New Zealand born filmmaker and internationally recognised artist Anna Wilding from Carpe Diem Films LLC is a prime example of the initiative and talent that the NZ television and film industry is becoming renowned for.
Succeeding without government funding is a huge challenge in this line of work, but Wilding - in the tradition of other NZ success stories such as Flight of the Concords - certainly has. Her latest feature documentary “Buddha Wild Monk in a Hut” (http://www.buddhawild.com), has played in major cinemas and received significant international recognition with awards such as Best Feature Documentary in the USA for Kids Ages 12-18 from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (October 2008), and has been picked up by number of international festivals and series’ including the India’s International Festival of Films on Tribal Arts and Culture, USA Kids Films Festival and the Screen Actors Guild Series USA.
Voted “a must see film” by Janet Walker (Splash Magazines 2008), and major newspapers Critics Pic, Buddha Wild aims to promote a greater insight into Asian cultures adapting to the West. New York Flavorpill critic Chloe Leichman describes it as “a refreshing synthesis of Eastern and Western politics and culture, without a nibble of Hollywood cheese…Buddha Wild explores what really goes on behind the monastery doors, touching on hot-button issues like the roles of women, racism, and celibacy in a monk’s daily life.”
Partly shot in NZ, this is ‘made in New Zealand’ making it big overseas - without the support of government funding. Private investors backed the project, and Wilding has some words of advice for other potential investors: “No investor should be put be put off by film proposals without NZ government support…it seems that overseas the funding bodies have a broader commercial outlook and perhaps a fuller understanding of talent…for kiwis, not having NZ government financial investment does not mean one is not talented. It is in fact a tribute to those who haven’t received government backing that they succeed as they have had a substantially more difficult road to follow. Talent will manifest itself even in the face of hardship.”
Wilding typifies this proactive kiwi mentality: “I don’t believe in sitting round on your laurels. People have to take initiative. There are stories to tell”. Her career in New York and LA, the UK and Australia as a writer, actress, producer, consultant and director spans over a decade and includes being thanked by Mark Ordesky Producer for her humanitarian work on films such as Lord of the Rings. She has also been hired as a guest speaker at Cannes Film Festival 2008 and World Earth Week 2007, and has recently appeared in the Observer New York Politker section following a successful public conversation on foreign policy with General Wesley Clark.
Counterswirl, Wilding’s latest narrative feature script, was recently selected for a major film market in Canada and Carpe Diem Films LLC is currently inviting investors. It goes to show that if you have the motivation and ability, you can succeed. This New Zealander is someone to watch - for viewers and investors alike.
In New Zealand “Buddha Wild Monk in a Hut” is available at www.insightbooks.co.nz and various rental chains and independent stores, and can be purchased for group educational and institutional purposes by obtaining the distributor details from the films website.
Tags: Director, Export, Film, Investment, Production, TV
