Six projects have been announced as the successful recipients of funding in the first-ever Aotearoa New Zealand Pacific Regional Media Fund that will create content for audiences across the Pacific and Aotearoa.
The six projects – five Non-Fiction and one Scripted – are the culmination of an initiative that paired Aotearoa New Zealand-based Pasifika producers with Pacific-based producers and broadcasters, to create and produce content shot in the Pacific Islands and primarily in a Pacific Island language with English subtitles.
NZ On Air project lead for the initiative Nicole Rex says, “We expected the calibre of applications to be strong and it was difficult to choose just six, but the quality of the storytelling is really exciting for the future of all the Pasifika producers that were involved in this kaupapa.
“The fund is the first of its kind for NZ On Air, working with our Pacific Island counterparts to bring Pasifika creators in Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands together. It was all about working collaboratively and producing dynamic, digital-first content for Pasifika audiences in Aotearoa as well as abroad.”
The productions were also encouraged to allocate up to a fifth of their budget to create original music for the project by Pasifika artists.
The initiative was run by NZ On Air in collaboration with Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL) which is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to foster stronger relationships between Aotearoa and the Pacific region by supporting its media sector.
“These successful projects are a wonderful cross-section of stories from across the Pacific,” says Natasha Meleisea, the CEO of PCBL. “They are captivating stories of wide interest, told by Pasifika creators in their voice and from their unique perspective. The NZ On Air fund has provided an opportunity for Pasifika producers to build on their craft and complement the work of the Pacific broadcasters in the region.”
The successful projects are:
Paradise in Peril, 1 x 60’, SunPix for viewing on Pasifika TV, ArauraTV and TP+, up to $310,000.
A Dollar to Dream, 1 x30’, Cadness Street for viewing on TV3 Samoa, Pasifika TV and The CoconetTV, up to $310,000.
Children of Niue (Working Title), 5 x 15’, Kingston Productions for viewing on Pasifika TV and BCN, up to $310,000.
Rugby Chiefs: Village Legends, 1 x 45’, Kava Bowl Media, for viewing on TV1 Samoa and Pasifika TV, up to $310,000.
The Bride Price – Vanuatu, 1 x 44’, Great Southern Television for viewing on VBTC, Pasifika TV and YouTube, up to $310,000.
The War Below: Restoring Hope in the Solomon Islands, 1 x 44’, Nine Islands Media for viewing on Pasifika TV, Telekom TV and The CoconetTV, up to $309,996.
