Inspiring Stories :Young Kiwis Making a Difference

Inspiring Stories: Young Kiwis Making a Difference

Wellington, December 8th – At only 15 years old, Auckland student Hunter Williams is the youngest winner of the Inspiring Stories Trust Film Competition. At an awards ceremony held in Wellington on Saturday the 6th December Hunter won $2000 gifted by the NZ Screen Association and a two-day internship at Images and Sound, an Auckland post-production house.

The competition is in its 4th year and aims to celebrate the youth of New Zealand with the theme, ‘Young Kiwis Making a Difference.’ Hunter’s film, Quinn’s Quest, is about a very young kiwi, 9 year old cancer survivor Quinn, who has made an impact across the country as an ambassador for the Child Cancer Foundation. We were honoured to have Quinn and her family attended the ceremony and represented Hunter in his absence.

Inspiring Stories Trust CEO Guy Ryan said it was a clear winner. “A powerful collaboration between a motivated young filmmaker, and a young person who has overcome extreme adversity to become an incredible role model of hope and inspiration for others. What an awesome achievement to celebrate!"

Other winners on the night include Daisy Thor-Poet, 16, from Wanaka. She gained 1st place in both the Sustainable Coastlines and Technical Prowess sections with her film about her sister, 13 year old native bird loving artist.

Greta Yeoman from Christchurch won the Tertiary section with her film A Potent Heroine, telling the story of a cross-cultural project between a Christchurch musician and Afghani women’s rights advocate Kamila Sidiqi. The Secondary section was won by Stacey Marris, 17, also fromChristchurch. Her film looks at the group of people filling the city’s broken spaces with activities and art.

Winners from Wellington were Charlotte Tilley, 13, who won the Generation Zero Climate Solutions with Save the Last 55, highlighting the plight of Maui dolphins. And Kathleen Winter, 23, who won 1st in Creativity & Culture, and the Wellington City Council Best in Wellington award for her film about the Wellington East Girl’s College feminist club.

The Open section was won by Blair Trotman, 28, of Rangiora for his film about Jezza, a tetraplegic man on a mission to allow disabled people to experience the world of adventure tourism. And the Sir Peter Blake Trust Youth Leadership award AND the Trade Aid Social Justice Award were won by Michelle Vergel de Dios, 23, of Auckland. Her film aims to spread awareness about young people caring for family members with disabilities.

The Making a Difference award was a tie between two Dunedin films. Ignite Consultants by Tessa Vincent, a student at Otago University, and Stolen Girls of Nigeria by Lillie Driscoll-King and Te Anihana Anderson, who are both 14. Ignite Consultants also won the Inspiring Stories Trust Social Enterprise Award.

With the wealth of different issues raised by young kiwis in these films the trust is excited to see what next year will bring for the film competition.

More about the Competition is on the Inspiring Stories website:

http://www.inspiringstories.org.nz/film-competition/

To see all the films, check out our Vimeo Album and our Facebook Album. Photos from the Awards Ceremony can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1004375582911139.1073741888.180053908676648&type=3

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