Pietra Brettkelly
Pietra Brettkelly is a New Zealand documentary director and producer, best known for the film The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins.[1] Brettkelly was a journalist before becoming a film maker.[2]
When filming in southern Sudan in 2006 for the television documentary series Ends of the Earth for Television New Zealand, Brettkelly met Italian artist Vanessa Beecroft. Beecroft is famous for her provocative performance art, and while in Sudan for a project had decided to try and adopt motherless twins.[3] Brettkelly had previously produced a documentary on international adoption, The Rescue of Iani and, along with cameraman Jacob Bryant, eventually followed Beecroft's adoption efforts over 16 months, which formed the basis for The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins.[4]
Brettkelly is a mentor for Women in Film and Television NZ.[2]
Filmography
- Maori Boy Genius follows Ngaa Rauuira Pumanawawhiti, a 16 year old prodigy who travels from rural New Zealand to the United States of America after being accepted to Summer School at Yale. The film won a Moa award in 2012 for Best Documentary, and is poised for public debut in cinemas throughout New Zealand in May 2013.
- The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins premièred at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. In 2009 Brettkelly was invited to screen the film at the New York's Museum of Modern Art as part of their documentary fortnight.[5] The Winnipeg Free Press noted that "any tendency for the observer to mock [Beecroft's] self-indulgence is mitigated by director Pietra Brettkelly's scrupulous acknowledgement of Beecroft's self-awareness."[6]
- In 2003 Brettkelly travelled to Libya for that country’s first ever beauty pageant. Beauty Will Save the World follows 19-year-old Teca Zendik, the American contender, and featured an interview with Muammar Gaddafi.
- Ends of the Earth: A four-part documentary series searching out New Zealanders living in some of the world's more extreme locations. The episodes were filmed in Afghanistan, the Amazon, Kazakhstan, the Arctic Circle, Sudan, Uganda and were presented by Paul Henry.
- The Rescue of Iani Part 1 & 2, TV3 New Zealand.
Music for many of Brettkelly's documentaries has been composed by musician and singer Anika Moa.
Festivals and awards
- Best Editing, World Cinema Documentary (Editor: Irena Dol)
- Best Director, EIDF Seoul Korea
- Best Documentary, Whistler Film Festival, Canada,
- Special Jury Prize, Zurich Film Festival
- Best Director, Documentary; Best Arts/Festival Documentary; Best Editing (Irena Dol), Qantas Film & Television Awards, New Zealand, 2009[7]
Beauty Will Save The World premiered at the AFI Film Festival in October 2003,[8] and was shown at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam in 2004.[9]
References
- ↑ Booth, William (2008-01-24). "From Sudan to Sundance, 'Art Star' Questions Celebrity". The Washington Post.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Making A Difference: Mentoring in Action". Women in Film and Television Magazine. Summer 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ↑ Koppelman, Charles (May 4, 2008). "A Work in Progress". LA Times. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ Chocano, Carina (January 25, 2008). "Intersecting (and dissecting) cultures on film: 'The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins' ". LA Times. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ "The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins". Moma.org. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ King, Randall (30 June 2009). "Doc finds shades of grey". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ↑ "Qantas Film and Television Awards 2009 Winners". qantasfilmandtvawards.co.nz. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ Chatelin, Bruno (14 October 2003). "AFI focus on middle east: beyond conflict". Filmfestivals.com. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ↑ "Beauty Will Save the World". International Documentary Film Festival. Amsterdam. 2004. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
External links
- Official website for The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins
- The Art Star and The Sudanese Twins - Review Variety January 21, 2008
- Profile on Pietra Brettkelly www.nowtoronto.com
- "Q&A: Pietra Brettkelly". The Big Idea. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- Lin, Kelly (Autumn 2008). "Making Movies: Pietra Brettkelly". Women in Film and Television Magazine. Retrieved 7 July 2010.