Festival News
Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) will screen twelve New Zealand feature films and documentaries as part of their 2023 festival, including the New Zealand premiere of Bad Behaviour; and the 4K digital restoration of Gaylene Preston’s Bread and Roses.
Image above from Bread and Roses
Guest Selector Niki Caro, selected six films to screen In Competition in the NZIFF’s New Zealand’s Best short film programme. Curated by Leo Koziol, Director of the Wairoa Māori Film Festival, and Craig Fasi, Director of the Pollywood Film Festival, eight short films will screen in Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts competition. Three New Zealand films will also screen in the Shorts with Features strand.
NZIFF will take place from July – September in 17 towns and cities across Aotearoa, opening in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on 19 July. Full programme and ticket information is available here
The New Zealand High Commission Rarotonga, in partnership with the New Zealand Film Commission, will host the inaugural Matariki Korikori Film Festival at the Empire Cinema, 10-15 July. The programme includes Bellbird, The Deadlands, Herbs – Songs of Freedom, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Muru, Poppy, We Are Still Here, Whale Rider and Whina, with Whetū Mārama: Bright Star as centrepiece. The short film programme includes, Hawaikii, The King Boys, Possum and Snow in Paradise. Film Directors Toby Mills, Tearepa Kahi and Hamish Bennett will be in attendance to introduce their films.
Bad Behaviour and Shut Eye, will screen at the Melbourne International Film Festival, 3-20 August.
Mauri and Patu!, will screen at the Australian Centre for Moving Image (ACMI), as part of Melbourne Cinémathèque’s ‘Power in the Collective: The key works of Merata Mita’ programme, 26 July.
A Boy Called Piano - The Story of Fa'amoana John Luafutu, is screening at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, available online for Australian audiences 1-31 July and in cinema 21-30 July.
Feature documentaries by Jan and Luit Bieringa are screening at the National Library of New Zealand, 4 July-3 August, including The Man in the Hat, Te Hono ki Aotearoa and The HeART of the Matter. Full programme information is available here.
Punch, screened at International Film Festival Tofifest in Toruń, Poland, 27 June-2 July.
The Power of the Dog, screened at Guangzhou Love is Love LGBTQI+ Film Festival on 15 June. Co-hosted by the New Zealand Consulate General and the U.S Consulate General, the event was held at the U.S Consulate Lincoln Hall.
Dame Valerie Adams: More Than Gold, screened at Shanghai International Film Festival, as part of Belt and Road Film Week, 9-18 June.
Muru, screened at Hebrides International Film Festival in Scotland, 5-20 May. The film also screened in the Asian In-Competition strand of Da Nang Asian Film Festival in Vietnam, 9-13 May.
We Are Still Here, screened online as part of San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, 30 April-7 May.
Whetū Mārama: Bright Star, screened at Ethnografilm Paris, 6-10 April. The film also screened at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato on 25 June.
Short Films
Anu, Earthlings and Gate Crash will screen in the Accelerator Shorts programme of Melbourne International Film Festival, August 3-20.
The Ballad of Maddog Quinn, will screen at LA Shorts International Film Festival, 19-30 July.
Datsun, screened in the international programme of Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, 6-25 June.
The Machine, screened in the Emotional Intelligence – Shorts Programme of Sci-Fi London Film Festival, 31 May-6 June.
Tulouna le Lagi, screened in the International Competition of International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, 26 April-1 May.
Matariki Screenings
Silky Otter cinemas will host Matariki Day at the Movies on Friday 14 July at cinemas in Ponsonby Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Wigram Ōtautahi Christchurch, and the newly opened Papaioea Palmerston North. Presented by Ahi, the programme honours cinematic masters Merata Mita, Barry Barclay, Geoff Murphy and Tama Poata. Further information available here.
Sir James Fletcher Kawerau Museum is hosting a screening of Ngāti on 19 July, at the Concert Chambers. Information available here.
Whangarei District Council is hosting Movies in the Theatre for Puanga Matariki, 12-15 July. Films screening at Capitaine Bougainville Theatre in Forum North, include Whina, The Lion King Reo Māori and Hunt For the Wilderpeople. Information available here.
Cathay Cinemas Kerikeri is hosting a series of screenings in celebration of Matariki, 13-19 July. Films include Hunt For the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows, James & Isey, Hotere, The Pā Boys, Matariki and Whale Rider. Information available here
Congratulations
The Red, White & Brass team for taking over $1.45m at the NZ Box Office.
Damon Fepulea’I and Halaifonua Finau for Red, White & Brass, awarded Special Jury Mention - Narrative Feature at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Doc Edge Festival 2023 Award winners, from Aotearoa New Zealand. Full list available here.
Paolo Rotundo for Maunga Cassino, awarded Best Short Film at Ora Fest! International Film Festival in Puglia, Italy.
Producer Desray Armstrong and Supervising Sound/Dialogue Editor Martin Kwok, recently invited to be members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Fa’amoana Luafutu, Honorary Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts and Pacific Community, 2023 King's Birthday and Coronation Honours list.
Taika Waititi for Next Goal Wins, world premiering at Toronto International Film Festival, 7-17 September.