Skip to main content

PaulaWhetu Jones

Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou
  • Director
  • Writer [te aitanga a māhaki
  • Whakatōhea
  • Ngāti porou]
Paula-Whetu-Jones-Profile.jpg

Paula Whetu Jones' passion for social issues is reflected both in her documentaries, and her later work in narrative drama. Among many documentary projects, she directed and produced The Hidden for Inside New Zealand and directed the award-winning Gang Girls. She joined an ensemble of female writers and directors on feature drama Waru (2017) before co-directing and co-writing acclaimed Whina Cooper biopic Whina. For the small screen, Whetu was a writer and director on religious drama Testify. She also created the semi-autobiographical Spinal Destination, a comedy-drama about a woman learning to live with being paralysed. 

Screenography

Testify
2024 Writer, Director Series
Spinal Destination
2024 Creator, Director, Writer, Executive Producer Series
2022 Co-Director, Writer Film
2020 - 2021 Director, Writer Series
Yellow Roses
2019 Director, Writer Short film

Awards

2018 Asia Pacific Film Festival (United States) 
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Narrative Feature (shared with 7 others): Waru

2018 Seattle International Film Festival (United States) 
Audience Award for Best Film (shared with 7 others): Waru

“I feel privileged that my first foray into the film world I was wrapped around by some of the best female writer directors in the industry. It was a no brainer, I couldn't fail with that much love, care and experience around me.”

Paula Whetu Jones on her work on collaborative film Waru, Flicks, website, 16 October 2018