It struck me, that the conditions in which I was given a true opportunity to be a filmmaker are not available today and have never been in Aotearoa. In 1981 I was lucky enough to attend film school in Australia where everyone was not only paid a stipend, but we were able to make short films with budgets supplied by the school as well as meet and be together with like-minded students some of whom I’m still close to. In my experience the true learning happened on projects and between peers. This moment feels like a time to give back and I am incredibly grateful that Netflix has chosen to fully support this Pop Up Film Intensive which I characterise as A WAVE IN THE OCEAN. - Jane Campion

The Film Intensive is a place of learning for emerging film director/writers, as well as an experience, and an experiment devoted to a deep connection to self and to material. It is based on the belief that each of us filmmakers has a sacred psyche that dreams to express itself poetically, humorously, dramatically through visual storytelling.
We want to create a space where risk and ambition are playmates, honoured and respected. A place where curiosity and inquiry is never ending and persistence and hard work shape intuition and outcomes.

The Intensive began November 2022 and flows through to October 2023, structured around a series of workshops, creative briefs and peer to peer learning based in Miramar, Wellington. The ten participating filmmakers will then be funded to make a short film to be completed by the end of 2024.

Eleanor Bishop
Prisca Bouchet
Mingjian Cui
Freya Silas Finch
Todd Karehana
Nick Mayow
Hash Perambalam
Paloma Schneideman
Ana Scotney
Samuel Te Kani

Alongside AWITO we have developed a second programme, CREST. This is for four exciting emerging filmmakers who very much caught our attention. Each of them are working on a longform project. This programme provides a stipend and mentoring by Jane Campion and a changing selection of experienced industry specialists over six months. Teaching and mentoring is in person at three residential retreats across the period. The aim is to support each participant as they develop their work to be production fit.
We're grateful to Netflix as our main sponsor alongside Wellington Unesco City of Film and the New Zealand Film Commission for supporting Crest.

Hiona Henare
Martin Sagadin
Awanui Simich-Pene
Yamin Tun