It is with deep sadness that we mark the passing of long-time DEGANZ board member Costa Botes, who died on 21 November 2025 after a decade of living with cancer. A renowned documentary filmmaker, a generous mentor, and a dedicated advocate for the screen industry, Costa served on the DEGANZ Board from 2013–2018.

Born on the Turkish island of Imbros in 1958 and raised in Wellington, Costa discovered filmmaking as a teenager, experimenting with a Bolex wind-up camera. After initially enrolling in English Literature at Victoria University, he returned to screen and transferred to the filmmaking course at Ilam School of Fine Arts in Christchurch. Upon graduating, he committed fully to working in the screen industry. By 1985, he had directed The Lamb of God, the opener for the anthology series About Face. Soon after, he created Stalin’s Sickle, which won a jury prize at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 1988. The short was based on the short story of the same name by novelist and poet Michael Morrisey, whom Costa would later make a documentary about.

Costa’s most iconic work is the cult classic mockumentary Forgotten Silver, co-written and co-directed with Peter Jackson. Its blend of fiction and documentary styles sparked controversy on release, with many viewers believing the story was true. The film went on to win Best Director at the New Zealand Television Awards and the Special Critics’ Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1996. Earlier this year, Costa revisited that landmark project with the publication of Remembering Forgotten Silver: The Film that Fooled a Nation.

In 1999, Costa continued working with Peter Jackson, documenting the making of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. His extensive behind-the-scenes work resulted in three feature-length documentaries and was used in extensive behind-the-scenes content for the trilogy.

Another significant creative partnership was with director Zoe McIntosh, who described Costa as someone who “gives his time generously, quietly, without agenda.” Together they created a body of work that included Lost in Wonderland, Day Trip, King of Caravans, The World in Your Window, and The Deadly Ponies Gang, which all travelled widely on the festival circuit and collected numerous awards.

Across his career, Costa has contributed to the making of over 40 projects as a writer, director, editor, director of photography, and producer. His dedication to storytelling continued throughout his life; he completed the first cut of a new film just weeks before his death.

In addition to his screen career, Costa was deeply involved in Wellington’s music scene, both as a gifted musician and as an enthusiastic supporter of local artists.

Costa will be missed by many, including his wife, Debs Botes.