“In an age of social, political and ecological discord, stories that connect and remind us of what it means to be human are more important than ever.” Paul Nevison’s empathy and talent combined to win a Gold Screen Award at the Cannes Lions Young Director Awards 2020 for his Film Nitacheza/I Will Dance.
The Kiwi filmmaker has now been signed by Sweetshop for representation in Australia, where he is based after a decade in London and filmmaking throughout the world.
Nevison’s body of work mixes real-life events with cinematic elements to create evocative retellings of true stories, often giving a voice to marginalised and disadvantaged groups. Filmmaking has taken Paul to more than 40 countries and he has developed an intuitive style that highlights the complexities of human emotion and uncovers truths that are both personal and universal.
Paul’s film, Volta, was also awarded a YDA Gold Screen and Gold at Ciclope Africa in 2019.
For anti-slavery charity, A21, global campaign to raise public awareness of the growing practice of human trafficking and exploitation, he created the film Can You See Me? Love Story, a tragic cautionary tale about the dangers of the internet.
Nevison also won the Sweetshop 2019-2020 Mentorship prize and has worked on the process of translating his skills and experience in the documentary world to TVCs. Sweetshop has worked with Nevison for the last six months making commercials, including a recent campaign with Leo Burnett Sydney.
Edward Pontifex, managing director of Sweetshop Australia, stated, “Since we met Paul through the mentorship, he has been enormously proactive about working with our MDs, EPs and directors on translating his documentary experience to commercial advertising. We’ve been so impressed with his collaborative working style, how easy he is to work with and, of course, the visually beautiful films he brings to life. I’m hugely excited to see just how far he’ll go in the world of commercial advertising, as well as the longform and branded content possibilities that our entertainment division, Sweetshop & Green offers.”
Nevison added, “I’m excited to be taking the next steps in my career with a company that is so committed to arresting storytelling. The impressive array of talent Sweetshop attracts speaks volumes for the culture of craft that’s at the core of everything they do. To be joining such an accomplished team of excellent humans is an exciting proposition. I’m looking forward to pushing my filmmaking with Sweetshop across different genres in both commercial and long-form projects.”
Wilf Sweetland, Global chief executive officer and partner of Sweetshop, commented, “I’ve been blown away by Paul and his films since meeting him last year. He is a superbly talented director with a way of telling stories that genuinely moves his audience. I’m really looking forward to what we can do together in the commercial arena in Australia. I know brands and agencies are going to love working with him.”
To watch Paul’s recent work click here.
To work with Paul contact Edward Pontifex at epontifex@thesweetshop.tv or Greg Fyson at greg@thesweetshop.tv.
