Ever since the mid-80’s when I joined the Sydney Film Festival staff and then board, the advent of winter brings the anticipation of the film festival! For many years I saw every film – you could only buy a subscription to the entire season in Sydney then, no individual ticket sales, and the highlights were often complete surprises. One of the joys of long-time festival going is to experience a body of work from the masters so I can’t miss a new film from Zhang Yimou with the wonderful Gong Li, but now as the National Manager of WIFT NZ I am looking forward to a range of films directed by women or led by strong female characters. There’s plenty to choose from – thanks NZIFF!!
Films — by Collection
- Darren Bevan
- David Larsen
- Films for Teens
- James Croot
- Letterboxd
- Meet the Filmmakers: Auckland
- Meet the Filmmakers: Wellington
- Patricia Watson
- Rebecca McMillan
- Staff Picks: Angela Murphy
- Staff Picks: Bill Gosden
- Staff Picks: Cianna Canning
- Staff Picks: Felicity Drace
- Staff Picks: Hayden Ellis
- Staff Picks: Jenna Udy
- Staff Picks: Kailey Carruthers
- Staff Picks: Kate McArthur
- Staff Picks: Lisa Bomash
- Staff Picks: Lynn Smart
- Staff Picks: Megan Duffy
- Staff Picks: Michael McDonnell
- Staff Picks: Olivia Young
- Staff Picks: Poppy Granger
- Staff Picks: Rachael Deller-Pincott
- Staff Picks: Sandra Reid
- Staff Picks: Sibilla Paparatti
- Staff Picks: Tom Ainge-Roy
- The Lumière Reader
- Tim Wong
- Wellington Film Society's Picks of NZIFF 2015
Patricia Watson
![Crossing Rachmaninoff](/assets/resized/sm/upload/0m/1r/du/3s/Crossing%20Rachmaninoff_Key%20Still-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=15215fb404)
Crossing Rachmaninoff
A winning portrait of Italian-born Auckland concert pianist Flavio Villani as he returns like the prodigal son to Italy for his concert debut, scaling one of the summits of the Romantic repertoire.
![From Scotland with Love](/assets/resized/sm/upload/uh/s6/ck/hg/From%20Scotland%20With%20Love_Key%20Still-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=eabb34dafe)
From Scotland with Love
Archival film of Scottish life is shaped into a kaleidoscopic evocation of work and recreation in the 20th century, stirringly scored with original songs by Fife musician/singer/songwriter King Creosote.
![Grandma](/assets/resized/sm/upload/1z/5l/r9/lg/Grandma_Photo%20by%20Aaron%20Epstein_Key%20Still-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=1ce3c0a236)
Grandma
Lily Tomlin is perfectly cast as a sharp-tongued, taboo-breaking granny who comes out fighting for her pregnant teenage granddaughter in this constantly surprising comedy-drama from About a Boy director Paul Weitz.
![Sherpa](/assets/resized/sm/upload/if/ke/fs/nl/SHERPA_Key%20Still-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=757446db70)
Sherpa
Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom’s superb doco captures the 2014 climbing season on Everest from the point of view of Sherpa Phurba Tashi, including the tragic avalanche and its aftermath.
![The Assassin](/assets/resized/sm/upload/hy/by/8o/ac/ASSASSIN%20(THE)_KEY%20STILL-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=eea54924c0)
The Assassin
Nie Yinniang
Shu Qi plays the eponymous killer in this ravishingly beautiful foray into historical martial arts territory from Taiwanese master Hou Hsiao-hsien. Winner of the Best Director Award at Cannes.
![The Price of Peace](/assets/resized/sm/upload/9v/gm/ad/56/Price%20of%20Peace,%20The_KEY%20STILL-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=1833943f1d)
The Price of Peace
Kim Webby’s background in investigative journalism is put to riveting use in this documentary about Tame Iti and the Urewera Four, taking a criminal case of national interest to explore a greater social issue.
![The Silences](/assets/resized/sm/upload/ct/6c/p3/sj/Silences_KEY%20STILL_Sisters%20-Margot%20and%20Diana%20c%201955-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=4ab085eda3)
The Silences
New Zealand-born Margot Nash scrutinises the memories and mementoes of her childhood to understand the unhappiness of her parents, and the corrosive instability of the household from which she fled as a young woman in the early 70s.
![Tom Who? The Enigma of Tom Kreisler](/assets/resized/sm/upload/cq/8j/9l/77/Tom%20Who%20-%20The%20Enigma%20of%20Tom%20Kreisler_KEY%20STILL-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=c35a60ffc4)
Tom Who? The Enigma of Tom Kreisler
Shirley Horrocks’ doco sheds new light on the life and art of Tom Kreisler, a 20th-century New Zealand painter with scant interest in landscape but a strong affinity with Mexican traditions and the wit and verve of Pop Art.