Nespresso Talents Awards 2019: New Zealand filmmaker triumphs at Cannes with short film about Bali

With the Cannes Film Festival in full swing, on Friday young filmmakers from around the world hit the French Riviera for the final of Nespresso Talents 2019.

For the fourth year running, entrants were invited to submit a film based on a specific theme. This year's theme? "We Are What We Eat."

From creative stop motion films that featured hopping strawberries to a sci-fi short set in space, the submissions were as varied as they were creative.

But in the end judges crowned Joshua Morrice from New Zealand as the Nespresso Talents international winner.

Morrice's winning film Subak explored the ancient, sustainably-managed paddy fields of Bali. Morrice, 25, had the idea for the film when he visited the island and learned about the production of its staple food.

"Everything is done in a democratic and social way through the leaders of the temple" he said, "there’s no sense of self and entitlement between the farmers, they own the land but work together."

Morrice studied film at the University of Victoria in Wellington before cutting his teeth in Sydney and back in Auckland working for an advertising agency. "I was lucky enough to work under some really good creative directors and producers who took me under their wing and were super-generous with their time and knowledge" he said.

He recently went freelance and hopes to do more creative filmmaking. "I’m really passionate about three things: food, music and film. I’d be happy being involved with any one of them" he said.

As for the films which inspire him? "Taxi Driver by Martin Scorsese which I first watched when I was doing media studies at school – it was the first time I thought about filmmaking as a possible career... also, I [love] The Lego Movie. To watch that movie and not smile is impossible."

After the Nespresso Talents ceremony at the Palais Des Festivals, finalists, judges and guests moved down the Le Croisette for a party on the beach at Le Plage Nespresso

In keeping with the competition's food theme, party guests were treated to a 'Battle of the Chefs' dinner experience where Michelin-starred chefs competed against each other to serve up a winning signature dish.