Bay of Plenty’s fledging filmmaker Malachi Steel, age 13, is celebrating after taking out third place at the Global Awards for the International Youth Silent Film Festival.

The international awards were held on Sunday June 9 in Hollywood Cinema, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Malachi’s film ‘Mum’s Star’ was previously awarded the inaugural Kōhungahunga – Fledging Filmmaker Award in the Bay of Plenty IYSFF awards in late 2023.

His film, along with 2023 IYSFF NZ first-place winning film ‘Shelf Life’ by Te Herenga Waka and NZ second-place winning film ‘HER’ by Tauranga Girls’ College students, represented New Zealand at the global awards.

Mums Star from Anton Steel on Vimeo.

Malachi’s international success looks to be following in his family’s footsteps. He is the son of local filmmakers, Anton and Kylie Steel, who helped found Film Bay of Plenty. Anton was also the director of feature documentary ‘Taking Back our Beach’ and feature film ‘The Z-Nail Gang’.

‘Mum’s Star’ is a comedic story of a young boy who tries to impress his mother, but never quiet nails it. 

Jack Turner stars as the young boy in 'Mum's Star'. Photo: Supplied.

Malachi produced his film with a crew of friends from his home-schooling community, The Red Barn, as part of their afternoon electives. 

After his parents took them through the essentials of filmmaking on everything from script writing to camera and editing, Malachi and his friends got to work. 

Malachi’s friend Jack Turner stars as the young boy. Jack’s mother, Krystal Turner, plays herself, while Harry Turner was the director of photography and Daisy Cooper managed the art department.

Malachi says the hardest part was “writing the script and doing all the detail stuff.” 

He says the highlight of making the film “was putting melting butter on Jack’s head”.

“Because it was quite creative, like we had to make it look realistic and we knew it would make people laugh.”

Red Barn Home School team Malachi Steel, Jack Turner, Harry Turner, and Daisy Cooper. Photo: Supplied.

The news of the third placing was unexpected.

“I was blown away.  We all couldn’t believe it when we heard because there was like so many other people from all over the world, way older than us,” says Malachi.

“It was really cool watching the livestream and hearing people laughing at all the funny moments.  It would have been cool to be there.”

Malachi and the Red Barn Home School’s next project is a documentary about the “really tough” World Vision challenge they have set themselves on the weekend of June 21 – 23. https://my.worldvision.org.nz/d/ss/FBsNWZ/red-barn

“Jack and me are both hugging a tree for 40 hours to raise awareness for deforestation.  So we’re going to film that and make a doco about it.”