Anna Wilding has carved an internationally-recognised and award-winning career as a writer, director, producer and actress. Born in Christchurch, Anna has spent half her life living and working abroad in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
She won Best New Play award at the Fringe Theatre Festival for Patience of Silence, a play she wrote, directed and acted. She played improvisational Theatresports professionally at the Court theare in Christchurch, winning Best Player of the Season
Anna was first published as an 18 year old when she was writing and shooting for Premiere Magazine in Auckland covering the work of Maori artists in the theatre and art scene in Auckland. She interviewed and covered the works of the likes of Ralph Hotere .
She wrote and edited the widely-read New York blog BubbleGum Pop which explored socio- political issues such as Darfur through to pop culture such as fashion, architecture and design. (The site was discontinued when its server sold to a rival company.) She was a columnist for online Tennis Magazine out of New York.
In Los Angles Anna was asked to sub-edit and proof-read the book Paths to Freedom by Alexis Powers. She wrote Conversations with a Pink Sheep, an adult skewed picture book that was optioned for TV series and also a live theatre piece.
Anna has been contracted to write film and TV projects. Projects such as Buddha Wild,which was nominated for best feature documentary in the USA (www.buddhawild.com) and won an award from Kids First USA and the Coalition of Quality Children’s Media. The script of Buddha Wild is archived at the Academy Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. She wrote the short film Pop Culture Punk Art ,which was selected to screen at Cannes Shot Film Corner in 2008 and in many USA notable film festivals.
She was contracted to write the feature film Butterflies on the life of a female pioneering aviatrix, adapted from the award winning NZ play Jean and Richard. She also wrote the narrative feature film Counterswirl, based on her own pitch, which is now 50% financed. She has been hired to speak at public and industry events, including Cannes Film Festival in 2008 and World Earth Week new York 2007 in the same programme as Ralph Nadar and scientist Kevin Dennher.
Ms Wilding founded a charity, the Wilding Foundation (ww.wildingfoundation.com). She gave up her work in the USA and returned directly to her hometown after the Christchurch earthquakes. She spent four to five months helping out by administering funds and goods.
Anna wrote a story on the Christchurch earthquakes for the popular world blog Look to the Stars.
Anna stayed at the centre in 2011 and again in 2012.