One of the stalwarts of the NZ film sector is moving on - but you won't find his name up in lights or walking the Oscars Red Carpet.

New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer Mladen Ivancic is stepping down after three decades working for the organisation, finishing up at the end of July.

Ivancic stepped into the Acting CEO role in August last year after David Strong left the role after a conflict of interest saga - a role that will be filled by Annie Murray starting mid-June.

NZFC Chair Alastair Carruthers says that although he is saddened by the news, Mladen's service to the organisation is unrivalled. 

“Mladen is treasured at NZFC. His wealth of experience and knowledge is encyclopedic and his intelligent and humble leadership has been valued by everyone.”

Since starting at NZFC as Finance Director, Mladen (above) has been a reliable leader - holding the roles of Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer and Acting CEO (a total of six times).

A recpient of the SPADA / Onfilm Industry Champion Award for his contribution to the screen industry in New Zealand, Mladen has played a key role in negotiating more than a dozen Official Co-Production treaties including with China, Germany, India, The Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, South Africa and the UK.

If you consider the growth of the film industry in this country since 1989, Mladen's been the one constant in what has been an upward trend.

Mladen was deeply involved in designing criteria and processes for NZFC's $50m production funding to rejuvenate the sector in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions, enabling local producers to create projects of scale for domestic and international audiences. Mladen's input was considered vital in ensuring that the Fund was allocated appropriately and successfully, leading to $154m investment in films and television series in New Zealand.  

Not one to crave the spotlight, Mladen will look to quietly exit, but the creative endeavours of many New Zealanders have been made possible by the back-room work he has been a part of.

Life on the Edge

From over 1300 films submitted (and viewed) - a line up of 71 films has been confirmed for this year's International Documentary Festival (24 May – 9 July through Auckland, Wellington and online) at last night's launch event in Auckland.

12 Aotearoa films have made the cut - four features and eight shorts.  Among them, a common theme is the environment, with the world premiere of Simon Mark-Brown's Seasick as well as Taking Back Our Beach from director Anton Steel and Katherine McRae's Pacific Mother. 

Arts enthusiasts will also be eager to check out Frances Hodgkins, Anything but a Still Life - director Blandine Massiet du Biest's debut feature exploring the life of celebrated New Zealand modernist painter Frances Hodgkins. 

The film retraces Hodgkins' pioneering and inspirational career, taking viewers to the places she lived and worked, and shedding light on the challenges she faced and her unwavering commitment to her craft.

And among the shorts is a tale of one of our most decorated performing arts bloodlines. No Acting in It  (directed by Roberto Nascimento) focuses on two great dames - Dame Kate and daughter Dame Miranda Harcourt as they explore their close bond and family legacy in acting that now spans three generations with the talented Thomasin McKenzie.

The 2023 Doc Edge launch came with a special one night only screening of The Unredacted - which could have a documentary made of the reaction to the documentary.

Filmmaker Meg Smaker spent 16 months filming in a Saudi camp that rehabilitates men accused of terrorism, her doco was invited to screen at Sundance.

But a social media campaign to drop the film by those who couldn't have know what it contained (considering fewer than 20 people on the planet had seen it) saw Sundance and all other festivals remove it from their line-up.

Except one.

In a release, Doc Edge stated "we don’t believe in letting bullies win. We’ve been down that road before, and we don’t reward bad behaviour. We believed in Meg Smaker’s film, and what it had to say. And we believe she had every right to say it."

Since then, Smaker's had a rally of support and her documentary made the Oscars long list - so to say thank you she came out for the screening last night and donated her filmmaker’s fee "to ensure that (Doc Edge) can keep showing quality independent documentary films. Because they matter."

Also announced at last night's launch, an XR Exhibition showcasing 22 cutting-edge virtual reality and augmented reality projects and a photo exhibition to pay homage to the renowned documentary photographer, the late Ans Westra, will be coincide with the festival.

And it's been revealed that filmmaker Annie Goldson will be the recipient of this year's Doc Edge Superhero Award, for her outstanding contribution to the documentary genre, at 3 June's Award night.

Arts Grants round opens

Sending all the best wishes and good vibes to everyone having a crack at the latest Creative New Zealand (CNZ) Arts Grants round that opens this morning (27 April).

It doesn't appear off to a great start - we've been contacted by a number of frustrated creatives that the site has been crashing/freezing, which is presumably down to the high traffic and interest in the funding window.

Update: CNZ has responded to the outages; 

"We're sorry that the application site is not working smoothly for some – there are a lot of people creating their applications at once and while the portal is very busy this may happen occasionally. It will settle, so please wait a few minutes before refreshing, and if you have an error message, close, then reopen your application form before trying to continue. 

"We know this is stressful for applicants and we’re trying to keep things running smoothly – our systems team is available for support if you’re having problems, it’s our top priority: portal@creativenz.govt.nz"

Last week we documented the changes in the application cap from 250 to 450 - as well as a handy extra $3m.

This week, The Big Idea has spoken to creatvies who are applying for the final Arts Grant that will contain a maximum application mark - therefore the last to have the unknown and brutal time pressure of getting your application in quickly.

It's clear the move from 250 to 450 applications is appreciated, but the pressure is still as intense as ever, no one wants to be 451.  It's an important read to understand what goes into an application and what it takes out of those going through the process.

February's round lasted 24 hours - how long will the nearly doubled round take to fill up?

Sharing the love

We've stated it before - and we will again - when the chips are down, the creative community's compassion and aroha never falls short.

It will be on display again - as Pasifika artists affected by the recent floods in Auckland will be supported with an impromptu fundraiser at Scott Lawrie Gallery (6-17 May).

Like so many people, these artists have lost their homes, cars, studios, and consequently much of their work. To help them get back on their feet, the gallery is hosting a show of undamaged work saved from their studios - and will take zero commission from the sales.

Lawrie told The Lowdown “the effects of the flood are still being felt by so many people across Auckland, including in our creative communities. I just wanted to help by showcasing work that was physically saved from the flood waters, and raise much-needed money for the artists. 

"It also serves as a reminder that the damage of this catastrophe will still be felt for a long time yet. It’s a really hopeful show though, and quite a joyful project. You’ll be able to pick up some real gems – all proceeds will go directly to the artists.”

One of those artists is Sefton Rani, who told The Lowdown of what life has been like since the natural distater struck earlier this year.

"My wife and I are currently living on the North Shore which is the third place we have stayed at since the cyclone, which resulted in our house being yellow stickered due to 5 feet deep flooding on the bottom floor of the house and my studio. A retaining wall also failed which is now resting on the back of the house causing structural concerns. 

"The result is we can no longer live in the house for the foreseeable future. I lost my studio and about 50% of the work I had in stock along with all the tools and tables that were in the studio. I now have a new studio about 5 km from where I am staying and am currently working on a body of work for an upcoming exhibition. 

"It is anticipated that it could be 3 years or more before we can move back to Piha, based on recent discussions with various groups and their experiences with the situation faced during the Christchurch earthquakes. Our predicament, the lengthy and uncertain insurance and earthquake commission process, as well as the mental and financial weight that carries will be an ongoing issue for some time to come.

"While our situation is obviously not ideal, this opportunity created by Scott Lawrie Gallery to help support myself and others impacted by the recent weather events shows not only the generosity of spirit and nature of Scott but also mirrors what we have experienced from the arts ecosystem and friends generally. 

"We have had multiple offers of places to stay both when we initially moved out of Piha to get us started and long term. So many people have reached out to us whether it is to check up on us to make sure we are doing ok, to catch up for dinner, to present us with gifts or groceries to get us started. It is very humbling and a reminder that my wife and I are blessed to be surrounded by the most wonderful people."

The fundraiser show opens alongside a solo show of new work by emerging artist Xi-Li.

Gallery meets garage sale

It's not every day you find a leading arts organisation throwing a garage sale - but it's shaping as an engaging way to bring the community together and see Tautai's latest exhibition.

As part of their Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse  exhibition, Malae Collective - made up of Elena Folau (Lenz), Eseta Le’au (Seka), Lefaataualofa Totua (Lofa), Lokelani Folau (Loke), Karita Siakisini (KJ) - have combined with a large range of vendors to bring everything from art prints to plus size clothing, hand made jewellery, one-of-a-kind T-shirts, fabrics, curated vintage dinnerware, pre-loved clothing, coconut oil, vinyl records and food together with their own varied creative outlets on display at the gallery.

They explain "We thought a Garage Sale would be a fun way to connect with our wider community - providing an opportunity for fellow makers and supporters to sell their creations and - in our own way - celebrate garages!

"We designed our exhibition to mirror a garage space; reclaiming it as an area just for the gals. It’s where we create our art, have potluck dinner with our sisters, host mini club nights and drink-ups and ultimately - a place that fosters greatness. We are so keen to welcome you into our exhibition space and have a real-life Garage Sale."

The Garage Sale takes place Saturday (29 April) from 10am-2pm.

Don't forget your roots

Across the Auckland Harbour bridge, culture is also key at Depot Artspace as students exhibit with their teacher to help keep the traditional Asian art practices alive by blending with the expression of the next generation.

Full Circle: Young Contemporary Asian New Zealand Art sees award-winning artist Weilun Ha and his students at Little Forest Art Studio, aged between 7 and 13, take over the main gallery starting with Saturday's (29 April) opening event and running until 30 May.

Trained in the traditional Lingnan or Cantonese School style of painting, Ha's own teaching combines respect and understanding of tradition with the idiosyncratic style that each aspiring artist brings to their work. 

Ha, who has previously taught at Otago Polytechnic, Corban Estate Arts Centre and Lake House Arts Centre, told The Lowdown “I think it's important that traditional practices continue to evolve in our daily lives. If we become detached, then the art aesthetics become obsolete. The function of cultural arts is to provide us with a way of understanding others.

"Asian art continues to evolve in NZ. This generation of Chinese lost the ability to understand poems written on paintings, they also lost the ability to understand the brush strokes and the traditional subjects that the old masters painted. Those Chinese ink paintings of the past have become more like wallpaper and copies to this generation.

"Full Circle advocates a reform to make the paintings. We are so far away from Chinese painters as role models. We have to create our own and see what home is for NZ Chinese painters. Instead of using materials like ink and rice paper, we’ve used acrylic on canvas to paint subjects that tell stories that reflect our lives. It's going to be a boon to the next generation to have an appreciation for cross cultural art.”

The participating children were encouraged to embrace ancient painting techniques alongside modern materials and pop cultural references that hold relevance in their lives. The exhibition reflects each child’s unique way of expressing their interests. 

The outcome is incorporating virtual gaming characters, cartoons, love of nature, cats and Star Wars into traditional practices. 

Depot Artspace curator Nina Dyer explains to The Lowdown “whether it's depicting a Gundam robot using traditional painting techniques or tattoo design-inflected dragons which infuse modernity with ancient symbolism, Weilun's students know that they can explore their current passions and connect with their heritage - the two need not be mutually exclusive." 
 

Doing it for the kids

What do singing unicorns, elephants on the moon, persistent pirate-biting fleas, stealth bunnies and an operatic hippopotamus have in common? 

Well, that got our attention.

The question posed came with the announcement of this year's finalists for the NZ Children’s Music Awards - set for 7 May.

It's an important and often overlooked genre that plays a crucial role in building a love of learning, music and creativity in our next generation - and any parent will tell you, the good one stand out from the punishing ones. Getting to hear 'our stories' and embracing all things Aotearoa, including te reo Māori is a priceless experience for kids (of all ages).

Nicolla Morehouse is in the running for Best Children's Song for A Tuatara In My Gumboot (performed by Miss Nicky Says) along with Lavina Williams and Mark Casey for Aotearoa Sun (performed by Jaya) and 
Charles and Emily Looker for Kia Mau, (performed by Aro).

The Best Children’s Artist title will be decided between Claudia Robin Gunn, Itty Bitty Beats and former winers Levity Beet, while Best Children’s Music video is a shot out between fleaBITE for ‘A Pirate meets a Flea’ by Ross Payne, The Nukes for ‘Elephants are on the Moon’ by Dave Thomson of Imaginary Friends and Jeremy Redmore for ‘Sing Like A Unicorn’ by Adam Rowland of Awkward Animations

If you are looking for a much needed alternative to Baby Shark to keep the young 'uns happy, you can check out the finalists on this Spotify playlist - created by APRA AMCOS NZ, Recorded Music NZ, Spark Arena and NZ On Air.

On Island time

The chance to set up residence on Waiheke is the dream to some - and is a dream come true to Wanda Gillespie.

The award-winning contemporary artist, mystical archaeologist and wood sculptor starts her residency at the Waiheke Community Art Gallery on Monday - where she'll spend 12 weeks working on her arts practice in a large studio, holding community workshops, and providing a learning programme for local school students. 

Gillespie, already known on the island having exhibited her abacus work titled A Counting Frame for Circular Economies last year at Sculpture in the Gulf, told The Lowdown "the Waiheke residency is a wonderful opportunity for me to dedicate an intensive period to exploratory research and production. 

"It is an honour and a privilege to be gifted the time and space to dream, experiment, and produce a new body of work. Waiheke with its rich history of creative talent is an inspiring place to be and create. I hope to connect with artists and enthusiasts and exchange thoughts on art and this moment of ours in history. 

"There are many ideas and forms that I’d like to investigate during my stay. I’ve been very focussed on my abacus series but would like to try working with other modes of measuring devices or mathematic curios as I delve into concepts of the structures we inevitably inhabit and more broadly the ultimate nature of the universe. Figurative sculpture and relief carving have also been something I would like to invest time in returning to. 

"I’ve recently taken classes in figure and portrait sculpting in clay but haven’t had the time to pursue developing this skill within my practice. In the past I created performative photographic works and I would like to explore these in a carved form. The potential to test out new materials and methods of working is also something I hope will emerge. I like to keep a certain amount of openness to the residency experience for unexpected innovation to occur."

Time running out

For all creatives in Auckland - you've only got until Sunday (30 April) to apply for the funded positions available for the Creative Commercial Essentials programme - a new initiative through a collaboration between The Big Idea  and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

It's a huge opportunity to get a new set of skills to accompany your creative ones and make a major mark on your career.

You can read all about the details here - get your application in before it's too late.

Welcome home

After two years at BATS theatre, the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) choreographic season is moving back home.

As they announce their 2023 choreographic season, Axis, it's been confirmed it will be performed back at their traditional Newtown base, Te Whaea: National Dance and Drama Centre.

The season will be a partnership with neighbours Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School, whose costume and production team will play an integral role in the development and execution of the performances.

NZSD's Head of Contemporary Dance, Paula Steeds-Huston told The Lowdown “Being back at Te Whaea brings us home and connects us back to our place of learning. Under this roof we have shared the journey together so being in the theatre is a place that will be in the students hearts forever. 

"As Te Whaea celebrates 25 years this year of holding the space for both NZSD and Toi Whakaari it makes it even more special the collaborations between the two schools that help grow the aspirations of all the art forms coming together.”

Axis sees third-year contemporary dance students collaborate to create their own individual works, guided by tutor Holly Newsome, with eight short pieces combining to create a full-length work from 23-29 June.