DEGANZ To Manage NZ’s MIFF Accelerator Lab Participation

The Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand (DEGANZ) is pleased to announce that it will be managing the participation of New Zealand short filmmakers in the Melbourne International Film Festival’s Accelerator Lab, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lab for 2024.

Previously, New Zealand’s participation in the MIFF Accelerator Lab was handled internally by the New Zealand Film Commission, but this initiative has gone out to industry as part of the NZFC’s change in strategy.

“Our thanks go to NZFC for putting its trust in DEGANZ to deliver this key talent development initiative for emerging New Zealand filmmakers,” said DEGANZ Executive Director Tui Ruwhiu. “We appreciate, and are sure the industry does too, the NZFC’s ongoing commitment to NZ filmmaking talent and this initiative in particular.”

The MIFF Accelerator Lab is held for four days during the Melbourne International Film Festival, which this year runs from 8 – 25 August. It is designed to nurture tomorrow’s top screen directors on the journey towards their first long-form works.

Accelerator Lab participants are selected from all short film entries to the MIFF program of the year in question. Their films are screened to the general public as part of the specially branded Accelerator Shorts package (while their films are distributed to producers and visiting financiers), giving their work wide exposure among audiences and industry decision-makers alike.

The selective-entry lab provides up to 20 short film directors four-days of workshops, screenings, seminars and networking events on the business and creative aspects of the film industry with leading local and international screen practitioners.

“DEGANZ looks forward to working with the MIFF Accelerator Lab to ensure the selected NZ filmmakers get the most out of this highly focused opportunity to help further their careers,” Ruwhiu added.

Previous participants in the MIFF Accelerator Lab include Michelle Savill (Millie Lies Low), Jeremiah Tauamiti (For My Father’s Kingdom), Zoe Macintosh (Stylebender), Sam Kelly (Savage), Matthew J. Saville (Juniper), Jackie van Beek (Nude Tuesdays), Gaysorn Thavat (The Justice of Bunny King) and Taika Waititi (Hunt For The Wilderpeople).

DEGANZ ED Tui Ruwhiu will attend the Accelerator Lab to assist NZ’s participants, observe the sessions and participate in panels scheduled in the Lab programme.

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