Boost for trust’s film workshops
Ma¯ oriland Charitable Trust has received a $50,000 boost in funding for its Through Our Lens workshops allowing them to spread their wings internationally.
After establishing an annual Cultural Fund last year, Screenrights have announced support for four innovative projects that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand.
Ma¯ oriland Charitable Trust is the only New Zealand group represented and has been awarded $50,000 to support Through Our Lens ,an indigenous youth peer-to-peer workshop initiative supporting collaboration and strong networks for youth Ma¯ ori filmmakers and fostering future leaders and diverse screen voices.
“Ma te huruhuru ka rere nga¯ manu — with this funding we really are being given the feathers (huruhuru) to fly,” Speaking for Ma¯ oriland Charitable Trust, rangatahi manager Madeleine de Young said.
The trust initiated the Through Our Lens Ma¯ ori youth film leadership initiative in 2017 after a proposal was drawn up in 2016.
“It’s about creating pathway opportunities to grow the skill base, relationships and connections of our rangatahi filmmakers by having them design and lead filmmaking workshops with other youth outside of New Zealand.
“By taking them outside of their own peer group they have the opportunity to be unrestricted, to learn about other cultures to share their own and to explore their limitless potential.”
The inaugural Through Our Lens selected 14 rangatahi filmmakers aged 13 to 24 to travel to Samoa, Hawaii, Rarotonga and Tahiti to lead filmmaking workshops for Indigenous youth.
The rangatahi film leaders worked with 47 other youth in these four countries and together they created nine short films — stories of identity, the effects of colonisation, suicide, bullying and other challenges they were facing within their communities.
These workshops were transformational for the rangatahi filmmakers as they discovered new ways of communicating and leading.
Through Our Lens premiered at Ma¯ oriland Film Festival last year to much acclaim from audiences, filmmakers, educators and international film festival directors.
Since then six of the 14 rangatahi involved are now working in the film industry and five have been involved in award-winning short and feature films.
“The Pacific was our initial target area but with this funding we are now able to reach further afield.
“Our aim as an organisation is to be international.
“This funding is twofold, it gives us the stability to move forward in 2020 and 2021 without stress and enables the sustainability of the organisation.
“It also gives us the ability share what we do with a wider audience. We want to take any opportunity we have to beat the drum and let people know what we are about.”
Through Our Lens II is also underway with 22 rangatahi chosen from around New Zealand.
The first of these rangatahi travelled to the Cook Islands and Aitutaki at the end of last year working with 60 youth in three workshops.
They created five short films that screened at the Ma¯ oriland Film Festival this year, at Waitangi Day Wellington and in the Cook Islands.
Invitations have been received to return to Samoa and Hawaii, and travel to the northern hemisphere nations of Norway, Greenland and Canada, which is now possible thanks to the funding.