POW Spring News

Royal New Zealand Ballet ~ Hansel and Gretel

‘Faint starlight peeps through the dark forest canopy. It is midnight: the witching hour. Alone and lost, two hungry children stumble towards a glowing vision of warmth and comfort, an enchanting house made of gingerbread. But all is not as it seems…’

Hansel and Gretel, 2019. Image courtesy of RNZB.

Hansel and Gretel, 2019. Image courtesy of RNZB.

RNZB dancers: Shaun James Kelly as Hansel, Kirby Selchow as Gretel. Photo credit: Nicola Edmonds

RNZB dancers: Shaun James Kelly as Hansel, Kirby Selchow as Gretel. Photo credit: Nicola Edmonds

POW has been working with the incredibly talented Kate Hawley, Costume and Set Designer, to realise her vision for the season of Hansel and Gretel. Our Production and VFX crew have created the projected visual effects for the show and cant wait to see it come to life this November.

Follow the breadcrumbs this Christmas, and venture in to the dark, fantastical realm of Hansel & Gretel for an unforgettable evening at the ballet. Inspired by the old-fashioned magic of silent movies and music hall vaudeville, this ballet will transport you to a magical world with large-scale cinematic effects, world premiere choreography by Loughlan Prior and a specially commissioned score by Claire Cowan. This major premiere brings together many of New Zealand’s creative talents to tell a timeless tale for audiences young and old.

Tickets are on sale now!


Colonial Combat ~ to be released during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

Colonial Combat, a series created by Awa Films, is to be released today, 6th September 2019, on TVNZ On Demand in conjunction with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. POW Studios and Awa Films are keen collaborators, and we are happy to have been involved in the Sound Post Production for this choice project. Kia ora Awa Films!

‘Aotearoa, 1936: Harold Barker a Cockney fight promoter and shyster arrives in Kauri Bay with a wrestling ring and tent. This South Pacific port town is known for gambling, street brawls and a place to hide for those on the run.

Colonial Combat is an action-packed series that takes a laugh at our unofficial colonial history. It’s a dog eat dog world, where colourful characters compete inside and outside of the ring. Tensions rise in Kauri Bay and when the storm settles who will be champion of Aotearoa?’

Read more about Colonial Combat here and keep an eye out for it on TVNZ On Demand!


Yong-Le and Nakhia go to the PASC (Pan-Asian Screen Collective) screening of ‘The Farewell’

The Farewell, 2019

The Farewell, 2019

Deft and deeply felt, with a star-making turn from Awkwafina, Lulu Wang’s widely praised drama tells the story of a Chinese American family paying their last respects to a mother and grandmother who doesn’t know she’s dying.

‘Elevating Asian American cinema to new heights, director Lulu Wang’s beautiful portrait of a Chinese family’s gathering to farewell its ailing matriarch frames an immigrant experience that’s deeply relatable, not least for Asian diaspora communities, but also any persons scattered to different parts of the globe, away from their roots or loved ones. Joining us for these limited screenings comes with an advisory: bring tissues, because there will be tears.’

If you missed last nights event, The Farewell is screening in cinemas around New Zealand from Thursday 5th September.


The Power of Inclusion Summit ~ Congrats Georgina

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The Power of Inclusion summit is a vital part of the global conversation around representation, belonging and inclusion in today’s screen, entertainment and technology landscape.

POW Studios is pleased to announce that Georgina Conroy received a Motion Picture Association Scholarship to attend the summit, which will be held the 3-4 October 2019 in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Congrats Georgina!

Hosted by the New Zealand Film Commission and Women in Film and Television International with support from The Walt Disney Studios, The Power of Inclusion presents a 2-day programme including case studies, panels, conversations and keynotes on pertinent issues in the inclusion and representation space: bringing people together, presenting a myriad of world views, positing future action to create a more inclusive industry and world, all enveloped in the special environment that Aotearoa New Zealand and its peoples have to offer.

The Motion Picture Association said, “There is a demand from global audiences to see stories from every corner of the world and the multitude of new channels provides filmmakers with different voices to share their diverse stories.”


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