Curious signs director Florian Habicht to roster

Curious has announced the signing of Florian Habicht to its directorial roster.

Until now, Habicht has been making feature films, and winning international awards and stellar reviews for them.

Reviews like these, for his 2014 documentary, Pulp: a Film about Life, Death and Supermarkets: “As celebrated in Habicht’s warmly human documentary, Pulp has always been defiantly different…The result is a beguiling celebration of humanity that could resonate beyond the nostalgic fan base.” [Variety SXSW review by Charles Grant]

“I felt that the film was a triumph–moving, funny, sweet, eccentric–and the reaction from the audience, well, it’s the kind of thing that makes you feel like you are smiling with your heart.” [Dangerous Minds review]

And reviews like these for his 2011 feature, Love Story: “It had the audience in stitches and also gasping with amazement at the risky, strange, surprising and wildly romantic ideas sprinkled through it like the stars on the ceiling of the mighty Civic.” [New Zealand Herald review of Love Story world premiere / New Zealand Film Festival Opening Night by Peter Calder.]

“A peon to the people on New York’s streets, an absurdist rom-com, a flawless comic subversion; I’m not sure what Love Story is. Possibly genius.” [Critic Magazine review by Henry Feltham]

Habicht’s decision to move into directing commercials was greeted with enthusiasm by Curious Film executive producer and managing director, Matt Noonan.

Says Noonan: “It’s been a long held ambition of mine to work with Florian and I didn’t hesitate when he approached me to say he was ready and keen to take on commercial projects.”

Habicht had just shot three short films in the UK with Beck, Spiritual Speed dating and Japanese band, Boredoms. These Random Acts were commissioned by Channel 4. His documentary feature, Spookers, which is being supported by the New Zealand Film Commission and Screen Australia, is in post production. And he has a history of making films that become news, beginning with his debut feature Woodenhead in 2003, of which he was writer, producer, director and camera operator, that won distribution throughout the US.

In 2008, Habicht completed Rubbings from a Live Man, for which he was director, writer, co-editor, and co-producer. It was nominated for Best Film (under $1 million) at the New Zealand Film and TV Awards.

In 2009, He became the first recipient of a grant by late arts benefactor, Harriet Friedlander – a year’s residency in New York. Love Story – part memoir, part romance, part exploration of improvising a movie into being – was born from his time there. The film was chosen to be the opening night film of the New Zealand International Film Festival in 2011, and won Best Film, Best Director & Best Editor at the NZ Film & Television Awards. It also won the audience award at the Pluk de Nacht Outdoor Film Festival in Amsterdam 2012.

Pulp: a Film about Life, Death and Supermarkets, made its debut at the 2014 NZ International Film Festival. It won Best Music Film at the NME Awards London in 2015, the Audience Favourite Award at the In-Edit Festival, Barcelona, an Honorable Jury Mention at the Athens International Film Festival and was ranked in the NYC Village Voice Top 10 Films Of 2014. It made its world premiere at SXSW 2014, was the opening night film at the Sheffield Doc Fest 2014 and the closing night film at the Film Society Of Lincoln Sound & Vision Series NYC 2014. Pulp is being distributed in the UK, USA, Portugal, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Israel, Taiwan, The Middle East and France.

Says Noonan: “Florian is my favourite documentary film maker bar none and Kaikohe Demolition my favourite NZ doc. It’s one of the most insightful observations of Aotearoa. With Pulp: a Film about Life, Death and Supermarkets and Love Story, Florian established himself as a renowned director on the global stage.

“Working with genuinely original creative voices like Florian is special enough. That Florian is great fun to hang out and jam with on ideas is the icing on the cake.”

View Florian Habicht’s work here.

To reach Curious, contact Matt Noonan noonan@curiousfilm.com or via phone at AUS: +612 8565 5000 or NZ: +649  380  7880.