POP Film
POP Film is a privately held, boutique film and television production company based in Wellington, New Zealand, led by Producer Vicky Pope, producing distinctive New Zealand drama and documentary features and shorts for global festival, theatrical, and digital audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersKarori, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What POP Film does
POP Film is a privately held, boutique film and television production company headquartered in Wellington (Karori), New Zealand, founded and led by Producer Vicky Pope. The company specializes in developing and producing distinctive, creatively-led drama and documentary features and short films for global audiences, working with a select group of New Zealand's most talented writers and directors from development through release. Its production portfolio spans more than a decade and includes feature films Trouble Is My Business (2008), Two Little Boys (2012), Gardening with Soul (2016), Savage (2019), Went Up the Hill (2024), and Pike River (2025), plus the upcoming Big Girls Don't Cry (2026), alongside an award-winning slate of short films. POP Film is founder-owned with no disclosed external institutional investors or parent company; ownership and creative control are concentrated in Vicky Pope, who is credited as producer on all productions.
The company operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees, consistent with its boutique positioning, and outsources distribution and international sales to specialist partners rather than building in-house commercial infrastructure. Revenue is generated through theatrical and digital distribution, territory-by-territory international sales and licensing, and the value uplift created by festival premieres at A-list events including Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival, SXSW, Berlin, Busan, BFI London, Venice, and Tribeca. Commercial outcomes have been material at the domestic box office level: Savage grossed over $1.5M and ranked in the top 20 New Zealand film releases of all time, while Pike River took $1.4M. The company has received New Zealand Film Commission production funding support for multiple titles.
POP Film's go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, with festival premieres functioning as the primary commercial trigger that secures distribution deals and builds the credibility needed for theatrical and digital release. Distribution is executed through regional partners — Madman Entertainment for NZ/Australia, Film Constellation for international sales, Blue Fox Entertainment for the United States, Bankside Films and eOne/Universal for selected titles — supplemented by digital streaming availability on platforms such as NZ Film on Demand. Marketing relies heavily on earned media from international festival coverage and critical reviews in outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter and The Guardian.
POP Film firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- POP Film
- Legal name
- POP Film
- Website
- https://popfilm.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- POP Film is a privately held, boutique film and television production company based in Wellington, New Zealand, led by Producer Vicky Pope, producing distinctive New Zealand drama and documentary features and shorts for global festival, theatrical, and digital audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
POP Film industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Distribution Strategy & Release Planning (MPADAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Short-Form Documentaries (MPADADAC)
Keywords
Where POP Film is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Karori
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
POP Film business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Theatrical and Digital Distribution: Films generate revenue through theatrical releases and digital/streaming distribution. Savage (2019) made over $1.5 million at NZ box office. Pike River (2025) took $1.4M at NZ box office. Films also perform on digital platforms.
- International Sales and Licensing: Films licensed to international distributors for various territories. Distribution partners include Film Constellation (international sales), Madman (NZ/Australia), Bankside (sales), Blue Fox Entertainment (US).
- Festival Screenings and Awards: Films screened at prestigious international festivals which build reputation and attract distribution interest. Festival selections (Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, Berlin, etc.) serve as quality validation for commercial release.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
POP Film product offering
Product offeringCore offering
POP Film is a boutique film and television production company that develops and produces distinctive, creatively-led drama and documentary content for global audiences. Led by Producer Vicky Pope, the company works with a select group of New Zealand's most talented writers and directors from development through production. Its films are released through theatrical, digital, and festival channels worldwide, supported by regional and international distribution partners.
Product overview
POP Film is a boutique film and television production company led by Producer Vicky Pope, based in Wellington, New Zealand. The company operates as a single brand producing distinctive, creatively-led content across drama and documentary genres for global audiences. Its portfolio comprises feature-length dramatic and documentary films (including Big Girls Don't Cry, Pike River, Went Up the Hill, Savage, Gardening with Soul, Two Little Boys, and Trouble Is My Business), a collection of award-winning short films (Wait, Choice Night, The Graffiti of Mr Tupaia, Meathead, 43,000 Feet, Cold Snap, The Handover, Honk If You're Horny, and Amadi), and an ongoing slate of upcoming projects in development. Films have been produced across more than a decade, screened at major international festivals including Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Cannes, Tribeca, Venice, and SXSW, and sold worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Big Girls Don't Cry Feature drama film set in rural New Zealand in 2006, following 14-year-old Sid Bookman's discovery of desire, identity, and the internet over one transformative summer. Written and directed by Paloma Schneideman.
- Pike River Feature drama based on the true story of the 2010 Pike River Mine explosion, following two ordinary women who take on the government and a company to seek justice for the 29 men who died underground. Directed by Robert Sarkies; starring Melanie Lynskey and Robyn Malcolm.
- Went Up the Hill Horror ghost story directed by Samuel Van Grinsven in which Jack travels to New Zealand for his mother's funeral and encounters Jill while being haunted by his mother's ghost. Received 4 AACTA nominations.
- Savage Drama film written and directed by Sam Kelly, inspired by New Zealand's boys' homes and early gang history, following the character Danny across three decades. Starring Jake Ryan, John Tui, and Chelsia Preston Crayford.
- Gardening with Soul Feature documentary following a year in the garden with 90-year-old Sister Loyola Galvin, exploring themes of faith, aging, compassion, and community life. Directed by Jess Feast.
- Two Little Boys Black comedy film set in Invercargill, New Zealand in the early 1990s, following Nige and Deano's misadventures after an accidental death involving a hot meat pie and a ginger cat. Directed by Robert Sarkies; starring Bret McKenzie and Hamish Blake.
- Trouble Is My Business Observational documentary following 'Peachy', an unconventional teacher at a tough New Zealand school, whose refusal to give up on his Pacific Island and Maori students helps them turn their lives around. Directed by Juliette Veber.
- Short Film Slate Portfolio of award-winning short films produced by POP Film, including 'Wait', 'Choice Night', 'The Graffiti of Mr Tupaia', 'Meathead', '43,000 Feet', 'Cold Snap', 'The Handover', 'Honk If You're Horny', and 'Amadi'. These short films screen at international festivals and have collectively earned awards including the Berlin Crystal Bear, Hong Kong Jury Prize, NZIFF Best Short Film, and Locarno nomination.
Quantifiable outcome
- Savage made $1.5M at NZ box office, ranking in top 20 NZ films of all time
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use POP Film
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
POP Film technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
POP Film partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- NZ Film CommissioncoreGovernment film funding body that supports New Zealand film productions. POP Film has received NZ Film Commission support for multiple productions including Two Little Boys and Big Girls Don't Cry.
- Madman EntertainmentcorePrimary NZ/Australia distribution partner for POP Film productions including Savage and upcoming releases. Handles theatrical and digital distribution in ANZ region.
- Film ConstellationcoreInternational sales agent representing POP Film productions globally. Handles festival representation and international licensing.
- Bankside FilmsmajorInternational sales representative for Went Up the Hill, handling global distribution rights.
- Blue Fox EntertainmentmajorUS distribution partner for Big Girls Don't Cry, handling American theatrical and digital release.
- Madman EntertainmentcoreNZ distribution partner for Pike River film release, achieving $1.4M box office.
- Capture EntertainmentminorDistribution partner for Pike River, Emilie Barra listed as contact.
- Hi Gloss EntertainmentmajorAustralia distribution partner for Gardening with Soul documentary.
- eOne Entertainment / UniversalmajorMajor studio distribution for Two Little Boys in NZ/Australia market.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
POP Film competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Madman Entertainment: Leading ANZ distributor of independent and festival films, and POP Film's primary NZ/AU distribution partner. Comparable as the regional distribution counterpart whose success depends on acquiring content from boutique producers like POP Film.
- Transmission Films: Australian distributor/producer specializing in premium independent films including many NZ titles. Comparable as a regional player handling distribution and select production of indie films in the same ANZ theatrical ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Vendetta Films: New Zealand boutique production company producing distinctive NZ features such as Vultures and Human Traces. Closely comparable as a similarly sized NZ indie producer targeting international festivals with creatively-led content.
- Curious Films: New Zealand production company behind festival features including The Breaker Upperers and Apron. Comparable as a similarly sized NZ boutique producer with overlapping festival-circuit positioning and ANZ/international distribution pathways.
- LevelK: International film sales and production company handling festival-circuit features across multiple territories. Comparable as a sales-side peer in the indie distribution ecosystem that services the same festival-to-market pipeline POP Film relies on.
- See-Saw Films: NZ/AU-headquartered boutique production company behind festival-driven features like Lion and Top of the Lake. Directly comparable as a trans-Tasman boutique producer combining NZ creative pedigree with international festival and distribution reach.
Broad incumbents
- Film4: UK public broadcaster's film arm producing and co-financing distinctive independent features (12 Years a Slave, Room). Comparable as an institutional indie film producer whose slate profile — festival credibility combined with commercial hits — closely mirrors POP Film's positioning.
- A24: US independent studio known for distinctive, festival-validated films such as Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating in the same premium indie feature space POP Film targets, though at much larger scale.
Market position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
POP Film social profiles
Digital presencePOP Film financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
POP Film leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
POP Film funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
POP Film M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about POP Film
What does POP Film do?
POP Film is a boutique film and television production company that develops and produces distinctive, creatively-led drama and documentary content for global audiences. Led by Producer Vicky Pope, the company works with a select group of New Zealand's most talented writers and directors from development through production. Its films are released through theatrical, digital, and festival channels worldwide, supported by regional and international distribution partners.
Is POP Film a public or private company?
POP Film is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was POP Film founded?
POP Film was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is POP Film based?
POP Film is headquartered in Karori, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does POP Film make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Theatrical and Digital Distribution is the primary driver. The others are international Sales and Licensing and festival Screenings and Awards.
Who are POP Film's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Madman Entertainment and Transmission Films. Direct peers are Vendetta Films, Curious Films, LevelK and See-Saw Films. Broad incumbents are Film4 and A24.
Does POP Film have an API?
No public API is recorded for POP Film.
What industry is POP Film in?
POP Film's product category is Film Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAAAL, Distribution Strategy & Release Planning, with a secondary code of MPADADAC, Short-Form Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7812.