Eady and Redmond Take Home Bronze and Silver at the NZCS Awards

DEGANZ members Dan Eady and Tyler Redmond received kudos at this year’s New Zealand Cinematographers Society’s (NZSC) Cinematography Awards.

NZSC created the festival in 2016 as a way for cinematographers’ mahi in Aotearoa to be evaluated and recognised to help boost their profiles and progress their careers. With a variety of categories from music videos to features to news and current affairs, the awards recognise productions of any genre and budget level, with bronze, silver, and gold awarded per category.

Dan won Bronze in the Web Series category for Sandwich, which he directed, produced, and shot.

Tyler brought home the Silver in the Student Films category for Bring Me Home, a short he was DOP for while studying.

Congratulations Dan and Tyler for the recognition of your hard work!

 

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Vision Feast Your Eyes on DEGANZ Members!

Six DEGANZ Members have their projects nominated for awards at this year’s Vision Feast.

Vision Feast is an annual short film and music video festival that acknowledges filmmakers with a creative passion, technical skills, and what they call a ‘stroke of madness’. The festival accepts both domestic and international submissions. This year’s international entries are from the USA, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, and Europe.

Check out the list below!

Planet 13

In a harsh, burnt-out planet that is rapidly dying, a young couple roam the land in search of a way to buy their survival.

Directed by Joe Murdie

Nominated for Best Aotearoa Project, Best NZ Short Film and Visionary NZ Cinematography

 

The Balloon

On her birthday, an earnest, young girl finds unexpected solace when her mother seemingly fails to make any plans.

Directed by James Fink-Jensen

Nominated for Best NZ Short Film and Visionary NZ Cinematography

 

Oops, I Murdered the Person the Person I Like Likes

When Horatio learns that his crush, Princess Bellimperia, already has a boyfriend, he joins the army so he can murder him. Based on The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd, this movie is made entirely out of cardboard.

Directed by Ross Ozarka

Nominated for Best NZ Feature Film

 

The Bostrom Scenario

Alice Wonder grieves for the murder of her brother but nobody knows he ever existed. Alice searches for answers, unravelling the story of a supernatural photographer and the film crew of a cursed documentary.

Directed by Ricky Townsend

Nominated for Best NZ Feature Film

 

Snapped Up (By The Boss)

Directed by Ashley Pitman

Nominated for Best NZ Music Video

 

Dear Future Generation

Macey lives carelessly in a world blind to climate change, but not for long… The spirit of a girl from the past haunts Macey and leads her to a discovery that will change her perception of the world forever.

Directed by Yana Chernova

Nominated for Best NZ Student Live Action Work

 

Dive

A coming-of-age drama that follows a young competitive swimmer named Paula, who is trained by her father Troy. Despite her dedication and hard work, Paula’s results don’t meet her father’s high standards. Meanwhile, Troy struggles with financial problems and the possibility of losing their home. As the national swimming competition approaches, tensions rise between father and daughter, and Paula begins to question her passion for the sport.

Directed by Tyler Redmond

Nominated for Best NZ Student Live Action Work

 

Congratulations to our members on the nominations! Check out the full list here.

 

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Rainbow wins at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

Sasha Rainbow (DEGANZ) has won the Dark Matter Jury Award for Best Director at the 2024 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival for her film Grafted.

The feature follows Wei, a brilliant but disfigured Chinese scholarship student who is shunned by her classmates at a prestigious New Zealand university. She decides to achieve the popularity she desperately craves by putting her science studies to new and terrifying use.

The Dark Matter Jury Award is presented annually at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, celebrating innovative filmmakers who push the boundaries of the horror genre. Sasha’s film stood out for its bold direction and chilling atmosphere, earning praise from both the jury and audiences alike.

Congratulations to Sasha on this recognition!

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Webby Selected for Script to Screen Strength in Numbers

Kim Webby (DEGANZ) has been selected to participate in the 2024/2025 Strength in Numbers programme, run by Script to Screen.

Over a series of workshops run by Script to Screen and led by David Court, Strength in Numbers participants are given the time and tools they need to make strategic and sustainable choices for their creative enterprises. This is a unique opportunity for screen industry businesses to work together on the building blocks of business models that will sustain their future and, ultimately, shape the industry.

Congrats, Kim!

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‘The Moon is Upside Down’ Win at Santa Fe International Film Festival

The Moon is Upside Down, written and directed by DEGANZ member Loren Taylor, has won the Special Jury Award for Narrative Feature at the 2024 Santa Fe International Film Festival.

The film follows three women as they navigate an unfamiliar landscape and the contours of the human heart. First, there’s Natalia, a duped mail-order bride. Then, there’s Briar, a numbed anaesthetist determined to have a romantic weekend. Last is Faith, an empty nester on an unexpected mission of mercy.

The Special Jury Award for Narrative Feature at the Santa Fe International Film Festival recognizes exceptional storytelling and artistic achievement in independent cinema.

Congratulations to Loren and the team behind The Moon is Upside Down on this achievement!

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