of her graduation party, True’s ghost uncovers her death was the least f*cked up thing that happened that year at Gilchrist Grammar.

Directors: Victoria Boult and Gwen Lin

Editor: Brendon Chan

* Nominated for Best NZ Narrative Series, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Performance (Kirana Asmarani), Best Score, Best Ensemble, Best Editing & Best Cinematography NZ Narrative Series

The Sender

When six school prefects sneak away to a remote bach for a night of underage drinking and questionable decisions, they expect a chill evening—not total social annihilation. At 10 P.M., their phones light up with messages from @thesender, an anonymous account sending scandalous photos that could destroy their carefully crafted lives.

Director: Liv McClymont

Editor: Ben Chesters

* Nominated for Best NZ Narrative Series, Best Directing, Best Score, Best Ensemble, Best Editing & Best Cinematography NZ Narrative Series

 

Last updated on 19 November 2025

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