Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival announces its full programme for the Palmerston North leg of the festival, featuring 42 feature films from 17 countries. The festival will run for 17 days at Palmerston North’s Event Cinemas from Friday 19 November and tickets are on sale now.

NZIFF has worked with all its partner venues and cinemas around the country to be able to present the festival under the new Alert Level 2 requirements in 12 towns and cities nationwide including Palmerston North.

“We can’t wait to share our fantastic 2021 programme with Palmerston North audiences in a safe environment this November. We hope that the people of Palmerston North will rally behind the festival and show their support by visiting Event Cinemas to check out as many of the outstanding New Zealand and international films that are on offer,” says Festival Director Marten Rabarts.

Films joining NZIFF’s 2021 line-up for Palmerston North include, Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize winning documentary, Flee; decorated Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s love letter to cinema, One Second; and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s contender for the 2021 Best International Feature Oscar, Jasmila Zbanic’s Quo Vadis, Aida?

Delivering star power is Berlin Golden Bear nominee, Maria Schrader’s I’m Your Man, featuring Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as a love android; Oscar-winning Danish director Anders Thomas Jensen’s black comedy revenge thriller Riders of Justice, starring Mads Mikkelsen, and moving literary memoir My Salinger Year, staring Sigourney Weaver and rising star Margaret Qualley (Maid).

Fourteen films direct from the Cannes Film Festival are confirmed to screen in Palmerston North, including Palme d’or winner Titane; Grand Prix award winners, A Hero, from decorated Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, and Juho Kuosmanen’s offbeat train romance, Compartment No. 6; and Venice Film Festival highlights, Golden Lion winning drama Happening and Special Jury Prize winner, Dear Comrades!

In addition to the five New Zealand films screening in Palmerston North, short film competitions New Zealand’s Best and Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts will screen at the festival.

To view the full NZIFF 2021 programme for Palmerston North, click here