Nova Paul (born 1973) is a New Zealand Māori filmmaker of Te Uri Ro Roi and Te Parawhau/Ngāpuhi descent[1][2][3] who makes Kaupapa Māori films (films made by Māori for Māori).[4]
Paul completed a Bachelor of Arts in art history at the University of Otago in 1994 and a Master of Arts at Auckland University of Technology in 2000.[5] After graduating, Paul taught studio moving image and art theory at Auckland University of Technology. In 2023 she was appointed a curator at Auckland Museum. Paul is also prominent as an Indigenous Rights researcher.[6]
Initially Paul’s work made use of an early film-making process known as three-colour separation.[7] Using this technique she created multi-layered images in what for a number of years became her signature style. Art critic Tessa Laird described the result. ‘By superimposing three exposures of the same subject the flow of time’s stream is tripled…’[8] Paul’s ongoing interest in meshing the technical aspects of film production with content led her to the Caffenol development process. In her 2023 film Ngā Pūrākau Nō Ngā Rākau – Stories from Trees, for instance, local water and leaves from the trees she was filming were used in the developing process.[9]
NOTE: A number of Nova Paul's films can be viewed on Circuit[20]
Nova Paul is a trustee for her hapū, Artspace Aotearoa (interim-chair 2022-23) and a Haerewa, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki member.[34]
