A new screen organisation launches to celebrate queer content creators and their screen content in Aotearoa.
UPDATE: Event date is now Saturday 17 April – full details below.
Proud Voices On Screen launches at Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland’s Ellen Melville Centre on Saturday 17 April with a half-day event for creators of film, series and documentary from the queer, LGBTQIA+ and rainbow community.
See also:
* All new streaming movies & series
* Movies now playing in cinemas
A number of short films by queer filmmakers will play, followed by two panel discussions. The first panel features the creative teams of web series Baby Mama’s Club and Life is Easy, and the second sees the team behind essential Aotearoa feature Rūrangi discuss capacity building in New Zealand.
Proud Voices notes that aspiring filmmakers are welcome—including those just dipping their toes in. These events are free, but registrations are essential for contact tracing.
Proud Voices has been established to support the development of screen projects by queer, LGBTQIA+, rainbow and takatāpui content creators in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Their mission also includes programming events for creators to meet and exchange ideas, support and champion each other in their projects and careers, and to support and encourage more queer, LGBTQIA+ and rainbow representation in all roles in the screen industry.
In the short term, Proud Voices will run events that provide friendly, supportive spaces where queer, LGBTIA+ and rainbow creators can gather, discuss work, find collaborators and opportunities to develop their craft and screen projects.
They will also provide social media pages that act as a platform for NZ queer, LGBTIA+ and rainbow creators to meet, share ideas and find out about opportunities (check out Proud Voices on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).
Proud Voices will also offer seed grants to queer, LGBTIA+ and rainbow creators to progress projects in development.
Flicks will keep you posted about future Proud Voices initiatives, for now you can see more about the launch programme below.
Proud Voices On Screen
Saturday 17 April, 2021
Ellen Melville Centre, 2 Freyberg Place, Auckland
A half-day event for creators of film, series and documentary from the queer, LGBTQIA+ and rainbow community. Hear from queer content creators about their craft, and their vision for the future of queer content. A great place to meet other creatives. Aspiring filmmakers welcome – including those just dipping their toes in.
Doors open 12:45pm
Tea, coffee and refreshments available
1:00pm – 2:15pm PROUD SHORTS
A selection of Canadian and New Zealand short films by queer filmmakers
Pride: Individuality – Dir A.J. Greenwood / New Zealand / 2020
Pride: Hunter – Dir A.J. Greenwood / New Zealand / 2020
Haus – Dir Joseph Amenta / Canada / 2018
Zinzan – Dir Ben Walton / New Zealand / 2017
For Nonna Anna – Dir Luis De Filippis / Canada / 2017
Cherry Cola – Dir Joseph Amenta / Canada / 2018
2:30 – 3:30pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Giving queer characters their time to shine
Hear from the creative teams of web series Baby Mama’s Club (2017-) and Life is Easy (2019-) as they discuss their experiences writing and playing queer characters, what these characters mean to audiences, and their vision for the future of queer storytelling.
Panellists: Writer, director, producer, actor Hanelle Harris (Baby Mama’s Club), actor Moe Laga (Baby Mama’s Club), writer, actor Chye-Ling Huang (Life is Easy) and producer Ruby Reihana-Wilson (Life is Easy)
Moderator: Marc Laureano (Manager, Pan-Asian Screen Collective)
3:30 – 4pm Afternoon Tea: Drinks and snacks provided
4:00 – 5:00pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Rūrangi – Capacity Building
Hear from the creative team of award-winning series and feature film Rūrangi as they discuss their experience enabling members of the transgender community to fill roles in front of and behind the camera, explore how capacity building can enrich storytelling and share their visions for the future of queer storytelling in New Zealand.
Panellists: Writer Cole Meyers, director Max Currie and producer Craig Gainsborough
Moderator: producer Karin Williams (Sis)
Rūrangi premiered at Auckland Pride 2021 on 3 Feb and is in cinemas throughout New Zealand (see session times here).
5:00 – 7:30pm Proud Voices on Screen Launch Party
Join us for drinks and nibbles to toast the launch of Proud Voices on Screen, a non-for-profit organisation supporting queer, LGBTQIA+ and rainbow creators of screen content in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Events are FREE, please note that registrations are essential for contact tracing.
