Armağan Ballantyne

Armağan Ballantyne made her feature debut with 2009 drama The Strength of Water, the tale of two children in an isolated coastal town. The Kiwi-German co-production was invited to festivals in Berlin, Rotterdam and Auckland. Her second movie was 2022's Nude Tuesday, a comedy told in a fake language. Having won an award in 1996 for an Emma Paki music video, Ballantyne studied film in Sydney and Prague. Her CV includes adverts, hit kids show Being Eve, and award-winning short Whistle She Rolls. In 2008 she was one of 22 filmmakers from around the globe invited to work on United Nations anthology film Stories on Human Rights.

Childhood, sudden death, Māori culture and rugged New Zealand scenery make a potent mix, compellingly handled by Armağan Ballantyne ... Ballantyne’s feature has a quiet polish and emotional honesty... Screen Daily reviewer Jonathan Romney on movie The Strength of Water, 28 January 2009