Kent Belcher

At 12, Kent Belcher already had his sights set on becoming "the guy behind the camera". By 2005, he was honing his eye as a camera assistant, before making the full leap into cinematography with a series of short films: Eight Years Later (2016), Theresse, Rinse, Mute (all 2018), and Catch of the Day (2019). In 2022, he shot his first feature, post-apocalyptic thriller Northspur. Belcher has a long association with te reo metal band Alien Weaponry, including directing a 10-part web series about their 2018 European tour. He made his feature directing debut with Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara, which debuted at New York's Tribeca Film Festival.

After six years of traveling with, living with and filming the Alien Weaponry family, to finally be able to share that with audiences and showcase Māori culture in a vibrant and heartfelt way is just so rewarding. To have my first film as director premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival is an absolute dream come true. Kent Belcher on his first feature as director, Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ana, Knotfest website, 15 May 2024