About Lemon Time
When life gives us lemons, we make fresh films
Lemon Time Studios is a community-focused film initiative that brings unique stories to the screen and nurtures creative talent in Aotearoa.
Founded by and for rangatahi, we began in a very hands-on, learn-as-you-go way. With no formal film training, no industry connections, and very limited experience with cameras, sound, or production, we simply started making short films ourselves.
Since then, Lemon Time has grown into a wider creative community, bringing together talented people with different skills, fresh ideas, and a shared love of filmmaking. With exciting projects and premieres now under our belt, we’re thrilled to keep building Lemon Time while helping other emerging filmmakers do the same.
Our goal is to contribute to a future where passion, effort, and tenacity are the pillars of independent film, and artists are free to share stories without financial, academic, or industry barriers.
Our Team
Promise Akindeju
From developing an online indie platform and producing a talk show to pursuing her main passion, filmmaking, Promise is the definition of a multidisciplinary creative. With accolades and scholarships across the arts and honours in engineering, she brings both precision and imagination to Lemon Time, focusing on films that blend slice-of-life tenderness with absurdist comedy.
Co-Founder and Director
Zoe Roche
Zoe is a writer and filmmaker with a taste for the cerebral and the strange. With a background in law and Philosophy, she’s just as happy unpacking themes of justice or ethics as she is indulging in her love of cult classics and 80s horror. Her creative writing has won awards and scholarships, and she carries that love for thought-provoking storytelling to her role at Lemon Time.
Co-Founder and Director
Ajay Mistry
Ajay bridges the unlikely divide between code and cinema, working as both a software engineer and director at Lemon Time Studios. With early photography acquired by The Arts House Trust Collection and scholarships in design, he now brings that visual eye to films drawn toward animation and coming-of-age stories.
HOD and Director
