Dustin Feneley - Writer / Director / Producer

Born in Sydney in 1982, Dustin Feneley is an MFA graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Film School. His short films as writer and director (Night, Snow, Hawker, Eskimo Kiss) have won numerous awards and screened at over one hundred film festivals, including official selections at Cannes, London, Sydney and Melbourne.

In 2006, his short film Snow premiered in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival in the Cinéfondation section. Snow was further honoured that year by exhibition at the Pompidou Centre in Paris. In 2007, Dustin was the recipient of the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award for Moving Image, the leading awards in Australia for emerging creative talent. In 2011, he was awarded the Filmmaker Grand Prix at the Sapporo International Short Film Festival in Japan, a unique award that recognises a filmmaker’s body of work in short films. 

Set in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, Dustin’s debut feature project Stray was selected for development at the Directors Lab of the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam and for CineMart at Rotterdam. Stray had its World Premiere in Main Competition at the 2018 Moscow International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Saint George Award for Best Actor, before going on to screen and win awards at numerous festivals worldwide. Stray was released nationally in cinemas in New Zealand in 2018, garnering strong box office and critical acclaim, considered by several critics to be the best New Zealand film of the year. Stray was acquired by US-based distributor Gravitas Ventures for worldwide release.

In 2019, Dustin was awarded Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget under 1M) at the Australian Directors Guild Awards and Best New Director at the Brooklyn Film Festival for Stray. Dustin is a dual citizen of Australia and New Zealand, currently based in Melbourne.

Desray Armstrong - Producer

Desray Armstrong is an independent producer with a diverse slate of credits. From 2007-2011, Desray and producer/director Chelsea Winstanley ran production company StanStrong with a focus on creating compelling, conscious and informative content with a Māori worldview. Since then, Desray has built up a mass of physical production experience, predominantly in feature film. Credits include Reunion, Mulan, Mortal Engines, A Wrinkle in Time, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Rehearsal, The Light Between Oceans, Z for Zachariah, Slow West and What We Do In The Shadows.

Desray has produced award-winning short films including Meathead by Sam Holst (Cannes Film Festival 2011, Berlin Film Festival 2012 Crystal Bear Winner), Ellen is Leaving by Michelle Savill (SXSW Film Festival 2013 Best Narrative Short Winner), Snowmen by Jonathan Brough and Ways to See by Jessica Sanderson. She has produced visually rich music videos for Aaradhna, Shapeshifter, and Tama Waipara, directed by Jessica Sanderson, and two seasons of Mike Minogue’s comedy web series The Watercooler.

In 2018 she released two passion projects; Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi and Paul Yates’ hit mockumentary television series Wellington Paranormal and Dustin Feneley’s debut feature Stray. Her first feature film as lead producer, Stray had its world premiere at the 2018 Moscow International Film Festival where it was awarded Best Actor. Stray subsequently went on to have a successful domestic theatrical run, screening for 10 weeks in over 40 cinemas around the country.

Recipient of the 2016 WIFT Woman to Watch Award, the 2018 SPADA Independent Producer of the Year Award and the 2019 Te Kai Ngakahi Melissa Wikaire Award, Desray has served on the boards of industry guilds Ngā Aho Whakaari (Māori in Screen Production) and Women in Film & Television and is active in creating pathways for more women and Māori to step into key creative roles in the feature film landscape.

Ari Wegner - Cinematographer

Ari Wegner is one of the finest emerging cinematographers from Australia. Her work, spanning from long-form drama to short films and documentaries, has screened at numerous international festivals including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance and Toronto. Her debut feature as cinematographer, Grey Matter, directed by Kivu Ruhorahoza, premiered at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. Grey Matter was the first feature film shot in Rwanda directed by a Rwandan filmmaker. Ari's second feature, Ruin, directed by Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody, premiered at the 2013 Venice Film Festival where it won the Orizzonti Special Jury Prize. 

2014 marked her first foray into the world of television, shooting Porchlight Film's The Kettering Incident. The eight hour miniseries was directed by Rowan Woods and Tony Krawitz.

In 2015, Ari shot UK feature film Lady Macbeth, directed by William Oldroyd, which won numerous awards worldwide throughout 2016 and 2017. Ari was awarded Best Cinematography at the British Independent Film Awards for her work on the film. In 2017, Ari shot the second season of US television series The Girlfriend Experience for director Lodge Kerrigan, as well as Peter Strickland's new film In Fabric. She recently shot Justin Kurzel’s The True History of the Kelly Gang, Janicza Bravo’s Zola, and Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog.

Ari was awarded the Grand Prix for Best Cinematography at the 2018 Golden Eye Festival for her work on Stray. Stray is the third collaboration between Ari and director Dustin Feneley, having previously worked together on short films Hawker and Eskimo Kiss.

Sophie Durham - Production Designer

Sophie Durham graduated from Curtin University’s film school in 2010 and has since worked professionally in the film industry, amassing credits in various roles within the art department. Predominantly working as a property master, she is credited on numerous Australian feature films such as Son of a Gun directed by Julius Avery, Jasper Jones directed by Rachel Perkins and Red Dog: True Blue directed by Kriv Stenders. Her other credits include Dirt Music, The Dressmaker, Holding the Man, Bad Girl, Drift, An Accidental Soldier, Ronny Chieng: International Student, and multiple docudramas for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In addition to her work on feature films, Sophie has designed short films including Blue by Keir Wilkins and Inner Quality by Ethan Marrell as well as art directing Mad Kid’s web series Henry & Aaron’s 7 Steps to Superstardom. Sophie has recently embarked on her first directorial endeavour since film school, a music video for Melbourne band Kayo. Dustin Feneley’s debut feature Stray is her first feature as production designer.

Dione Chard - Editor

Dione Chard has a breadth of editing experience across multiple genres and forms. She has cut international drama and documentary series for Netflix and Amazon (Some Assembly Required and All or Nothing: A Season with the All Blacks), and worked on many award-winning New Zealand projects such as the telemovie Jean, New Zealand Film Commission funded feature Vermilion, and comedy series Super City directed by Taika Waititi.

Dione graduated from the Master of Arts Film Production programme at the University of Auckland with First Class Honours. Her debut short film Driven screened at the New Zealand International Film Festival, and her first documentary feature as editor Monterey screened at the Oscar-qualifying DocEdge - Australasia’s premiere international documentary film festival. Stray is the first feature drama that Dione has edited.

Sez Niederer - Associate Producer

Born in Auckland, Sez Niederer trained as an actor at the prestigious Drama Centre London. Sez’s background is primarily as an actor and an Assistant Director in the film industry. Sez is the lead actress in the successful independent New Zealand feature film This Giant Papier Mache Boulder Is Actually Really Heavy, which has screened at numerous international film festivals, including Boston Sci-Fi and Sci-Fi London, and garnered several awards, including Best Comedy, Best Independent Film and Best Sci-Fi. Sez also acts in New Zealand television, theatre and voice over.

Sez’s feature film credits as First Assistant Director include the New Zealand Film Commission funded feature Vermilion and independent feature Older. She has also First Assistant Directed numerous short films and TV commercials. Sez is passionate about New Zealand music and has First Assistant Directed countless music videos for artists such as Broods, Marlon Williams, Doprah, Estere, Tami Nielson and Randa.

Stray is Sez’s first feature film as a producer, working as Associate Producer on the film since advanced development.

Alix Whittaker - Associate Producer

Alix Whittaker is one of New Zealand’s most prolific music video producers, supporting 30 emerging directors over the last decade to develop their visual storytelling skills by producing close to 100 clips between them. Her favourite, Glare by Sheep, Dog & Wolf, directed by THUNDERLIPS, earned a Vimeo Staff Pick, Best Music Video at Show Me Shorts Film Festival 2014, Best Abstract Video at Vision Feast 2015, and a nomination for Best Alternative Video at the UK Music Video Awards 2015.

Alongside her work in music videos, Alix has produced numerous short films and web series. She was Co-Producer on Tim van Dammen’s feature Mega Time Squad, Producer Intern on Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Associate Producer on Dustin Feneley's debut feature Stray.

Alix was one of 12 emerging film producers selected by the New Zealand Film Commission for the inaugural year-long ‘A-Z Producing Course’ presented by AFTRS.

Alix’s most recent short film Daniel, written and directed by Claire van Beek, premiered at Melbourne International Film Festival 2019 and Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2020.