Show Me Shorts tours NZ films to Canada’s REGARD International Film Festival in March

A selection of New Zealand short films will screen at the prestigious REGARD International Film Festival in Canada this month. 

Gina Dellabarca, director of Show Me Shorts Film Festival, will attend as a special guest of the festival and present the selection of seven short films she has curated.

REGARD is considered one of the top five film festivals in Canada. This is the 19th edition of REGARD, which runs from 11-15 March. Dellabarca will introduce the New Zealand short films screening in a special section of the programme called Carte Blanche on 13 March.

Says Melissa Bouchard, programming director at REGARD International Film Festival: “REGARD is always looking for talent and new projects. That’s why we are now pleased to mark the tenth anniversary of Show Me Shorts, presenting this selection to our audience here, who are already very curious about it. Several bridges exist between Quebec and New Zealand cinema: small and lively, these two industries are able to create great works. We are really excited to present these original short films that will mostly be screened for the first time in Canada and which offer a window on the quality of New Zealand cinema.”

The films selected for screening at REGARD are: Coconut by Charlie Bleakley, Queenie by Paul Neason, Dive by Matthew Saville, Uphill by Jackie van Beek, In The Rubbish Tin by Riwia Brown, Eleven by Abigail Greenwood, and Ross and Beth by Hamish Bennett. 

Says van Beek: “Finding an audience for your film is a crucial part of the filmmaking process. It’s fantastic that Show Me Shorts not only programmes and tours film in New Zealand but also identifies international opportunities for the works they select.”

Says Dellabarca: “This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with Canadians and further cement New Zealand’s reputation as one of the top short film making countries in the world. I will also be flying the flag as an ambassador for our local short film community at every opportunity.”

Entries for Show Me Shorts 2015 are now open at www.showmeshorts.co.nz.

More information about REGARD and the special screening can be found here: http://regardsurlecourt.com/programmation/#programmes-thematiques