Inclusion summit attracts Hollywood power players to NZ

New Zealand film-maker Niki Caro will be a speaker at The Power of Inclusion global summit

Auckland has secured a major global summit of local and international filmmakers that will take place in October.

The Power of Inclusion will feature panels, keynote speakers and In Conversation events focusing on the topics of representation and inclusion in the current screen and entertainment landscape.

Some of the speakers announced include writer and director Niki Caro, who is currently directing the live-action Mulan remake for Disney, screenwriter and producer Philippa Boyens (Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies), Haifaa Al Mansour, the first female filmmaker from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, producer Charles D. King whose most recent film was the critically acclaimed, dark comedy Sorry to Bother You, and actor and award-winning theatre maker Ana Scotney (The Breaker Upperers).

Prime Minister Jacinda Adern will also be joining some panels as a guest speaker. Further guests and the full programme will be announced at a later date.

The event is being put on by the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and Women in Film and Television International with support from The Walt Disney Studios.

"The summit will be a dynamic forum for expanding the opportunities for real global connection that comes with the rising wave of under-represented voices now breaking through old screen industry norms and barriers," NZFC Chief Executive Annabelle Sheehan said in a statement. "The New Zealand Film Commission is committed to empowering greater inclusion and diversity in the New Zealand screen sector. In hosting the summit the New Zealand voice will figure in the expanding global screen economy."

The Power of Inclusion will run over two days, on October 3 and 4 this year. For more information and ticketing info visit their website.