Ōtautahi / Christchurch
Regional Manager
Your Ōtautahi / Christchurch Regional Managers are Joel and Rachel Tempero
Joel and Rachel Tempero
Joel and Rachel are a creative powerhouse team who are breaking their 10-year run competing in 48Hours as ‘rip focus’, to take up the mantle of Regional Manager for Christchurch. Now stepping into the role of Christchurch Regional Managers, they bring fresh energy and deep storytelling roots. As Tempero Creative, their work spans everything from music videos and digital content to game design, always driven by curiosity and craft. Lifelong supporters of 48Hours, they’re excited to give back to the community that’s shaped them and help grow the Ōtautahi / Christchurch filmmaking whānau.
2025 Ōtautahi / Christchurch Regional Winner
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
2025 Ōtautahi / Christchurch Runner Up
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
Finalists
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Gates To Castle Yonder by Cactus?
Misplaced Death by Dennistribe
Nature's Calling by Inclusive Performance Academy
One Star by MO Productions
Hi Santa, it's Charlie by Olax
Data Management and Security Training by Pie Face
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms
Chaos Cabin by Render Rebels
Flat Meeting by rip focus 2
For When You Wake by Screen Qweens
2025 national 48 hours winner by Toot Toot
Shortlisted films
Pop's Precious Pranks by Eleven Monkeys
LARVAE GIRL THE ROAD TO REVENGE by Herms Heroes
LARVAE GIRL THE ROAD TO REVENGE PART 2 by HINDSIGHT PRODUCTIONS
A Silence In Sam's Town by Johnston Media
Stuck in Invercargill by Meme Teme
MILK! by Neato Productions
Hauntoholics Anonymous by Pink Sock Films
PREG-GO! by Punky
Ghost PTSD by ScryptTeam
Glove Box by Sons of the Broadmeadow
Brunch Solstice by Sub-par Cinema Society
2025 Ōtautahi / Christchurch Winners
Best School Team
Misplaced Death by Dennistribe
Nominees:
RED RAIN by Handsome Moustache Productions
The King of the Playground by MINZ Productions
I have a buddy for that by 12Characters
Brunch Solstice by Sub-par Cinema Society
Best Use of Slow Motion
Gates To Castle Yonder by Cactus?
Nominees:
Data Management and Security Training by Pie Face
Pop's Precious Pranks by Eleven Monkeys
Misplaced Death by Dennistribe
2025 national 48 hours winner by Toot Toot
Best Use of Precious
Stuck in Invercargill by Meme Teme
Nominees:
For When You Wake by Screen Qweens
Hi Santa, it's Charlie by Olax
Brunch Solstice by Sub-par Cinema Society
To Reminisce by B.A.D Productions
Best Use of Miniature
Flat Meeting by rip focus 2
Nominees:
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
Misplaced Death by Dennistribe
R I P by Francis Ford CouplaBoys
2025 national 48 hours winner by Toot Toot
Best Use of Accident
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms
Nominees:
MILK! by Neato Productions
Come Dine with Me by Magnificent B
The Failing Grade by Azerbaijan Technologies
2025 national 48 hours winner by Toot Toot
Best Use of Genre
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
Nominees:
The Plot Thickens by Breadstick
Gates To Castle Yonder by Cactus?
Hi Santa, it's Charlie by Olax
2025 national 48 hours winner by Toot Toot
Regional Manager Award - Best Use of Colour
I have a buddy for that by 12Characters
Nominees:
G.P. Taylor by Rupert The Goose Wizard
The Beginning of the End by Murder for a Jar of Red Rum
There Came a Big Spider by Shrek 2 for Blu-ray
2025 national 48 hours winner by Toot Toot
Best Disqualified Film
A Helping Hand by Harbour Light
Nominees:
Stick by The Hungry Caterpillars
I am Princess X by AV-engers
The Letter by The Clueless Crew
The Soul Eater by The Awesome Sauces
Outstanding Female / Gender Diverse Filmmaker - Supported by WIFT
Grae Meek & Michelle Pope from Screen Qweens
Nominees:
Ellie Smith from Render Rebels
Emily McVicar from Punky
Hayley Lye from Pie Face
Rata Jamieson from Herms Heroes
Best Original Score/Song
Brunch Solstice by Sub-par Cinema Society
Nominees:
Pop's Precious Pranks by Eleven Monkeys
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
MILK! by Neato Productions
You broke my space laser! by Mad Scientists
Best Sound Design
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Nominees:
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
One Star by MO Productions
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms
Best Editing
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Nominees:
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms
LARVAE GIRL THE ROAD TO REVENGE PART 2 by HINDSIGHT PRODUCTIONS
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
Best Animation
Chaos Cabin by Render Rebels
Nominees:
The Little German Boy and the Cave by 2 Rolleston 2 Furious
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
LARVAE GIRL THE ROAD TO REVENGE PART 2 by HINDSIGHT PRODUCTIONS
Substance 1 by TJB Digital
Best Production Design
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
Nominees:
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Gates To Castle Yonder by Cactus?
LARVAE GIRL THE ROAD TO REVENGE PART 2 by HINDSIGHT PRODUCTIONS
Data Management and Security Training by Pie Face
Incredibly Strange Award
There Came a Big Spider by Shrek 2 for Blu-ray
Nominees:
Chase of the Lobster by Carmen Road Academy Films
Kingdom Animalia by Staircase Nation
Precision Response Enforcement Comman... by Tasteful Misogyny
Pariscope by TCC2
Best Cinematography
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
Nominees:
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Data Management and Security Training by Pie Face
Best Script
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
Nominees:
Flat Meeting by rip focus 2
Hi Santa, it's Charlie by Olax
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Best Performer
Charlie Gates from Olax
Nominees:
Jordan Mayes from Screen Qweens
Shay Horay from Rabid Aunty Jean
Tayla-Rose Stapleton & Fele'Unga Tupou from PlanetFoxFilms
Victoria Abbott & Emma Katene from An Evening With
Best Director
Spoiler Alert by Rabid Aunty Jean
Nominees:
The True Story of Billy the Horse by PlanetFoxFilms
Hi Santa, it's Charlie by Olax
Singularity by Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
I MetaMan by An Evening With
Judges
Christian Rivers
Christian Rivers is an industry veteran who has worked in New Zealand film since 1991. Starting when he was 18 as the storyboard artist for Peter Jackson's Braindead, his roles spanning the last 3 decades have included Storyboard Artist, Creature Designer, VFX Art Director, Previsualization Supervisor, Animation Director, VFX Supervisor and Director.
Despite contributing to some of the biggest movies to be shot on our shores, he never mustered the courage to compete in 48Hours (but never say never!).
Anna Canton
Based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Anna has over 20 years' experience in the screen industry plus a decade in corporate marketing & brand management. She is a Creative Producer, Line Producer and Production Manager working across film, television, doco, and TVC. She has a passion for high-stakes genre film and storytelling that highlights diverse and underrepresented voices on screen.
As a Producer, her recent short film Homecoming was funded by NZFC and will play at the British Urban Film Festival in London in October 2025. Other shorts have played at local and international festivals. She is in development on a feature film The Pissy Tits Street Gang alongside Nadia Maxwell, and is Senior Producer on the Episode One Redux web series Dead Strangers for RNZ.
Anna is also the Co-Chair of the regional screen advocacy group Te Puna Matarau - Canterbury Screen Industry Association; a member of WIFT, and the Pan-Asian Screen Collective.
Ruth Agnew
Having demonstrated an early aptitude for offering uninvited opinions, Ruth found a legitimate outlet for criticism as a theatre, film and book reviewer for publications such as The Press, Stuff, Takehe, Family Times, What’s Up Christchurch, Playmarket Annual, Theatreview and Flat City Field Notes. She also fictionalises parts of her life in script form as a playwright and performs as an actor for companies including Proudly Asian Theatre Company, Top Dog Theatre Company, and Canterbury Young Shakespeare Company. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys teaching young people Speech and Drama.
Mads Tetaura
Mads is a creative producer and cinematographer based in Ōtautahi, Aotearoa, New Zealand, known for creative projects across Māori storytelling and multimedia design. As Co-founder of Māui Studios, over the past decade he has spearheaded design and film projects locally and abroad. In 2021 he co founded Māui Virtual Production based in Christchurch and in 2022 he completed a masters of design in kaupapa Māori filmmaking. His recent work includes Commercials Kauraka e Mataku kia Takatū for AF8 & Ngāi Tahu emergency response. Documentary Tangaroa Ararau in Wellington’s Uhi Tai Māori Art exhibition. Music videos All I Need by Hone and Lost in the Q by Rob Ruha. Co-producing alongside Mikaela Rüegg for Victoria Boult’s short film Invisible Dragons. He is passionate about elevating indigenous stories and making films with other eclectic creatives.
Andrew Gunn
Andrew has been a screenwriter since before the turn of the century, getting his start in TVNZ's Children's Unit writing for What Now and The Son Of A Gunn Show. He has worked on many children's TV shows screening both here and in the UK, and has written across a variety of formats including soap opera (Shortland Street), light-entertainment (Dancing With The Stars) and quiz show (Brain Busters). He co-wrote the feature films Kiwi Flyer, 3 Mile Limit and Kiwi Christmas.
Andrew Todd
Andrew Todd is a writer-director from Ōtautahi, Aotearoa. A stage/screen freelancer with 70+ professional credits, Andrew has also worked as a film critic, jurying for festivals alongside luminaries like Leonard Maltin and Edgar Wright, and serves on the boards of the NZ Writers Guild and Te Puna Matarau. His relationship with 48HOURS stretches back to 2007, and includes three Apee wins and seven years as Christchurch regional manager. Andrew co-founded Freak Development with partner Cathasaigh Ó Fiannachta in 2024, and is currently in advanced development on his first funded feature, relationship horror So Lonely I Could Die.
Sam Harris
Sam has been a 48Hours stalwart for over 18 years, best known as the creative force behind Squint Eastwood - a one-person band of scrappy, irreverent animation. His 2016 entry Dazza and Bazza: Kiwi Dad Detectives caught the eye of Sir Peter Jackson earning a wildcard spot, and in 2020, Sam claimed the Grand Champion title in the special lockdown edition with For Generations.
When he's not racing the 48-hour clock, Sam works as a freelance animator and editor, working on commercials, documentaries, films and video installations.
Born and raised in Ōtautahi, Sam is stoked to be judging for the first time and can't wait to see the local flavour Christchurch's filmmakers bring to the screen.
Masen Ma
Masen is a screen production tutor with a background in post-production. He has been teaching at the New Zealand Broadcasting School for over 20 years and currently manages the second-year degree students of the Screen Production Stream. He has been a regular Christchurch judge for 48Hours since 2006, and for his sins he has enjoyed (been forced to watch) hundreds of these films.