12 May 2021

Tauihu Media’s feature film project, Bara, written by Anna Nuria Francino, has been selected as part of the Black List New Zealand Project (BLNZP), a partnership between internationally acclaimed the Black List and the New Zealand Film Commission.

Bara was one of six scripts chosen from 180 applications for BLNZP.

Anna, along with Tauihu Media principal and producer Tui Ruwhiu, will take part in a professional development workshop and mentorship series hosted by the Black List with leading global screen industry executives heading up the panels and mentoring the filmmakers. Tauihu Media will also receive up to NZ$25,000 in NZFC development financing for Anna to complete the next draft of their script.

Among the Hollywood mentors available to the New Zealand filmmakers are David Rabinowitz and Charlie Wachtel (Blackklansman), and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith (Legally Blonde, 10 Things I Hate About You).

Bara is the story of a mute recluse who, when her mother and sole witness to her existence ends up comatose, must brave the outside world to unlock her voice and save them both from a life unlived.

Bara came onto Tauihu’s development slate in 2019 following an earlier success at the New Zealand Writer’s Guild’s SWANZ Awards, where it picked up Best Unproduced Feature FIlm Script.

The BLNZP is a one-off fund, designed to help promote relationships between writers and producers and create international opportunities for New Zealand feature films.

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