Wgtn filmmaker awarded Beijing artists’ residency

Media Release
Tuesday 24 November 2009

Wellington filmmaker awarded Beijing artists’ residency

A freelance Wellington choreographer and film director will be the first New Zealander to undertake a new performing arts residency in the Chinese capital Beijing next year.

Alyx Duncan who is about to complete her Masters in Theatre Arts at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School and Victoria University in Wellington was chosen from seven applications and awarded the prestigious two month Theatre in Motion residency.

The two month inaugural residency is offered by the Asia New Zealand Foundation (www.asianz.org.nz).

During her time in Beijing, Ms Duncan will be hosted by Theatre in Motion, a cross-disciplinary work space for artists, theorists and researchers with bases in Belgium and Beijing.

Her work ranges from directing and choreographing short films, music videos (including the award-winning video of Fuji for Wellington-based band Minuit), and installation and dance theatre. She has taught at Unitec Institute of Technology and Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School.

During the Theatre in Motion residency, she intends to continue working on her project The Red House, her first feature length film, dance and artistic installation that explores the two different worlds of a Pakeha and Chinese couple moving from Waiheke Island to live in Beijing.

The residency will also provide Alyx Duncan with the opportunity to learn about China, communicate with Chinese artists, and to establish networks and dialogues between Chinese and international artists.

Alyx Duncan will undertake the residency sometime between March and June next year.

On her return Ms Duncan will develop her research for the completion of her film and present the results of her Beijing research at Victoria University, Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School, and other tertiary dance and theatre programmes. For more information on Alyx Duncan, visit her website: www.alyxduncan.com.

By winning the opportunity, she will receive the following:

• a return economy airfare between New Zealand and Beijing
• accommodation
• a stipend of NZ$40 per day
• NZ$500 towards production costs
• the cost of a single entry tourist visa
• NZ$300 towards travel insurance.

ENDS

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