Biography

Vanessa Wells is a multi award-winning director and producer. Her latest feature documentary, Mighty Indeed, about three remarkable women and their scientific work in Antarctica, won Best NZ Film and Best NZ Director at Doc Edge Film Festival 2025, making it eligible for the 2026 Academy Awards.

Vanessa has traveled to Antarctica three times, building a significant body of entertaining work that includes an educational children's play, content for Sesame Street, and the short documentary Te Whakairo, which premiered at Show Me Shorts Festival 2019 before touring internationally. She also co-directed the award-winning interactive project Give Kate A Voice with Vendetta Productions and Vanishing Point Studio. Her debut feature, East to East (NZIFF 2018), followed teenagers training for and competing in the Coast to Coast multi-sport event. Vanessa has continued to write, direct and produce work for Sesame Street, and has further television and film projects in development.

Vanessa joined WIFT NZ in 2007, and served on its board from 2015-2025.
- IMDb mini biography by: Vanessa Wells