Emma Slade runs Firefly Films and is one of New Zealand’s most prolific producers. Her latest film BOOKWORM starring Elijah Wood, Nell Fisher and Michael Smiley will open Fantasia Film Festival in August 2024. Recent release UPROAR, starring Julian Dennison, Minnie Driver and Rhys Darby played on every screen in Aotearoa New Zealand, after premiering at TIFF to rave reviews.

Simultaneously, MISTER ORGAN, New Zealand’s highest grossing feature documentary for 2022, is available on Netflix and was selected as New York Times Top Critic’s Pick.

Emma’s slate includes absurd comedy, NUDE TUESDAY, from director ArmaganBallantyne (Sydney Film Festival, Tribeca and Edinburgh), THE JUSTICE OF BUNNY KING (2021 Tribeca Film Festival) and COME TO DADDY, an NZ/Irish/Canadian official co-production, which premiered at Tribeca 2019. The film wonBest Director (Ant Timpson) and Best Actor (Elijah Wood) at the Toronto After Dark Festival 2019.

In 2017, her young adult thriller THE CHANGEOVER starring Timothy Spall (Mr Turner) and Melanie Lynskey (The Intervention), was in competition at the Alice Nella Citta, Venice Film Festival. Earlier that year, Slade produced INTO THE RAINBOW, which was the first Chinese/NZ co-production, starring Willow Shields (Hunger Games) and the Brazilian/NZ feature LITTLE SECRET, which was nominated as Brazil’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film 2017.

Victoria Dabbs is a lead producer at one of New Zealand’s top production companies FireflyFilms, developing an ambitious slate of cross-genre Film and TV content. 

Victoria has co-produced Ant Timpson’s BOOKWORM (2024), starring Elijah Wood and Michael Smiley, and is in pre-prod on Nathalie Boltt’s debut feature HOLY DAYS. Previously, Victoria has line produced films and television series across Europe, Asia and Australasia.Projects include; Dexter Fletcher’s SUNSHINE ON LEITH, Terence Davies’ SUNSET SONG, OUR LADIES, VALHALLA RISING, NED’S, the BBC’s ABC MURDERS, THE SINGAPORE GRIP, GIRL, Australian/Scottish co-production FALLING FOR FIGARO, UK TV series ANNIKA. 

Victoria is currently in development on NZ/Scottish co-production television series, NOCTURNAL.

Abi Tabone is a producer at Midwinter Films. She has produced short form series Over and Out, which won Best Short Form at Canneseries in 2019. She was Associate Producer on H is for Happiness, which premiered at MIFF and won best film at Cinefest Oz in 2019. H is for Happiness was nominated for 10 AACTA Awards. She co-produced The Butterfly Tree starring Melissa George, Ewen Leslie and Ed Oxenbould, (MIFF and TIFF 2017), and Produced Harmony (currently screening on Stan) with Eamon Farren and Jacqueline McKenzie. Abi has worked as a digital producer, making apps and digital platforms, with clients including Junkee Media, BBC and Channel 7.

With over 20 years’ experience in entertainment, working in technical production, Abi’s career has spanned theatre, events, television commercials, television shows and feature films. Working in operations and business development, her clients have included The Wolverine, Australian Ninja Warrior, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Outta Here, Handa Opera’s West Side Story, La Traviata and Carmen on Sydney Harbour, and features Where the Wild Things Are, Australia and The Great Gatsby.

Abi holds a Masters in Screen Arts and Business from the Australian Film Television and Radio School. She has taught Creative Entrepreneurship at University of Technology, Sydney and is a member of staff at Compton School, Australia’s first business school for creatives.