Wellywood Woman

Because I speak only English fluently I often miss significant contributions from women in film who work primarily in another language: their films, their analysis, their activism. I'm aware there are amazing things happening at women's film festivals in Asia, for instance, and lots in Europe, too. But it's often a challenge to find details from the other side of the world. In Spain however,  CIMA (Asociacion de mujeres cineastas y de medios audiovisuales)  —based in Madrid— has initiated a unique and exciting project, the  European Network of Women in the Audiovisual World  (EWA), and they welcome our participation even if we don't live in Europe. Spread the word?! Spanish women directors established CIMA (now with hundreds of members) because they observed the very low participation of women in key positions in the Spanish audiovisual industry, the difficulties young women had when they wanted to join the profession and the difficulties women had...

Associate Professor Deborah Jones  of the Victoria Management School was my supervisor before it became possible to do a Creative Writing PhD and I transferred to the International Institute of Modern Letters. She was great, and I've been longing to know more about her Glamour & Grind: New Creative Workers  research (with Professor Judith Pringle , and with Ella Henry and Dr Rachel Wolfgramm . Funded by the prestigious Marsden Fund,  Glamour & Grind is a just-completed three-year  case study  which researched the life histories of crews in the New Zealand film industry, in order to develop theories about the identities and careers of 'new' creative workers .   I wish I'd asked Deborah about who she perceived as 'old' creative workers, and speculate—after editing the recording—that she may mean those who in the past were employees, rather than contract workers, at an organisation like the National Film Unit.  I loved hearing what Debor...

Kirstin Marcon’s The Most Fun You Can Have Dying , adapted from Steven Gannaway’s novel Seraphim Blues , opens in New Zealand cinemas on 26 April. It’s a special film for me, because it was one of the few women-written features in development at the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) when, long ago, I started to analyse the NZFC's investment record. Kirstin’s already written and directed two short films. She’s Racing (2000) screened in competition at Edinburgh Film Festival, Torino Film Festival, and Chicago International Film Festival (where it won a Silver Plaque). It also screened at Telluride Film Festival, with Australian indie hit Chopper . Picnic Stops (2004) was selected for competition and as an official Selection at festivals including the Hof International Film Festival, Germany, Expression en Corto International Film Festival, Mexico, and the Creteil Festival de Femmes. Kirstin with focus puller Jason White How did you get into filmmaking? In the late 7...

I've written about about New Zealand's 48 Hours competition  several times (see links below) . So few teams have women writers and directors and I believe that  this low representation contributes to our minimal participation in feature filmmaking. This year, I interviewed three  48 Hours women directors, to find out what attracts them to the competition and how they experience it. So here are Francesca Jago, Laurie Wright, Ruth Korver, each inspired by and enthusiastic about  48 Hours  (more about them at the links below and in the podcast). And after they have their say, Gaylene Preston, who created the  48 Hours  Gaylene Preston Productions/ Women in Film & Television Best Woman Director award. She talks about the award and women's roles in the competition, why she supports the competition and the kinds of things people can do to prepare for it; among other things, she suggests that we watch  The Five Obstructions, about...

Saraswati Clere,  Kate Clere McIntyre and Michael McIntyre   Kate Clere McIntyre is a New Zealand producer and director who lives in Australia. She will tour New Zealand—Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin—from April 12-19, with Yogawoman ('Never underestimate the power of inner peace') which has had rave reviews and sell out screenings in New York, London, Munich and Melbourne. This from just one review of a New York screening, in Bust : The most joyful documentary I’ve ever seen...beautiful cinematography, which reveals women who are different ages, sizes, and nationalities, all sharing yoga...The film radiates such positive energy, you can’t help but be moved...  Yogawoman  features Academy Award nominee Annette Bening as narrator. Ever curious about New Zealand women filmmakers, I sent Kate some questions. And was delighted to be offered two double tickets and two DVDs for readers (see below)! Q: You and Michael McIntyre founded Second Natur...