When Jeff Simmonds was 15 he was given a standard 8 movie camera and a roll of film by his brothers for Christmas. Ever since that day he has been constantly thinking about making movies, writing scripts and submitting proposals and planning for the day when his Big Break will come and he can make his first feature film.

Jeff has produced, co-written and co-directed a number of short films including A Very Nice Honeymoon, financed by the NZFC and screened at festivals around the world. Several films have been financed by the Screen Innovation Production Fund including the ever popular Pearl, Florrie and the Bull, which tells the true story of two elderly twins attacked by a bull in Paekakariki. In 2006, he was the co-winner of the SPADA “New Film-maker of the Year” award.

Jeff is a passionate story-teller. He took Bill Manhire’s famous creative writing class at Victoria University and has published a book of short stories. But telling kiwi stories through film is his real desire. In addition to The Eco-Terrorist, he has written two feature film scripts: The Garden of Love and One Hundred Million Dollars, which tells the story of a man who flees the country when he accidentally gets $100,000,000 deposited into his bank account.

Jeff also has a PhD in Religious Studies from Victoria University and is interested in weird religions, cults, communes and groups that follow charismatic cultic leaders.