Tall Hours

Our short film, Tall Hours, was selected for the New Zealand Film Commission’s Kōpere Hou - Fresh Shorts initiative. Thanks to an incredibly talented team, we’ve successfully completed filming - now we need your help to bring it through post-production and out into the world!

At its heart, Tall Hours is a story of loss, resilience, and reconciliation. After his daughter dies in a racing accident, a father must decide the fate of the horse that killed her. Set against the backdrop of rural Aotearoa, this is an intimate and emotional exploration of grief.

The film stars newcomer Tom Hazlett, an ex-jockey whose raw and powerful performance we were honored to capture. He is supported by a talented cast, including Jacinta Compton, Marion Prebble, Shaun Cullen, Jim Cawthorn, Daniel Hunt, and Jatinder Singh - and, of course, Nemo the horse.

This campaign aims to raise the final funds needed to complete post-production. We’re working with an incredible team, including:
Allan George (Ngāti Kahungunu) – our brilliant editor.
Kane Strang – singer-songwriter and composer, who has created an original song and score.
Shamir Rodriguez – sound designer, bringing the film’s sonic world to life.

Every dollar raised will go directly toward these finishing costs. Your support - whether through a donation or simply sharing this campaign - will help us bring Tall Hours to audiences everywhere.

Tall Hours is written and directed by Sophie Black and co-produced by Nikola Vasakova and Esther Leilua, who have spent the past three years collaborating to bring this powerful story to the screen.

Sophie Black is an emerging screenwriter and director from Otago/Southland, now based in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. An award-winning filmmaker, she has a background in music videos, commercials, and documentary directing. Tall Hours marks her first funded narrative short film.

Her previous documentary short, Believing is Seeing, won Best Documentary at the Vision Feast Short Film Festival and was featured on the prestigious international platform Short of the Week.

Nikola Vasakova is a film producer and organiser supporting marginalised voices in film. She has produced work for The Economist, Nowness, Boiler Room and Adidas. She is also the founder of @girlsinfilm_gif an international platform supporting womxn in film.

Esther Leilua is an emerging writer and creative producer based in Tāmaki. She is focused on mahi that centers "the girlies" or is working with "the girlies". Recently, she has been involved in RUPTURE - a series development intensive and is currently working on ORATORS ANONYMOUS, a podcast funded by RNZ.

Tall Hours is proudly supported by Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts, a New Zealand Film Commission initiative, in partnership with Script to Screen, dedicated to developing emerging Kiwi filmmaking talent.

This fundraising campaign aims to cover the essential costs of post-production and delivering the film to the screen. Every contribution, big or small, will help us complete the film at the highest standard. Your support will go toward:

Editing with our brilliant editor, Allan George
Refining the film’s score with the incredible musician and composer, Kane Strang
Sound design and mixing for the big screen with acclaimed engineer Shamir Rodriguez
Colour grading to perfect the stunning cinematography of Pepe de Hoyos
DCP Package – creating a digital cinema package so Tall Hours can be screened in movie theatres worldwide
Film Festival strategy and entry fees

This Boosted campaign is all-or-nothing—meaning we must hit our fundraising target to receive your generous donations. We know times are tough, so any support, whether through a donation or simply spreading the word, means the world to us.

If you’re unable to donate, you can still help by sharing our campaign with friends, family, community groups, and film or horse enthusiasts who might connect with this story. Follow us on Instagram @tallhours_shortfilm for updates.

And here’s some great news—donations to our project through Boosted qualify for a 33% tax credit, as Boosted is run by a charitable trust.

Thank you for believing in Tall Hours and for supporting New Zealand’s independent filmmaking talent!

Tall Hours began with a chance encounter. While working frantically on a film for the 48-Hour Film Competition, Esther and Sophie met animal wrangler Julie Randell-Whiu. Julie introduced us to one of her trained ex-thoroughbred horses, Nemo, who immediately captured our imagination. Inspired by him - and drawing from her own family’s deep ties to the New Zealand horse racing community - Sophie began writing the script.

Sadly, Julie passed away before we could make the film with her. However, we are forever grateful to her whānau and friends, including horse wranglers Rebecca McKay and Ramona Berndt, who made it possible for Julie’s beloved horse, Nemo, to star in this film.

Authenticity has been at the heart of Tall Hours from the start. We were committed to casting a lead actor with a personal connection to the story. After an extensive search, we were incredibly fortunate to find Tom Hazlett - an ex-jockey with a natural screen presence. His performance is something truly special, and we cannot wait to share it with the world.

We are also deeply grateful to our extended cast, our amazing crew, and the Kūmeu riding community, whose generosity, time, and talent helped bring this project to life.

After losing his daughter, Hannah (Jacinta Compton), Glenn (Tom Hazlett) faces an impossible decision—what to do with the horse that took her life?

Tall Hours is a raw and deeply moving exploration of grief, masculinity, and resilience. It delves into the quiet stoicism of men in rural communities and the complex, often profound, bond between humans and animals.

This film takes audiences on a cathartic journey through the many stages of loss, ultimately asking: How do we keep going when the unimaginable happens?

By supporting Tall Hours, you’re championing the voices of New Zealand’s emerging filmmakers—helping to share our unique stories with the world.

THANK YOU!