News

Following NZIFF 2022, we put our big festival pants on and asked you a big question: Do you like us? And if so, how much? And if not, why not? Almost 1000 of you took the time to complete our 2022 survey – THANK YOU! Your feedback is invaluable to us for planning future festivals and we’re grateful to receive it – the good, the bad and the ugly (fortunately for us, there was not so much ugly!).

You said it: Satisfaction

Over 88% of you were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with NZIFF 2022, with only 0.82% of respondents ‘very dissatisfied’ with the festival. It ain’t a perfect score, but we think that’s VERY encouraging, especially following two consecutive years of festivals severely impacted by the Covid pandemic.

“A+ incredible event”

“There was such a buzz at every screening!”

“Brilliant. Highlight of my year. This year the festival felt even more special.”

“I LOVE the FF! It's the one main thing I look forward to every year…I always have interesting experiences and learn something. It's well organised and I've learnt that it's pretty consistent from year to year.”

You said it: Our programme

There was much love for our 2022 programme (tip

Continue reading…

We're pleased to announce the winner of this year's Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts Wellington UNESCO City of Film Award for Best Film ($3000 cash prize) is Smog, directed by Alex Liu.

The award was presented to Liu at The Roxy Cinema, Wellington on Saturday 13 August following a screening of the competition’s six finalists’ films. The competition was judged by a three-member jury featuring broadcaster Claudette Hauiti, screenplay writer Tere Harrison and Māoriland producer Matilda Poase.

The jury said: “A multi-layered non-linear approach to a challenging kaupapa of tukino wāhine, me tukino whenua (domestic violence). The treatment of taiao and wahine were inextricably entwined and to abuse one is to abuse the other.”

The jury also awarded a Special Mention to the film A Morning with Aroha, written and directed by Nicholas Riini.

The jury said: “The joyous spirit of aroha is shared by a kotiro who experiences bullying. But aroha conquers all.”

In addition to Liu and Riini, Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts film competition’s 2022 finalists are Karin Williams (Burning of the Gods), Morag Brownlie (Perfect Storm), Jade Jackson (Raids), and Tajim Mohammed-Kapa (The Difference Between Pipi & Pūpū).

The six finalist films were selected by Ngā Whanaunga

Continue reading…

The winners of our 11th annual New Zealand’s Best short film competition’s jury-awarded prizes were announced this evening, with the accolades presented live following a sold-out screening of the five finalists’ films at ASB Waterfront in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Director Bala Murali Shingade’s film Perianayaki earned him both the Flicks Award for Best Short Film (a cash prize of $7500) and the Creative New Zealand Emerging Talent Award (a cash prize of $4000), an award presented to a fresh voice: filmmaking that gives life to stories of those less often represented in film, or that speaks to new or existing audiences in different ways. Perianayaki actor Jeyagowri Sivakumaran’s performance also earned a Special Mention.

The Auckland Live Spirit of The Civic Award (a cash-prize of $4000), awarded to a filmmaker whose work indicates the possibility of a feature made by them being of the stature and quality to open a Festival at Auckland’s The Civic in the future, was awarded to Trees directors Ben Bryan and Tom Scott. 

The awards were judged by a three-member jury featuring filmmaker and writer Tim Wong, filmmaker and past Best Short Film award-winner Chelsie Preston-Crayford and Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall. 

“As a jury, we acknowledge

Continue reading…

We're excited to announce this year's Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts finalists.

Congratulations to: A Morning with Aroha (dir: Nicholas Riini), Burning of the Gods (dir: Karin Williams), Perfect Storm (dir: Morag Brownlie), Raids (dir: Jade Jackson), Smog (dir: Alex Liu), and The Difference Between Pipi & Pūpū (dir: Tajim Mohammed-Kapa).

These six short films from Aotearoa and the Pacific were selected by Leo Koziol (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rakaipaaka), Director of the Wairoa Māori Film Festival, and Craig Fasi (Niue), Director of the Pollywood Film Festival and will screen during NZIFF in all festival locations.

The filmmakers will compete for the Wellington UNESCO City of Film award for Best Film ($3000 cash prize), as judged by a jury. This award will be presented at the final Wellington screening of Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts on Saturday 13 August at The Roxy Cinema. Audience members at Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Whanganui-a-Tara screenings will vote for their favourite short to win the Letterboxd Audience Award, a cash prize of $1000, and this will be announced at the Closing Night of NZIFF in Wellington.

On selecting the films, Koziol said, “Every year the Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika collection of short films showcases both emerging

Continue reading…

On the eve of Matariki, we are pleased to announce that new action-drama film Muru will open NZIFF 2022 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, with a special screening in Whakatāne. The film will have its World Premiere on Thursday 28 July at Auckland’s The Civic.

From award-winning writer and director Tearepa Kahi (Poi E: The Story of our Song, Mt. Zion), world renowned actor Cliff Curtis and artist Tame Iti, the film is a response to the 2007 Tūhoe raids. Muru is a Māori concept for reconciliation and forgiveness.

Filmed in Te Urewera and Rūātoki, Muru stars Cliff Curtis (The Dark Horse, Avatar 2), Jay Ryan (IT Chapter Two, The Furnace), Manu Bennett (The Hobbit trilogy) and Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi). Support cast includes Ria Te Uira Paki (The Dead Lands), Roimata Fox (Waru), Poroaki Merritt-McDonald (Savage) and Tame Iti as himself.

To read more about Muru and view the trailer, click here