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Film festival fans are snapping up printed copies of the New Zealand International Film Festival programme, which have arrived in Dunedin with three weeks to go before screenings begin.
The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) will run at Dunedin’s Regent Theatre and Rialto Cinemas from August 14 to 30, offering more than 80 screenings of films from around the world.
Dunedin-based NZIFF publicist Dallas Synnott said the festival this year offered “a fantastic mix of genres, including some much anticipated new work from established cult directors like Gus van Sant, Pedro Almodovar and Jim Jarmusch.
“Aotearoa film-makers are splendidly represented, as evidenced by the Opening Night film, Paloma Schneideman’s debut feature Big Girls Don’t Cry, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival,” Ms Synnott said.
Regent Theatre marketing and communications manager Charlotte Thompson said the theatre staff and volunteers were excited to welcome back audiences for screenings of 38 films across the festival.
“And we are thrilled to be hosting the New Zealand premiere of Big Girls Don’t Cry on August 14, which will be introduced for us by the film-maker,” Ms Thompson said.
In addition, the Regent Theatre would welcome the 20th anniversary screening of Kiwi film-maker Robert Sarkies’ dramatic reconstruction of the 1990 Aramoana massacre Out of the Blue (2006) on August 16.
“We are pleased to say that Robert will be joining us for that screening and will be introducing his extraordinary film for us,” Ms Thompson said.
The NZIFF offered “something for everyone”, with a range of films from children’s animation to documentaries, comedies, thrillers and horror.
NZIFF artistic director Paolo Bertolin said the “constellation of films” on offer represented difference and resistance.
“Cinema observes the world around us and provides us with tools to understand it, but also to resist it, be it with critical thinking or with that smile that chased demons away,” Mr Bertolin said.
Ms Thompson said tickets for the NZIFF were now for sale, online via the website nziff.co.nz and in person.
Those wishing to buy or redeem a five-trip multi-pass would need to do so at the theatre box office, she said.
