Genesis

At St. Agatha’s Catholic School for Girls, grace through obedience is expected … but it comes at a cost.

Genesis is a short psychological horror short film about two best friends competing for the role of Head Girl. Set in a hyper-disciplined, high-achieving all-girls’ private school, the film explores the quiet brutality of ambition, the cost of success, and the effects of Tall Poppy Syndrome. It examines how young women are praised for excellence but quickly criticised for standing out, and the pressure they face to suppress their shine in order to be accepted.

Loosely inspired by true events, Genesis asks: What happens when doing everything right still isn’t enough?

We are raising funds to bring Genesis to life. A project led by emerging wāhine creatives, with a bold visual style and an unflinching emotional core. This is a story about what it feels like to be torn down for trying too hard, for being too perfect, for simply wanting more.

Frame Her Story is a creative collective of emerging, award-winning creatives based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Formed by Faith Cruz, Harriet Keith & Shervonne Grierson, the collective was born from a shared desire to carve out space for bold, emotionally resonant stories that centre women and challenge the status quo. Genesis marks their debut project as a production collective.

Genesis Crew

• Co-Directors: Faith Cruz & Harriet Keith
• Co-Producers: Shervonne Grierson & Faith Cruz
• Director of Photography: Daryl J Wong
• Production Designer: Glenn Blomfield
• Score Composer: James Alaelua-Waterhouse

Cast

We are humbled to introduce our leads: 

• Shervonne Grierson as Astrid 
• Celine Dam as Lucia. 

And we look forward to introducing more of the talented cast and crew that will help us bring Genesis to life! So watch this space!

As this is an all-or-nothing campaign, we need your help to reach our funding goal in order to secure vital aspects of our project. Every dollar counts – and every share helps!

We’re seeking funding for:

• Cast & Crew
• Location Hire
• Camera & Lighting Gear
• Costumes
• Props & Art
• Practical Special Effects Makeup
• Catering for our hardworking cast and crew

In Aotearoa, young women are encouraged to excel, but the moment they stand out, they risk being criticised, cut down, or isolated. Genesis examines that tension through Astrid: a kind, hardworking student who becomes the natural choice for Head Girl. She isn’t obsessed with the role … she simply embodies it. But her excellence sparks resentment, and the story unravels into a tense, visceral portrait of how easily admiration turns to envy.

Genesis is a personal story for co-writers Harri and Faith, who both experienced the unspoken pressures of girlhood within high-pressure academic environments. They saw how ambition and friendship could blur into rivalry, and how young women often felt compelled to diminish themselves in order to belong. With this film, they aim to translate those lived experiences into something both visceral and cinematic: a story that confronts the not-so-good parts of girlhood rarely shown on screen, and presents them with honesty and visual intensity.

Visually, Genesis takes inspiration from Renaissance art and other art portraying Gothic femininity: halos of stained-glass light, ritual-like prayer, and a world of quiet repression where beauty and violence coexist. The aesthetic is at once delicate and haunting, echoing how Tall Poppy Syndrome silences beauty and ambition before it can reach its full potential.

At its core, Genesis asks what it costs to stand tall in a culture that punishes you for it, and how the shine of young women is dimmed not by failure, but by success. After all, if we continue to cut down those who rise above, who will be left to lead?

Tall poppy syndrome is a deeply rooted part of New Zealand culture, yet it is rarely addressed on screen. With Genesis, we’re pushing back against that silence. This film is our response to the quiet harm caused when young women are discouraged from embracing ambition, leadership, or success. We’re telling a story that is both personal and political; one that speaks to the unspoken rules that shape girlhood in Aotearoa.

Genesis doesn’t just explore tall poppy syndrome. It pulls it apart. Through a psychological lens and a visceral visual style, we’re confronting what it feels like to be punished for shining too brightly. We believe this story matters. For the students who feel pressure to downplay their achievements, for rangatahi learning to take up space, and for anyone who has ever been made to feel too much: this film is for you.

For the team behind Genesis, this film is more than just a story; it’s a chance to grow, to learn, and to take up space.

As emerging wāhine creatives, we’re using this opportunity to upskill, not only for ourselves, but for our entire team. Working alongside talented creatives, both emerging and established, Genesis is a hands-on chance to develop our craft in a supportive, collaborative, and professional environment.

This film is also our way of making a mark. We’re telling the kind of story we wish we had seen growing up: bold, complex, and unapologetically honest about what it means to be a young woman under pressure. We’re creating space for ourselves, and for others who have felt silenced, judged, or underestimated.

By supporting Genesis, you're helping us step confidently further into the industry, tell the stories that matter to us, and pave the way for more inclusive and powerful storytelling in Aotearoa.