The Nelson Meers Foundation was thrilled to support acclaimed artist Del Kathryn Barton’s first feature film, the extraordinary BLAZE. Blaze is a young teenager, the sole witness to a shocking crime. Struggling to make sense of what she saw, she unleashes the wrath of her imaginary dragon.

Co-written and directed by Barton, the film premiered in New York in the International Narrative Competition at the 2022 Tribeca Festival and had a theatrical release in Australia and the US.

The film was met with widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for the Del Kathryn Barton’s bold aesthetic sensibility and the performance of its 13 year-old lead, Julia Savage.

What a privilege to support acclaimed artist Del Kathryn Barton in her extraordinary first feature film.  We were particularly excited about the way in which the film addressed an important social issue through art, and blurred boundaries between art forms.