A hand with red-painted nails exits through a small, curtained hole in a red wall.

Light pink text on a white background. Text reads, "Day One Shorts". In between "Day" and "One" is a semi circle.

13m

2025 collection | A series of eight short films made by young, emerging filmmakers that explore cultural, social, and political issues.

Made with the support of NZ On Air & Te Māngai Pāho

8 episodes

Gloss Finish

A person with sweaty hands searches for a dance partner who, like them, bears the clammy burden of a gloss finish.
Season 2/Episode 1
13m

monster & me

Join the fluffy gentle giant Motmot as he navigates life through the bleak world of Strugart, until one day his life is drastically turned upside-down by an unknown creature: a human boy.
Season 2/Episode 2
8m

O Alofa Nei, O Alofa Nā

A young woman caught between expectation and self-acceptance finds herself confronting her repressed sexuality when a chance reunion with her first love stirs old feelings.
Season 2/Episode 3
10m

Frozen: My Eggs & Me

Single and approaching a mid-thirties birthday, Shamin, a first-generation New Zealander, confronts the question she's long been avoiding: should she freeze her eggs?
Season 2/Episode 4
13m

Fearlessli

[PG] After her gender identity was denied in her homeland, Lee Li, a transgender asylum seeker, was forced to leave her country, family, and language to embark on a journey toward belonging. Made with the support of NZ On Air & Te Māngai Pāho.
Season 2/Episode 5
11m

Maysa

One afternoon, while waiting for her mother to visit, Maysa revisits early childhood memories of coming to New Zealand, which help her connect with her stoic Middle Eastern mother.
Season 2/Episode 6
13m

Ata Pūao

Amid the nightlife of a new city, a young Māori trans woman reckons with safety, isolation, and the fragile bonds of old friendships outgrown.
Season 2/Episode 7
14m

Devil in the Gat

Desperate for his big break, an aspiring musician discovers a forgotten musical icon at a nightclub who may hold the key to his dreams—but the answers come with a heavy cost.
Season 2/Episode 8
15m

Trailers & bonus video

Trailer (2025)

Day One Shorts 2025 is a series of eight short scripted or factual screen stories by young emerging content creators from across Aotearoa.
Season 2/
1m

Made with the support of

Partner Logo for NZ on Air for use on dark background

Made with the support of

Partner Logo for Te Mangai Paho for use on dark background
https://www.tmp.govt.nz

Made with the support of

Whakaata Māori partner logo for use on dark background

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