New Zealand TV series n00b, created by Queenstowner Victoria Boult and Rachel Fawcett, has been selected in the "short form" section of the Cannes International Series Festival 2025.
It is thought to be the first time a New Zealand TV series has made the cut for the prestigious event.
First conceived as a TikTok series, n00b received $50,000 of funding through 2021’s "Every Voice" initiative, run by NZ On Air, Screen Australia and TikTok.
It garnered more than one million views on TikTok and was then picked up by Three.
It went on to receive $1.5m through Great Southern Television (GST) to be turned into a fully-fledged TV series.
It premiered last October.
It has since been picked up by Netflix Australia and in February was showcased at the Berlinale Series Market.
Boult, 27, who is heading to France with her mum, Karen, for the festival, said she was pinching herself.
"Our show ... that we started really just because we wanted to entertain New Zealand youth ... is now going directly to the international stage.
"That’s crazy."
A nostalgic teen sex comedy set in 2005 about bad fashion choices, emo music and flip phones, n00b is up against five other global productions in the short-form category.
Boult said the other nominees were "amazing" but she’s proud to represent New Zealand "among some very heavy-hitters".
Boult said the n00b team was stoked the series, specific to Gore and New Zealand, was resonating across the world.
She was particularly excited to rub shoulders with and pick the brains of her international colleagues.
"I’m going to get lots of opportunities to meet amazing producers and connect with network executives.
"But, I think the part I’m most excited about is getting to meet the creatives from the other teams because writing can be such a lonely, isolated practice and to get to meet other writers and directors, I think, will be really cool.
"[And] it will be truly so special to get to experience it with mum — I’m really, really excited to take her as my date."
GST-owner and n00b executive producer Philip Smith said the nomination was a "huge achievement for this insanely-talented young team".
Warner Brothers Discovery senior content director Matt Barthow said they were "delighted" n00b has been selected for Cannes.
"This is a great outcome for the team at Great Southern, and a great outcome for all of us who want to see New Zealand stories being told beyond our own borders."
