Cathasaigh Ó Fiannachta
Writer, Director
Wellington-born Cathasaigh Ó Fiannachta began writing during a nomadic childhood spent everywhere from Egypt to Nigeria (her stepfather worked for an oil company). After completing a Film and English degree at Auckland University, she spent three years in the script department of Shortland Street. Since then she has co-written hit movie Born to Dance (2015), and wrote and directed indie wine comedy Hang Time (2019). Keen to increase opportunities for writers, Ó Fiannachta directs income from sex work into a development fund for local writers and creators of tabletop games. She is sometimes credited as Casey Zilbert or Casey Whelan.
...a lot of my interest moving forward is about financing, and how to help diverse voices actually build engaging but sustainable and financially viable careers in the digital future. Cathasaigh Ó Fiannachta, in an interview for online series Diverse Voices: Making Screen Work Different, 18 May 2022
