I acknowledge that I live on the land of First Nations People. I respectfully acknowledge the Gadigal and Cammeraygal peoples of the Eora Nation as the spiritual and traditional custodians of the lands, waters, and skies where I live. I recognise their continuing connection to this land, to culture, to community and to Country. I pay my deepest respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.

I acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and European colonisation had a devastating impact on First Nations' communities and cultures. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were subjected to many terrible injustices, including massacre, violence, segregation, children forcibly taken, land taken, relocation onto missions and reserves, and cultural practices were denied and subsequently many were lost. I recognise the importance of telling the truth about Australian history and the ongoing impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Veialu (vay-ah-lu) is an award-winning writer, director, film editor & creative producer.

Born in Papua New Guinea. Raised in Aotearoa New Zealand. Based in Sydney / Gadigal Land, Australia.

Growing up as the only Papua New Guinean kid in a small town sparked my lifelong curiosity about identity, belonging, and the power of a great story — and, let’s be honest, it gave me a front-row seat to how weird and wonderful humans can be.

Today, I’m an award-winning creative producer, director, writer and editor. I've worked with Australia's largest entertainment networks, Nine and Channel 10. In short, I'm the person responsible for making you stay on the couch just a little bit longer during commercial breaks.

My short films have screened at over 70 festivals worldwide (including Berlinale and imagineNATIVE). My latest short film, Gazers — co-created with my brilliant friend Sze Lok Ho — was selected as a TROPFEST 2026 Top 15 Finalist out of 700 global entries. It’s a joyful rebellion against racist and sexist stereotypes, inspired by our own (cringe-worthy) experiences. My screenplays spotlight the kinds of rare, complex women’s voices that Hollywood usually forgets to write.

I’ve traveled to 34 countries and called San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Mumbai home — collecting a wild mix of friends, unforgettable memories, and inspiration along the way.

My favourite stop was Mumbai, where I produced social-impact videos for the MEWSIC India Foundation. I love dropping into new cultures and finding the thread that connects us all.

My writing and film work have been recognized with the 2025 Faber Writing a Novel Scholarship, a spot on The Black List’s 2021 CAPE List, and the 2023 Armed With a Camera (AWC) Fellowship — and I was lucky enough to mentor the next AWC cohort in 2024.

And because I clearly can’t get enough of cinema, I’ve also served as a film screener for 2024 and 2025 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival and FESTPAC 2024.

I’m an alum of Berlinale Talents, Victoria University of Wellington, Auckland University of Technology, and Toi Whākaari: New Zealand Drama School (master’s in theatre arts, stage directing).

When I’m not watching movies or trying not to eat too many ice cream mochi, I'm building elaborate blanket forts for my bossy little cat.

© 2026 Veialu Aila-Unsworth

Veialu Aila-Unsworth is an experienced media professional and indie filmmaker, passionate about telling bold, female-led stories.

Sydney/Gadigal Land, Australia

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