Nicole Freeman

Nicole Freeman is a New Zealand designer, photographer, filmmaker and producer. She has worked in the creative industry since 2000, in Australia, Europe, Latin America, the US and New Zealand.

Nicole lived in Rio de Janeiro between 2012 and 2018, where she established a production company called Providence Productions with Brazilian educator and event producer Cristiano Vicente. Providence Productions creates audio-visual content and develops education and cultural projects for national and international clients.

Inspired by the many wild and intriguing stories Nicole encountered in Brazil, Nicole and Cristiano created 72HORAS - an audio-visual project that encourages emerging creatives in Rio de Janeiro to develop their talent, by challenging them to produce a short film in 72 hours. Over the next four years, 72HORAS enabled 6000 young filmmakers to produce 300 films, while reaching more than 15,000 people through workshops and exhibitions.

Since returning to New Zealand, Nicole has managed programmes for the Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. The Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence supports New Zealand’s economic, trade, political and cultural relationships with Latin America.

As well as leading the development of this website – Creative Collaborations – Nicole has managed 9 of the 11 programmes run by the centre that are featured here:Amazon – Raised Up Sky, Creative Business Collaboration Project, Cultural Sector Partnerships, De la Milpa a la Mesa: A Mexican Food Journey, Latin America and Spain Film Festival, Nicolás Paris: ko ngā herenga kei waenga i a tātou, lo que nos une, what connects us, The Inside Guide: Exploring Kiwi Success in Brazil, The Majestic Samaúma and Virtual Machu Picchu Pueblo Learning Tool.

Nicole has received a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia and Latin America and will be returning to Rio de Janeiro in 2024 to study at Fundação Getulio Vargas.

Published 02 November 2023

Location

Wellington, New Zealand