Activity: ‘The New Pasifika Creators Accelerator Program’ is New Zealand’s first program designed to place talented emerging Pacific creatives living in New Zealand with high-profile, established Pacific-led production companies to provide on-the-ground training, mentorship, networking and skills development. The program has been designed by Team Moana, a new Pacific-led collective of four high-profile production companies. The goal of the collective is to create a pipeline of new Pacific talent by providing sought after opportunities that will help provide essential credits necessary to gain entrance into the industry. The program has been devised as an annual program for four highly talented emerging Pacific creatives.

Outcome: Eight projects were completed with the funding that allowed eight young Pasifika people in the film industry to be mentored by experienced Pasifika mentors Kerry Warkia and Shuchi Kothari of BSAG, John Utanga of Sunpix, Maria Tanner and Nicola Smith of TikiLounge, and Sharlene George and Arli Liebermann through Sweetshop & Green. Some projects saw ongoing relationships formed as a result of the funding. “This project was an important and impactful funding programme that allowed young Pasifika creators to access a difficult industry… One of the projects, The Mooncake and the Kūmara was a live performance which attracted a good crowd, thereby impacting the local community with the exploration of a Chinese-Sāmoan relationship and ultimately a relationship not often screened or explored within film and theatre.” – Sharlene George, Sweetshop & Green.