As someone who has helped enable many film festival attendees to max out two, three – and once even eight – Ten Trip passes, curating your must-see list for the NZIFF is never easy. Think of this as a jumping off point; as I need to schedule my time wisely, I have chosen films that for me go across the whole programme and will stick in my mind as NZIFF 2019! — Charlotte Underhill, Auckland Admin/Ticketing Manager
Films — by Collection
- Film Talks: Jane Ross
- Flicks.co.nz
- Letterboxd Community
- Letterboxd Crew
- Lumière Cinemas
- Staff Picks: Bradley Pratt
- Staff Picks: Charlotte Underhill
- Staff Picks: Daniel Burger
- Staff Picks: Emma Carter
- Staff Picks: Ina Kinski
- Staff Picks: Jessica Hof
- Staff Picks: Lauren Day
- Staff Picks: Lauri Korpela
- Staff Picks: Lynnaire MacDonald
- Staff Picks: Michael McDonnell
- Staff Picks: Nick Paris
- Staff Picks: Rebecca McMillan
- Staff Picks: Sandra Reid
- Staff Picks: Sharon Byrne
- Staff Picks: Tim Wong
- Wellington Film Society
Staff Picks: Charlotte Underhill
![In Fabric](/assets/resized/sm/upload/ut/uw/d9/25/In-Fabric_sewing-01.jpeg_cmyk%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=564ba24cd6)
In Fabric
A cross between Suspiria and an old Farmers catalogue, the latest from retro genre stylist Peter Strickland, centring on a demonic dress at a posh department store, gleefully satirises fashion and consumerism.
![Beats](/assets/resized/sm/upload/tx/1h/nx/af/346A4067%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=55171b119c)
Beats
As EDM and ecstasy-fuelled raves are targeted by 90s lawmakers, two downtrodden Glasgow teenagers are determined to taste the action. Director Brian Welsh (The Entire History of You) makes it a night to remember.
![Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché](/assets/resized/sm/upload/ks/jd/9b/ad/OrNhkb0w-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=acf1c5eb7f)
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Blending archival footage with interviews from A-listers Ava DuVernay, Geena Davis and Agnès Varda, among others, Green’s fizzy doco dives into the birth of motion pictures, and the pioneering woman who was there from the start.
![The Amazing Johnathan Documentary](/assets/resized/sm/upload/b5/ik/ub/w4/untitledamazing1%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=60881d4eeb)
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
In the world of magic, nothing is what it seems as a terminally ill magician prepares for his swansong – and the ultimate trick on the maker of this bizarre documentary.
![Mope](/assets/resized/sm/upload/5x/cf/wy/mn/A_19848_MOPE_still_NathanStewartJarrett%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=69154cec63)
Mope
Boogie Nights meets Pain & Gain in this tragic, oddly compelling story of two low-end porn actors who sought fame but gained infamy, all based on real events.
![Animals](/assets/resized/sm/upload/j2/x4/9z/5f/180322-Animals-hi-res%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=8ca1767ff5)
Animals
Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) are thirty-something best friends in Dublin, where partying hard is still their way to have fun, but the reality of getting older is getting harder to ignore.
![Hail Satan?](/assets/resized/sm/upload/y9/z5/v4/ay/6%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=5c7f3a8e9f)
Hail Satan?
From America’s satanic panic to the battle of the Baphomet monument, Hail Satan? is an eye-opening comedic romp exploring the good – and sometimes not so good – work of The Satanic Temple.
![Long Day’s Journey into Night](/assets/resized/sm/upload/tq/h8/z5/q9/LONG%20DAY'S%20JOURNEY%20INTO%20NIGHT,%20Photo%20by%20Bai%20Linghai,%20courtesy%20Kino%20Lorber%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=c17e7e6f1f)
Long Day’s Journey into Night
Di qiu zui hou de ye wan
Part film noir, part dreamscape, this oneiric love mystery – acclaimed for its hour-long 3D sequence shot in a mesmerising unbroken take – intoxicatingly captures romantic obsession in southern China.
![Apollo 11](/assets/resized/sm/upload/4i/xl/3v/cn/A11_V217.01_04_27_00.Still112%20KEY2-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=43e38e874f)
Apollo 11
An essential big screen experience, this spectacular documentary utilises a treasure trove of painstakingly restored footage to show us the Apollo 11 moon landing as it has never been seen before.
![Mr Jones](/assets/resized/sm/upload/dt/1z/vh/9l/KEY2.%20James%20Norton%20(as%20Gareth%20Jones)%20in%20MR.%20JONES%20by%20Agnieszka%20Holland%20(Photo%20by%20Robert%20Palka%20%C2%A9%202019%20Film%20Produkcja%20All%20rights%20reserved)-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=f456955ecf)
Mr Jones
Soaring across Poland, Scotland and the Ukraine, Agnieszka Holland’s absorbing biopic illuminates the exploits of unsung Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, who bravely investigated the Soviet famine of 1932–33.
![The Third Wife](/assets/resized/sm/upload/e1/1f/lj/36/1536892602%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=210784eeb9)
The Third Wife
Inspired by her family history, Ash Mayfield’s directorial debut is a delicate and sensuous journey of a young Vietnamese girl torn between duty to her much older husband and her blossoming sexuality.
![Port Authority](/assets/resized/sm/upload/l8/v6/zm/0q/2018-09-14_PORT_AUTHORITY%20(55%20of%20130)%20KEY-0-520-0-390-crop.jpg?k=fc327b2193)
Port Authority
Debuting writer-director Danielle Lessovitz weaves a boy-meets-trans girl romance about identity and belonging around the New York underground ballroom scene.” — David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese.