Filmmakers to Watch in 2025: Part Two
For nearly two decades, Day One Hāpai te Haeata has been working with emerging and aspiring young filmmakers, watching their film careers flourish and develop. We are so pleased to have been a part of their journey in some way.
What often sets these voices apart is a strong desire to elevate creative storytelling through the medium of filmmaking and a determination to champion the communities that they care about. Their fresh take on filmmaking makes our film community so much richer.
Each of these filmmakers have been shortlisted, nominated and/or are winners of the Day One New Filmmaker Awards special categories. We asked them to tell us a bit more about themselves, how they got into film and why. Read on to find out why Day One believes these are the filmmakers to keep an eye on in 2025(and beyond)!
We are back with Part Two of our Filmmakers to Watch in 2025 series. Read more below.
Kahuetahi Kaiha
Age: 27
City: Auckland
Area of expertise: Writer / Director / Actor / Producer
How & Why did you get into your area?
I graduated from South Seas in 2018, and started working as an actor in 2021. In 2022, I made my writing, directing debut and played the main character in my first short Find Where I Belong, a self-funded and crowdfunded project who won best short at FIFO Tahiti 2023. Once I sold the rights of the film to France TV, I shifted my energy towards developing my directing skills.
I come from the Marquesas Islands, a very isolated group islands in the far north of French Polynesia. My culture, my language, my people almost disappeared with colonisation. I got into the film industry to give my people a platform, a place where they can heal, feel seen, loved and accepted for the way they are.
Personally, I never felt like storytelling was something new, it is anchored in my DNA, I’m just carrying the heritage of my ancestors.
What advice/tips would you give to those who want to work in your area?
- Filmmaking is a sacred, a self-less act of creation, treat it with deep respect.
- Learn where you come from, learn your ancestry, it will make your journey meaningful.
- Detach yourself from the outcome, focus on becoming better in your field.
- Talent is a gift for those who work hard otherwise it is just talent.
- Filmmaking is like a village, it’s a collective art, be the person who people want to work with.
- The film industry is also business, learn how to use the laws of power.
- This industry is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, find your own pace.
What motivates you to take on challenges and lead others in your filmmaking journey?
To begin with, I chose to lead others because it is a spiritual calling. What motivates is the hardship, the grind, the hard work, the resilience you develop throughout the process and leading others is just the consequence of that.
Moreover, I’ve had overwhelming support throughout my filmmaking journey. I have my parents who work hard to provide everything I need to pursue this career. I had people who donated to my projects who couldn’t afford lunch for their kids, people who didn’t know me personally, people who saw in me in way to make their dreams come true, people who gave generous amount of their hard earned money with nothing in return. It’s a big responsibility and a huge privilege to be in this position. That is why, making films for me, is an act of deep gratitude and honour.
To finish, what drives me the most in this field, is to have a platform to promote love and healing for my people and humanity.
What does collaboration mean to you, and how do you inspire those you work with?
Collaboration is the core of survival. It’s giving the best of yourself for the best of the whole. It’s like a voyaging canoe. Despite everybody having their own tasks, the goal is to work in harmony with each other and nature to get to destination. That’s how I see making a film. Without collaboration it’s chaos.
What always helps me inspire others is to be genuine and authentic on a personal level. On a professional level, it’s being transparent with my crew, it’s either paying them well or communicating with them if things are not going well.
Being a good collaborator is a balance between standing your ground and allowing others to guide you, it is empowering others while achieving your vision. How to inspire on set, for me, is to treat others with respect and acknowledge everyone. I always tell myself, with everything good they can do in this world they choose to be here doing this bloody movie at 2 am in the morning, so be grateful.
What are your tips for keeping morale up during challenging moments?
1) Detachment for me is key. We should try to distance ourselves from the end result. As artists and creators, we should enjoy the process of creating.
If God does exist, he would be a depressed God looking at how humanity is doing.
2) To dis-identify with the process, life is not only about filmmaking, it’s not about getting gigs as an actor or getting awards. Life is also coming back to your centre, to your humanness. You should not let the spirits of creation affect your day to day life. Life is just being there where you are in the present moment.
My ancestors used to do a lot rituals before, during and after the act of creation, it was the case of tattooing. The sacredness is as important as within and without the process of creation. When you create, you call upon powers of the universe, you just the vehicle at that specific space in time and then you go on live your life.
3) Always put love first. Especially you’ve been hurt, when you are victim of an injustice, sometimes we tend to fall into this traumatic response of victimhood. Put love first in your films, in the people you work with, and that’s the journey to healing and your art will be the vehicle of that.
What inspires your storytelling, and how do you approach bringing fresh perspectives to the screen?
Speaking from an Indigenous perspective, a majority of the themes that we see on screen about indigenous people are about us dealing with our trauma. Be it racism, colonisation, vengeance, injustice… It is always about us being the victim of some type of oppression. I respect the stories that have been told that way, I think it’s very important for our community but I think it’s time to look into ourselves.
I want to make films that have nothing to with proving a point, but films that are empowering and healing, where we see indigenous people as heroes not victims. Films have historically been made by non-indigenous filmmakers and we are shown to an audience through their lens/gaze and we eventually see ourselves through that same lens.
Bringing fresh perspectives is not about making new things, but trusting that we can do it ourselves. We can make our Polynesian stories relatable to the world. Polynesian culture is so rich that it’s hard to make something new, what’s new is the way we share it.
Can you share a project or moment where you felt your creative vision truly came to life?
I have two moments:
Find Where I Belong, my first short film is the first fiction Marquesan film made ever. It screened in many schools for children with difficult upbringings in French Polynesia and in the Marquesas Islands. In the screening I attended, all the kids were silent not because of how film looks but because they could see themselves in the main character and the story.
I’ve asked so many times what they liked about it, they said it feels good to see a character they can relate to, it feels good to hear the language they speak, it feels good to see someone that I can become. I realised that if this film that we shot without permits on the streets of K Road can be make this much of an impact, I saw there a solution to a lot of social issues we face back home.
Kakaia, The Children of Tiki is a feature documentary I’m developing for 2027. I’ve shot several amount of interviews and inserts. This project is the true essence of my storytelling. It is about my culture, it is about local heroes. One of the main character is my father. I’ve interviewed my father for 6 hours about his trauma, how he sees himself in modern society, how the Catholic Church almost wiped out our cultural knowledge , and how he powered through to become a cultural leader though his carvings and the dance group we created KAKAIA. The moment I felt my creative vision coming to life is when I started to see my father open up and unpack. I saw him empowered after the interview, I saw him feeling heard and seen. As a son, it gave a deeper meaning to my work, to why I’m pursing this path.
What kind of stories do you hope to tell in the future, and what impact do you hope they’ll have?
My ultimate goal is to create a Polynesian cinema, where the score, the language, the protagonists, the cinematography and production design are representative of the Polynesian culture. So then the world can see us the way we are and realise that we are not that different.
I want to make films that are representative of what French Polynesia is for the people who live there. French Polynesia has been promoted as this touristy looking place for the elites to go on holidays. I want to make films about the local heroes that live in the slums of Tahiti who are working hard to provide for their families. I want to make films about what’s make us resilient and loving people. I want to make films for my people to be heard, seen and loved.
Finally, I want make films to inspire the youth back home to pursue their dreams. That anything they set themselves to do is achievable no matter how small their islands are compared to the world.
Elizabeth Hodgson
Age: 23
City: Wellington
Area of expertise: Production, Producing, Assistant Directing, Production Managing.
How & Why did you get into your area?
I attended Massey's film course, initially wanting to be a director and cinematographer, but when I discovered ADing and producing, I found that these roles played along better with my strengths and skills. Once I figured out that producing isn't necessarily all about money, but about PEOPLE, my love for the role evolved!
What advice/tips would you give to those who want to work in your area?
Producing is a big role. It requires a lot of on-the-go problem solving, juggling money and contracts, and interacting with lots of personalities on and off set. My biggest advice is putting whakawhanaungatanga (creating meaningful connections) at the core of your work, so that the favours and networking naturally come from the effort made. "At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel."
What motivates you to take on challenges and lead others in your filmmaking journey?
I've always been drawn to leadership roles no matter the context. I feel like producing films provides me with an excellent dynamic of both creative and enterprising challenges. I'm motivated by a better tomorrow for the young filmmakers of New Zealand and what we can achieve when we come together as one.
What does collaboration mean to you, and how do you inspire those you work with?
Collaboration = communication and community. A leader is only as good as their team! I suppose the kaupapa of what I work on (notably the short film series, Snap Shot Shorts, which independently bridges the gap between the industry and young filmmakers) is attractive to young filmmakers because my work lifts them up and gives them opportunities they desire. People work on Snap Shot Shorts because it's the first thing like it in New Zealand film history.
What are your tips for keeping morale up during challenging moments?
I remind myself that the struggle is temporary, and that my reaction to challenging moments is what defines me as a person. Surrounding myself with a solid team and making sure I stay kind is always integral. It's also important to not forget to put yourself first, as independent filmmaking is never easy.
Julian Wagner
Age: 22
City: Auckland
Area of expertise: Lighting/Gripping
How & Why did you get into your area?
I kinda just fell into it after highschool, working on bigger dramas/movies and working my way down to HOD’ing on smaller sets. I connect to my work very much.
What advice/tips would you give to those who want to work in your area?
Having trained many people up over the past 2 years here are the main things I share with them:
- Don’t care about what other people say career advice wise, trust your instinct
- The best networking tip for the Film industry is to say yes to every low paying job, cause you never know who you’ll meet
- Learn how you respond to being under stress, and how to control your response
What motivates you to take on challenges and lead others in your filmmaking journey?
My ambition to learn and grow, and to do the best possible work of my craft.
What does collaboration mean to you, and how do you inspire those you work with?
Collaboration means combining each persons suggestions and thoughts to create the best possible outcome. It also means being open to suggestions that you might initially be against or not wanting.
What are your tips for keeping morale up during challenging moments?
- Bouncing off your teams energy and keeping everyone’s heads up
- Remembering the money and that you get paid to do what you love
What inspires your storytelling, and how do you approach bringing fresh perspectives to the screen?
All the people I work with Inspires me! I work with a wide variety of what I call “new school” film makers, who’s career has been self created and self taught, not coming up through the traditional film way. Working with DP’s who think outside the box and are open to trying something new keeps everything exciting and fresh.
Can you share a project or moment where you felt your creative vision truly came to life?
Working on The Holy Ghost I really got to play with my craft and felt free to both make suggestions and collaborate in the best way with the DP to really make the lighting the best it could have possibly been. Watching the finished film really solidified this.
What kind of stories do you hope to tell in the future, and what impact do you hope they’ll have?
I hope to tell stories that give goosebumps to the audience when they watch it, stories that encapsulate the audience and make them love the story and come back to it til the day they die.
What drew you to focus on the technical side of filmmaking, and what do you love most about your craft?
To start I’m a very technical person, it’s like playing with adult Lego everyday, it’s awesome. Being able to create and shape a work of art while executing very specific bits and bobs really clicks with my brain and how I function, especially in a high pressure environment. That’s probably what I love most about my craft. It doesn’t feel like a typical “job”, it feels like I’m playing with toys with friends all day.
What’s a specific area of your craft you’re passionate about mastering, and why does it excite you?
A specific area of my craft that I’m drifting into is camera movement and achieving difficult camera placement - aka Gripping/Dolly Gripping. It’s something that’s new for me as I’ve been doing lighting for the past 5ish years. It’s different to lighting and I get excited whenever I get to do Grip work.
Can you describe a moment where you contributed to elevating a project or solved a problem on set?
The first time I ever used a Meance Arm (long boom arm) was on Holy Ghost, where we wanted to boom a light over a window from a balcony. It was a very convincing sunlight and it was one of the first steps in a slippery slope of loving grip work.
Belle Chalisa
Age: 26
City: Auckland
Area of expertise: Producer
How & why did you get into your area?
How: By being proactive in putting myself out there, and connecting with directors and writers who have passion and a good script.
Why: I worked with many filmmakers on pitching their projects while I was at a film festival company. After overseeing around 10-15 projects, I wanted to be on stage myself and work on my own projects too.
What advice/tips would you give to those who want to work in your area?
Say yes to any opportunities that come your way (within your boundaries, of course), even if they don't feel like it would progress your career at the time. You never know.
Also, many problems CAN be solved, and they're not as bad as it might seem in your head.
What motivates you to take on challenges and lead others in your filmmaking journey?
I believe that challenges ultimately lead to growth, and that motivates me to not shy away from them.
Honestly, I don't think I've been 'leading' anyone when it comes to filmmaking. It always felt like we've been helping and pushing each other to be better, especially for the sake of the project.
What does collaboration mean to you, and how do you inspire those you work with?
Collaboration is everything to me - I'd like to think that we all bring something to the table that complements each other.
What are your tips for keeping morale up during challenging moments?
Showing compassionate and kindness goes a long way. For example, being quick to say "good job" or "it's ok, don't worry about it" can be very necessary in challenging moments.
Adam Scholz
Age: 26
City: Auckland
Area of Expertise: Editorial / Post production
How & why did you get into your area?
I've always been drawn to post as it exists at the intersection of the technical and the artistic. One moment I'll be solving a technical problem, the next I'll be solving a creative problem!
What advice/tips would you give to those who want to work in your area?
Master the technical fundamentals so they don't distract you from making good creative choices. Read In the Blink of an Eye, and get Avid certified if you can!
What drew you to focus on the technical side of filmmaking, and what do you love most about your craft?
The way my brain works drew me to the technical side. I love that I still get to be creative while solving technical problems, though.
What’s a specific area of your craft you’re passionate about mastering, and why does it excite you?
I'm not sure one can ever really be a master editor, each story requires a completely different headspace and approach in my experience, so it's a bit like re-learning what works each time, but for me, honestly, that IS what's most exciting about it.
Can you describe a moment where you contributed to elevating a project or solved a problem on set?
I usually have a pretty good sense about what will and won't cut, so on set I often help in figuring out coverage.
Stay tuned for Part Three of our Filmmakers to Watch in 2025 list.