A short film made by young people in the Far North as part of a filmmaking workshop run by filmmaker development organisation, Script to Screen, has been selected for the prestigious New Zealand International Film Festival in 2017. 

Written and directed by 17-year-old Qianna Titore of Northland College, Natalie is a coming of age drama set in the Far North’s Hokiana Harbour, a place of spiritual significance for the Nga Puhi people. An emotive and evocative film, about a Māori girl who receives a precious waiata composed by her deceased grandfather, it is a story that captures the essence of what it is to be fully connected to the place where you come from.

Selected for the Festival’s Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts 2017 section by Leo Koziol, of the Wairoa Film Festival, he said, “Qianna’s film was one that really shone. It was so wonderful that we created a prize especially for it. We were so inspired by how a whole community got behind the film, we created the ‘Mana Kainga’ award – meaning mana of her village.” 

Esther Cahill-Chiaroni, Executive Director of Script to Screen a national programme that supports aspiring filmmakers through workshops, labs and intensive mentoring programmes, said they have been running programmes in the Hokianga now for eight years. “It’s a place rich in stories, and it’s such a rewarding place to work, that’s why we keep going back. The stories up there are phenominal, very personal, very kaupapa and very whakapapa driven. They’ve got a real reason for telling stories. There’s so much talent.” In the past three years though, with financial assistance from Foundation North and Creative Communities, Script to Screen have developed a more intensive programme directed at youth, where the outcome is to make a short film together. The programme is designed for rangatahi, along with their whanau, teachers and mentors to learn together about storytelling, film, and how it can be used to tell a narrative. 

“Gifting these rangatahi with the tools to express these stories within the discipline of film is an absolute pleasure, and the result is a huge reward - for them, their whanau, their community and now the rest of the country, who in the case of the film Natalie, can access a small slice of that life, and those stories,” said Producer, Eloise Veber.

With access to talented screenwriting mentor Michael Bennett, the three day workshop fostered and encouraged a huge step forward for these Northland storytellers. On the second day participants had the chance to share their stories and receive feedback. Qianna’s story was selected from 17 film pitches for the group to make together as a community short film.

“It was about getting out into the community, hearing their stories and getting the local kids enthusiastic.  The moment I heard 16-year-old Qianna Titore tell her story…I knew this was both a very Hokianga story, and a quite perfect short film idea,” Michael Bennett said.

Qianna received one on one mentoring by filmmaker Michael Bennett, who guided her through the process of writing her nine page script. She was then mentored by Michael on set through the directing process, and worked one on one with Cushla Dillon through editing the film. On set the crew were mentored by experienced Head Of Departments including Leon Narbey for cinematography, and Annie Frear for lighthing, grips and ADs.

“A wonderful and totally committed bunch of Hokianga residents formed the core film crew and cast, and got to make their first movie. That worked spectacularly.  We had 12 kids who turned up every day at a ridiculously early hour and contributed so much.  And a bunch of us working in the industry, had the kind of filmmaking experience that reminded us why we got into this in the first place,” Michael Bennett said.

The workshop held at Whirinaki’s Matai Aranui Marae in July 2016 was aspiring filmmaker Qianna’s second Script to Screen workshop. “You know when you’re a kid you have a list of careers you’d like to do when you’re older? Film making was always on my list,” she said.

Qianna said she had previously made one other short film on anti-bullying, as part of a Young Women in Leadership programme that she had been selected for. “I had no idea what I was doing though!” she said. Sharing her learnings from the Script to Screen workshops, Qianna has started a film making group at her school. Once a term, the 16-strong group of year 9-13 students get together to make a short film that Qianna writes the script and sources the equipment for.

“I’m still buzzing,” said Qianna about her film being included in the festival. “I didn’t realise it was such a big deal!” With her eye firmly set on a career in film, Qianna plans to apply for the South Seas Film and Television School next year.

For other up and coming film makers, applications are now open for Script to Screen’s Story Camp – a 5-day residential feature film workshop with input from international film making mentors.