Announcing our Day One Shorts Series 8 Shortlist

We received a healthy number of applications this year (60), with the quality of the proposals very high, and a diverse range of stories presented.

We are thrilled to see the talent and the wealth of ideas out there in the new film-makers coming through across Aotearoa. Thank you to everyone who submitted their stories to us. And shout out to the alumni who helped us shortlist this year, Bala Murali Shingade and Gretchen Hatton.

Here is the shortlist for Series 8…

Lemons

Scripted, Indie Dramedy

A young Māori woman is given her estranged birth mother’s ashes and has to figure out what to do with them.

Director
India Fremaux (she/her)
Te Arawa, Te Rarawa

Writer/Producer
Caitlin Fremaux (she/her)
Te Arawa, Te Rarawa

Consulting Producer
Angela Cudd (she/her)
Ngāti Porou, Te-Whānau-Ā-Apanui, Ngātiwai

Wilbert Wire

Scripted Sci-fi / family

A robot art student who is othered by his human teacher and classmates is tasked with creating a painting about love.

Writer/Director
Ricky Townsend (he/him)
Pākehā/NZ European

Producer
Ella Waswo (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Co-Producer
Joseph Chamsay (he/him)
Filipino/Chinese/Spanish

Pyro Pods

Documentary

Following an alarming rise in roadside waste fires in New Zealand, eyewitnesses and experts explain why all of us are to blame, how it’s getting worse, and the urgent actions needed to keep people safe.

Director
Joe Canham (he/him)
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Te Hikutū

Producer
Mallory Perigo (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Blue Marble

Scripted — Sci-fi/ Dark Comedy

A young man thinking about ending his life meets an Alien who wants to learn about Earth, and surprises himself to find he enjoys being a tour guide.

Writer/Director
Madison Fotti-Knowles (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Producer
Paris Coulson (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

The Silent Maiden

Scripted - Modernised Historical Drama

Lin Moniang, a young mute Chinese girl, dedicates her youth to guiding her father and other fisherman home after each day on the water.

Writer
Adrian Hooke [Pākehā/NZ European] (he/him)

Director
Heidi Watson (she/her)
Taiwanese-European

Producer
Tessa McGeorge
Pākehā/NZ European] (she/her)

The Glow

Scripted - Dramedy

A new baby puts a strain on a close female friendship, forcing the two women to figure out how to hold on to their love for each other in the face of life-altering change.

Writer
Isabella McDermott (she/her)
Pākehā

Director
Harriett Maire (she/her)
Swiss-Pākehā

Producer
Hayley Becht (she/her)
Dutch-Pākehā

Pasi

Documentary

A day in the life of a Samoan immigrant bus driver as he traverses the streets of Auckland, his home life, his role in his community and to his family, and his general outlook and persona.

Director
Robert Norman (he/him)
Samoan European

Run Your Mouth

Scripted - Comedy

During a run, Ra is pursued by an angry youth who wants to fight. Impressed by the youth’s tenacity, Ra agrees to fight after their run, and then mentors him on running efficiency to tire him out.

Writer/Director
Toi Rankin (he/him)
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

Taurewarewa

Documentary

An inquisitive approach to bipolar disorder in New Zealand, Taurewarewa gathers the stories of people affected by the disorder; people diagnosed with it, their family and close friends, and health professionals who help manage it.

Director
Libby Witheford-Smith (she/he)
Kāi Tahu

Producer
Lily Groenhart (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

The Neon Labyrinth

Scripted - Comedy, Adventure

Lost at the night markets, Johnjohn tries to find his parents, while searching he befriends Junior, a child of a family working the stalls who takes him on a fantastical journey to find his loved ones.

Writers/Directors
Sean Dioneda Rivera (he/they)
Filipino, Pakeha

Albert Latailakepa (he/him)
Samoan, Tongan

Producer
Danny Aumua (he/him)
Samoan

Sexual Deviants

Scripted - romance/drama

At the beginning of the next chapter of his life Charlie reluctantly ends up on a date. Lauren seems both lovely and understanding but Charlie still frets about confessing his asexuality.

Writer
Olive Shadbolt (they/them)
Rongowhakaata

Director
Judah Jackson (he/him)
Pākehā/NZ European

Producer
Bianca Ellis (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Detangling the Stigma

Documentary

Through her work in film, 28-year-old driven creative, Jzayla Hughey, is detangling the stigma of afro-textured hair, demonstrating that being natural plays a significant role in Aotearoa's film industry.

Director
Jzayla Marcya (she/her)
African-American / Australian

Going

Scripted — Drama

Two sisters travel along a rural road in a mobility scooter, towing a coffin to the next goodbye.

Director
Frankie Berge (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Producer
Ashleigh Roworth (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Holy Ghost

Scripted — Drama, Surrealist, Body Horror

A queer relationship falls out of sync as one woman loses touch with what is real and what may or may not be coming to her from the divine.

Writer/Director
Hannah Lynch (she/her)
Samoan, Fijian, NZ European, Ngāti Porou

Producer
Esaú Mora (he/him)
Mexican-American

Punching Shadows

Scripted — Drama

In a battle between dreams and family, a young immigrant teen fighter defies his Filipino cultural beliefs to pursue his passion for boxing.

Director
Lloyd Lising (he/him)
Filipino

Producer
Aislin Hook (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

The Social Ladder

Documentary

Exploring the way social media is changing the landscape and chemistry of our brains and attention spans.

Director
Vanessa Cone (she/her)
Pākehā/NZ European

Producer
CJ Draper (they/them)
Pākehā/NZ European

Behind The White Wall

Scripted — Drama

A Korean immigrant dad, working as a construction painter, mentors a new young worker while simultaneously battling melancholia and guilt as he awaits the arrival of his family.

Writer/Director
Seunghoon Sung (he/him)
Korean

Producer
Joshua Nicholas Siu (he/him)
Chinese

Over the next few weeks these teams will receive feedback on their initial submissions, they will have time to re-develop their scripts and supporting materials before they re-submit proposals in January 2024 for funding.

Funded teams will be announced here on 31st January 2024. Each funded documentary team will receive $15k, and each funded scripted team will receive $20k to produce their film, along with wrap-around talent development support including workshops, professional script consultancy, and directing mentors.

Thank you to our funders and screen partners for making this initiative possible; NZ On Air, Whakaata Māori and RNZ.