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DIRECTOR’S NOTES - Michael Bennett “Making Kerosene Creek was both a great honour and a significant challenge for me. As a Māori writer and director, this film provided a unique opportunity to explore one of the most significant...

With its diverse landscape and being home to a talented group of filmmakers and storytellers, Rotorua is today celebrating its role as the lead location in Kiwi film Cousins. The film releases in nationwide cinemas today, following the world premiere in...

Gaysorn Thavat’s debut feature, The Justice of Bunny King, will have its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in the Viewpoints section where it will compete for the Nora Ephron Award for Best Female Filmmaker, and for the Best New Narrative...

Bunny King (ESSIE DAVIS) is a mother of two, who is best described as a rough cut diamond with a sketchy past. Attempting to leave this past behind, she works intersections as a squeegee bandit using her quick wit to charm money from motorists....

A young girl battles an arcade claw machine over the fate of a cute plush toy. Unbeknownst to her, the machine houses a dark entity, hell-bent on harvesting the disappointment from any child that accepts the challenge of the alluring claw machine.

Epic Games today announced the return of the Unreal Engine Short Film Challenge in Australia and New Zealand, providing the opportunity for rising animators to have their work seen by some of the industry’s top experts. Following the success of the...

When a proudly-stubbled College student, Amon, is sent home to shave, he instead chooses to bunk indefinately. While chasing his own sexual-education, over one long afternoon, Amon is confronted by the complications, and repercussions, that come with...

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga I The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) says Dame Jane Campion’s Oscar success will ultimately benefit all of Aotearoa New Zealand. Dame Jane has picked up the Academy Award for Best Director for The Power of the Dog ...

In January 1981, US President Ronald Reagan swept into power with a mission to out-develop and out-spend on nuclear technologies against the Soviet Union – the Cold War ideological foe of the West. That September, in response to the growing East-...

A mother tries to comfort her grieving son, but on each attempt her son’s silence becomes more and more deafening. An outing to the local aquarium places further strain on their troubled relationship - until her son finds a reason to let his mother...

Adapted by Alan Sharp (Rob Roy), Dean Spanley is directed by UK-born, NZ raised Toa Fraser (No.2). A truly impressive international cast is led by eight-time Academy Award nominee Peter O’Toole (Venus, Lawrence of Arabia) and also features...

"Pelorus is a personal story that I have grown up with. I’ve been friends with the Sigglekow family since the mid 1980’s, when Chris Sigglekow was at the height of his bungy jumping development. Now he is my father-in-law. To tell...

Even stray dogs remain elusive to Little Man, a nine-year-old boy who seeks to understand the remote world around him.  He finds refuge with Kid, his younger, autistic sister who provides Little Man with a brief glimpse of another world. When Kid is...

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga I The New Zealand Film Commission congratulates Dame Jane Campion on the latest award recognition for The Power of the Dog. The BAFTA Awards announced this morning named The Power of the Dog Best Film and awarded Campion the Best...

We initially aimed for Tomo mai (the new NZFC portal) to go live on 23 February, however, some key functions have not yet been delivered and because of this we are postponing the go live date. This date is yet to be determined but we will reach out to...

Ralph Hotere is hailed as one of New Zealand's greatest artists, having exhibited throughout Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, England and Australia.  In New Zealand he has executed a number of large public works, designed theatre sets,...

When Freddy loses his job delivering pizza, he and his best buddy Marvin find work with a small-time crook Spiggs. After they botch a straightforward job, Spiggs sends them on a fool’s errand - to kill gangster Donny Kong who's been sleeping...

Six filmmaking teams have been selected for Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts and each will receive project development and a grant of $15,000 to make their short film. The final six were selected from 112 applications received. 18 teams were shortlisted and...

DIRECTOR’S NOTES - Ainsley Gardiner & Catherine Fitzgerald “There are a few moments in childhood that have a lasting impact. Not because they change the course of your life, or because they arrive with any great fanfare, in fact...

Intricately handmade from paper and cardboard, this stop-motion animated tragicomedy follows Danny, a university Geography tutor, as he and his students stray from the syllabus in order to break new academic ground. After managing only to break some...

Will Bastion (Temuera Morrison) returns from 20 years service in the New Zealand Army to Raukura, his hometown, to face the biggest challenge of his life. His father has died, leaving a sacred greenstone patu, the symbol of leadership, to him. He doesn...

6 months’ pregnant Rose celebrates her son Jaden’s 6th birthday. Amongst the new presents is a strange clickity-clack wooden toy - Vaspy. While cleaning up the next day, Rose unknowingly gets “stung” by it, and starts to crave...

Amaia is a young girl living with her depressed mother in an inner-city apartment. With no family or friends close by, she desperately seeks out her absent father. Believing that a mysterious woman can reconnect them, Amaia goes to extreme lengths to win...

It is with much sadness that Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) acknowledges the death of producer Vincent Burke on 17 February in Wellington. Vincent began his film industry career as a policy advisor for the NZFC, a role which...

D I R E C T O R ’ S N O T E S “The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees” -J. Williard Marriott “When I began writing the little things I knew from the outset that I wanted it to be a story that whispered and didn’t...

Following critical acclaim at Berlin and Toronto International Film Festivals, and most recently at the New Zealand International Film Festival, Night Raiders has today released a local trailer ahead of its nationwide general release on Thursday 24 ...

Part of the British Film Institute’s Century of Cinema series in which some of the world’s most respected directors investigate their national cinema. Cinema of Unease examines the cultural and historic context from which the New Zealand...

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga I The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) says New Zealanders can stand proud today with the announcement Dame Jane Campion’s feature film The Power of the Dog has received 12 Oscar nominations.  The film has been nominated...

Transmission Films in association with Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga the New Zealand Film Commission NZFC are proud to release the trailer for the highly anticipated local feature film Whina which will have its nationwide cinema release on 23 June, 2022,...

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga - New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) has welcomed the Government’s $121 million support package for the arts sector announced this morning. Included in the package is a further $15 million for the Screen Production Recovery Fund...

Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission is saddened to hear of the passing of actor Pete Smith (Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri) on 29 January. Smith made his acting debut in Geoff Murphy’s classic science-fiction film, The Quiet Earth, as Api, one of...

Solo, a young Samoan interpreter for a Native Court in Colonial, New Zealand Samoa, does what he thinks is best for his people and at times lies as he translates. However, High Chief Nua who's charged with trespass, understands and speaks English....

Lynn discovers her 16-year-old son, Shaun, is having a secret relationship with a woman, Amanda, fifteen years his senior. Although Lynn subjects Shaun to a disciplinary lifestyle, he remains hell-bent on being with Amanda and intends to live with her...

Por likes to daydream. He dreams about all the cool things he and Sonny do, Swimming and climbing trees. When Sonny gets a hiding Por makes the decision to help his older brother with his chores as well.

In 2032, a pandemic has killed most of the world’s population. Zealandia is the last territory to remain virus free. Everything arriving from the outside world is submitted to intensive biosecurity checking, including humans. Refugees flock to...