The 16 winners of this year’s Fresh Shorts funding scheme grants have been announced – with each short film project receiving either $10,000 or $30,000 to help turn their scripted dream into cinematic reality. The winners were selected from a whopping 270 applications (cut down to a shortlist of 50) by a panel of industry professionals and New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) staff. The funded films include a dark bro-manitic comedy, the story of a mysterious Nana, a fictitious documentary about a pseudoscientist, and the tale of an abandoned girl and her imaginary world.

All the winners are listed below, complete with plot outline and a comment from the judges – so let us know which ones you’re most looking forward to seeing.

This NZFC initiative has been in place since 2010, with many of the scheme’s inaugural crop gaining acclaim both here and overseas – Sam Kelly‘s Lambs won the NZ Best Short Film competition at this year’s NZ International Film Festival and Hamish Bennett‘s The Dump premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival in April.

Admit One congratulates this year’s successful teams and we look forward to following your progress. Here is the class of 2012:

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FRESH SHORTS FILM FUNDING 2012

Short films green lit at a $10,000 budget level:

Calculating Alternative Route

Jae Morrison (director), Levi Slavin (writer)

A dark comedy about an aging highway inspector, who only has his Sat-Nav for company, on the eve of his forced retirement.

The characters feel realised, the relationship is original and engaging, and the team is very capable. It has a nice contemporary quality in the vein of Spike Jonze.

Coconut

Charlie Bleakley (director/co-writer), Cohen Holloway (co-writer), Alex Clark (producer)

COCONUT is a dark bro-mantic comedy between two best friends who, despite all their personal failings, will do anything for each other.

The writing is funny and true, and the project has a good sense of collaboration. It’s important that films are entertaining, and COCONUT is exactly that.

Hilda Brodie’s Love & Movie Films (documentary)

Liam Bachler (writer/director)

A documentary ode to Hilda Brodie, a Scottish immigrant post-WWII, whose 8mm films capture an outsider’s view of New Zealand in the 1960s.

Making this film would reawaken interest in Hilda’s work and her place in New Zealand history. It’s an exciting subject with a strong team behind it.

Kyoto

Ayla Amano (director), Jodhi Hoani (writer), Hiona Henare (producer)

Every weekday morning, a Nana gets up early and dresses up warm. Where she goes when she leaves the house is a mystery – only two people know the answer.

This is an intriguing, enigmatic idea that is not often seen on screen. The team is exciting and has received mentorship from Script to Screen to develop their story further.

Pigeon

Faye McNeil (writer/director)

An elderly woman is forced to make a choice for survival in a violent world.

It’s very contained and only tries to explore one idea, with a great twist at the end. PIGEON speaks to the potential and experience of this team.

Reservations

Gareth van Niekerk (director), Adam Lound (writer)

Brian and Violet travel from their suburban home in Howick into the city for their anniversary, reliving the psycho-geography of their relationship.

The story is told in an original way and we really feel the characters’ journey. The experimental nature of Reservations is very visual, and has heart.

Shooting an Elephant

Abigail Greenwood (director), Kate Prior (writer)

Emily is friends with the popular Brooke, but also enjoys hanging out with the less popular Rebecca. When Rebecca lashes out at Brooke, Emily is tasked with doling out the punishment.

We were really drawn to this strong female narrative and felt excited by the team’s approach. The material is bold and relatable.

Unnatural History

Alex Backhouse (writer/director)

A fictitious documentary about pseudoscientist Theo Velasquez investigating unexplained magnetic fields in the Rangipo Desert.

UNNATURAL HISTORY is experimental, distinctive and haunting, with a strong sense of an original voice.

Short films green lit at a $30,000 budget level:

Ahi Kâ

Richard Curtis (writer/director), Jillian White (producer)

Left alone with just her spiritual guides, a young girl upholds the mana of the tribe in order to protect the land for generations to come.

A moody, atmospheric piece that is also a personal celebration of identity, AHI KÂ is a story all New Zealanders should know about.

Cub

Jamie Lawrence (writer/director), Kelly Kilgour (producer)

A mother tries to end her teenage son’s relationship with an older woman at the risk of losing him altogether.

Jamie’s unique style is exciting and this film explores new themes and territory for his work.

In the Rubbish Tin (animation)

Riwia Brown (writer/director), Catherine Fitzgerald (producer), Phil Simmonds (animator)

Based on a short story, an abandoned girl creates an imaginary world to cope with her tough reality.

A gentle yet powerful story that opens up political discourse. The team is a positive creative collaboration, and has what it takes to make an animation that will really resonate.

Madam Black

Ivan Barge (director), Matthew Harris (writer), Joszef Fityus (producer)

When a glamour photographer runs over a child’s pet, he’s forced to fabricate a story about its disappearance.

The script makes you smile, holding the tension and comedy beautifully through to the end. MADAM BLACK is entertaining and engaging, and builds on the team’s previous self-funded work.

Movie

Dan Kircher (co-writer/director), Geoff Cochrane (co-writer), Claire Kelly (producer)

An impressionistic portrait of a poet who, while harbouring fantasies of writing screenplay, gives in to throes of alcoholism.

We loved the sombre, lyrical tone of this piece and enjoyed the way it’s left open to the audience’s interpretation. Dan’s previous work demonstrates an exciting new filmmaking voice.

Rising Dust

Jack Woon (writer/director), Julia Parnell (producer)

With the help of his ancestors, Mako teaches his younger brother that the one left standing isn’t always the one who wins the fight.

Jack has a very engaging, distinctive directorial style. This script goes straight to the heart and the dance elements have the potential to be exhilarating.

Ross and Beth

Hamish Bennett (writer/director), Orlando Stewart (producer)

A rough-as-guts farmer is unexpectedly forced to cope with loss, but his wife has left him an unlikely saviour.

A gorgeous story with an assured tone and lovely gentle character work, ROSS AND BETH is an exciting step for this team.

Stone, Paper, Scissors

Yamin Tun (writer/director), Vicky Pope (co-producer), Dan Higgins (co-producer)

A young girl realises she is witnessing the breakdown of her parents’ marriage in a land far from home.

The script is gracefully spare, and Yamin’s unique vision is backed by a strong team.