PRODUCER
photo by Emma Brittenden Photography
ANNA CANTON
Creative Producer
Screen Advocate
Based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Anna is a Creative Producer, Line Producer and Production Manager with a passion for genre film and storytelling that highlights diverse and underrepresented voices on screen. She has 20 years' experience in the screen industry and a decade in marketing, brand & organisational management. Highly organised and driven, she loves leading high-performance creative projects and teams to deliver world-class content.
She produced the NZFC Fresh Shorts short film 'HOMECOMING' with transgender Writer/Director Grae Meek, premiered at the Top of the South Film Festival in New Zealand in Oct 2025, winning four awards including Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Film. It premiered in the UK at the British Urban Film Festival. Her short films 'GRAVEL 3000' and award-winning* 'MODEL 15' have also played at local and international festivals. She was the Line Producer on the short films ‘THE MEEK’ and 'SISTER JOSEPHINE', both funded by NZFC. She is currently in development on a feature film and is Senior Producer on the Episode One Redux web series 'DEAD STRANGERS' for PASC & RNZ.
Anna is the Co-Chair of the regional screen advocacy group Te Puna Matarau (Canterbury Screen Industry Association) doing fierce advocacy work for the regional screen sector; a board member of WIFT NZ and a Regional Ambassador for the Pan-Asian Screen Collective. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film; is a qualified Project Manager and speaker of Te Reo Māori. In her spare time she is a flamenco dancer and crocheter.
Anna is building a slate of projects for Annakey Productions, particularly looking for diverse perspectives from women, Te Ao Māori, Pan-Asian, & LGBTQIA+ scripts working in the genre space (thriller, horror, action, sci-fi, dark comedy).
*Best International Sci-Fi Short Film, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, USA, 2013
She produced the NZFC Fresh Shorts short film 'HOMECOMING' with transgender Writer/Director Grae Meek, premiered at the Top of the South Film Festival in New Zealand in Oct 2025, winning four awards including Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Film. It premiered in the UK at the British Urban Film Festival. Her short films 'GRAVEL 3000' and award-winning* 'MODEL 15' have also played at local and international festivals. She was the Line Producer on the short films ‘THE MEEK’ and 'SISTER JOSEPHINE', both funded by NZFC. She is currently in development on a feature film and is Senior Producer on the Episode One Redux web series 'DEAD STRANGERS' for PASC & RNZ.
Anna is the Co-Chair of the regional screen advocacy group Te Puna Matarau (Canterbury Screen Industry Association) doing fierce advocacy work for the regional screen sector; a board member of WIFT NZ and a Regional Ambassador for the Pan-Asian Screen Collective. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film; is a qualified Project Manager and speaker of Te Reo Māori. In her spare time she is a flamenco dancer and crocheter.
Anna is building a slate of projects for Annakey Productions, particularly looking for diverse perspectives from women, Te Ao Māori, Pan-Asian, & LGBTQIA+ scripts working in the genre space (thriller, horror, action, sci-fi, dark comedy).
*Best International Sci-Fi Short Film, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, USA, 2013
Selected Filmography
Professional Development & Leadership Highlights
Facilitator, Panelist & Presentation Highlights:
- Current: Senior Producer: 'DEAD STRANGERS' (formerly FIVE STAGES' ) (series), Annakey Productions
- Current: Producer: 'THE PISSY TITS STREET GANG' (feature film), Overactive Imagination
- 2024: Producer: 'HOMECOMING' (short film), Annakey Productions
- 2024: Line Producer: 'SISTER JOSEPHINE' (short film), AJ Films
- 2020: Line Producer: 'THE MEEK' (short film), Blueskin Films
- 2019: Co-Producer: 'ADVANTAGE YOU' (TVC), Ara Institute of Canterbury
- 2011 - 2016: Field Director: 'THE ERIN SIMPSON SHOW'; 'THE 4:30 SHOW'; 'ADAM & EVE' (Youth TV), Whitebait Media
- 2013: Producer: 'MODEL 15' (short film), Annakey Productions
- 2011 - 2012: Producer/Director: 'HELL FOR LEATHER', 'THE BULLY KILLER', (48HR films), Team FiveOneSeven
- 2009 - 2013: Series Director: 'INSPIRING LIVES GLOBAL' (TV series), Firehorse Productions
- 2009: Associate Producer: 'HOMEFRONT' (short film), Picture the Difference
- 2009: 1st Assistant Director: 'THE HOLY ROLLER’ (feature film), Life Films
- 2007: Producer: ‘GRAVEL 3000’ (short film), Annakey Productions
- 2003 - 2025: various short & feature film, documentary, corporate, community and TV projects as Director, Producer, 1st Assistant Director, Editor, Script Supervisor or Project Manager.
Professional Development & Leadership Highlights
- WIFT NZ: Board Member (2025), NZ Awards Judging Panel (2022, 2026)
- Pan-Asian Screen Collective: Regional Ambassador (2025)
- Screen CanterburyNZ: Industry Support (2025)
- 48 Hours Competition: Christchurch Regional Judge (2022 & 2025)
- Big Screen Symposium: Delegate (2022-25)
- Ara Institute of Canterbury: Kaupapa Maori: Significant Contribution to Māori Achievement award (2019)
- NZFC: Emerging Producers Intensive (2019)
- ‘The Power of Inclusion’ Summit attendee (2019)
- Marketing South Conference attendee (2021 & 2019)
Facilitator, Panelist & Presentation Highlights:
- WIFT: Thriving in the South Island Panel (2021), Story Sovereignty & Cultural Safety Panel (2022), Value Your Worth Panel (2025)
- Te Puna Matarau: Story Sovereignty, Diversity & Inclusion Panel (2023), Christchurch City Council Budget Submission presentations (2024, 2025), Kōawa Screen Strategy Round Table (2025)
- NZIFF & DocEdge: Director Q&A sessions, various films (2024, 2025)
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