Subgenre Sampler

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Convert, The (2024): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Guy Pearce, Jacqueline McKenzie, Te Kohe Tuhaka…; A British lay preacher finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes in this vivid colonialist epic from dir. Lee Tamahori.
Mountain, The (2024): Dir. Rachel House
Feat. Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Terence Daniel…; A young girl, raised outside of her Maori culture, is determined to fulfil her mission of connecting with her mountain in the hope they can heal her…
We Were Dangerous (2024): Dir. Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu
Feat. Erana James, Nathalie Morris, Manaia Hall…; A striking Kiwi fable about three teenage girls who plot to escape an oppressive school for delinquents on an isolated island in the 1950s, it's the…
Bad Behaviour (2023): Dir. Alice Englert
Feat. Jennifer Connelly, Alice Englert, Ben Whishaw…; Jennifer Connelly gives a committed performance as a former child actor who seeks enlightenment at a retreat in Oregon while navigating a…
Uproar (2023): Dir. Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett
Feat. Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Minnie Driver…; Set in Dunedin in 1981, a rugby–obsessed country is divided over the arrival of the South African Springboks team, sparking nationwide…
Whina (2022): Dir. James Napier Robertson, Paula Jones
Feat. Miriama McDowell, Rena Owen, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne…; A biopic of the trailblazing female Maori leader, Dame Whina Cooper, whose extraordinary life saw her break gender boundaries, champion innovation,…
Cousins (2021): Dir. Ainsley Gardiner, Briar Grace-Smith
Feat. Tanea Heke, Ana Scotney, Te Raukura Gray…; Powerful Kiwi drama from the directors of WARU, following the intertwining lives of three Maori women who are cousins. While one of them is…
Justice of Bunny King, The (2021): Dir. Gaysorn Thavat
Feat. Essie Davis, Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Amelie Baynes…; A single mother takes on the bureaucracy of NZ social services in this hard hitting drama, an impressive feature debut of director Gaysorn…
Poppy (2021): Dir. Linda Niccol
Feat. Libby Hunsdale, Ari Boyland, Seb Hunter…; Endearing Kiwi drama about an ambitious teenager who aspires to be a car mechanic despite the hurdles – which include her protective brother…
Reunion (2020): Dir. Jake Mahaffy
Feat. Julia Ormond, Emma Draper, John Bach…; Beautifully–lensed NZ horror shot in a grand old mansion in Lower Hutt, following an academic studying black magic (Emma Draper, DAFFODILS) who…
Savage (2020): Dir. Sam Kelly
Feat. Jake Ryan, John Tui, Chelsie Preston-Crayford; Powerful drama inspired by the history of NZ's gangs, following a young boy in three different stages of life from the 1960's to the 1980's, as he…
Sounds, The (TV Mini-series) (2020): Dir. Peter Stebbings
Feat. Matt Whelen, Rachelle Lefevre, Matt Nable…; Kiwi mystery drama series from writer Sarah–Kate Lynch (800 WORDS), about a Canadian couple who move to the Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere region in…
Bellbird (2019): Dir. Hamish Bennett
Feat. Marshall Napier, Cohen Holloway, Annie Whittle; Charming and quietly restrained comedy drama set on a Northland NZ dairy farm, where a third generation farm owner struggles to cope with the loss of…
Daffodils (2019): Dir. David Stubbs
Feat. Rose McIver, George Mason, Kimbra; Ambitious screen musical based on the stageplay of same name that threads a bittersweet romantic narrative over several decades through a setlist of…
Vai (2019): Dir. Becs Arahanga, Amberley Jo Aumua, Matasila Freshwater
Feat. Evotia-Rose Araiti, Ro Mereani Adi Tuimatanisiga, Agnes Pele…; Eight connecting moments of seemingly different lives thread together Vai’s journey of empowerment through culture over her lifetime. Beautifully…
Broken (2018): Dir. Tarry Mortlock
Feat. Josh Calles, Ruby Grubb, Wayne Hapi; Logan, an ex–gang leader, is torn between revenge and reconciliation when his daughter Tori is murdered by an opposing gang. Set in an isolated…
Stray (2018): Dir. Dustin Feneley
Feat. Kieran Charnock, Arta Dobroshi; Moody, taciturn local drama in which two damaged strangers cross paths in mountainous Central Otago.
Vermilion (2018): Dir. Dorthe Scheffmann
Feat. Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Theresa Healey, Emily Campbell; The story of a group of women – mothers, daughters, friends and neighbours – set over a summer month. Jennifer Ward–Lealand…
Human Traces (2017): Dir. Nic Gorman
Feat. Sophie Henderson, Mark Mitchinson, Vinnie Bennett…; When a mysterious young man arrives on a remote Sub–Antarctic research station, secrets threaten the relationship of a married couple working…
One Thousand Ropes (O Le Tulafale) (2017): Dir. Tusi Tamasese
Feat. Frankie Adams, Uelese Pataia, Beulah Koale…; A Samoan father and traditional healer reconnects with his estranged daughter in this quietly powerful drama shot in Wellington, by the director of…
Waru (2017): Dir. Briar Grace-Smith, Casey Kaa, Ainsley Gardiner
Feat. Miriama McDowell, Tanea Heke, Kararaina Rangihau…; An outstanding and confronting film exploring the subject of domestic child abuse in New Zealand. Eight female Maori directors have each…
Catch, The (2016): Dir. Simon Mark-Brown
Feat. Tainui Tukiwaho, David Capstick , Nicol Munro; Based on a true story, this good–hearted eco–comedy celebrates fishing culture as fraud unfolds during an angling contest amidst the…
Chronesthesia (2016): Dir. Hayden J. Weal
Feat. Hayden J. Weal, Michelle Ny, Cohen Holloway…; Indie rom–com with a curious time–shifting twist in which a socially isolated young man's burgeoning romance with a science student is…
Great Maiden's Blush, The (2016): Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
Feat. Miriama McDowell, Renee Lyons; A precarious friendship develops between two first–time single mothers – one a taxi–driver and girl racer, the other a pianist and…
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016): Dir. Taika Waititi
Feat. Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata…; A feel–good comic misadventure in which a rebellious city kid and his reluctant foster uncle become subjects of a manhunt after they "go bush"…
Mahana (2016): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning, Akuhata Keefe…; Lee Tamahori and Temuera Morrison re–team for this evocative adaptation of Witi Ihimaera's saga of warring families in 1960's New…
Rehearsal, The (2016): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. James Rolleston, Kerry Fox, Alice Englert…; Finely judged adaptation of Eleanor Catton's debut novel follows a young Auckland drama student desperate to impress his tutor, who mines a scandal…
800 Words (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Erik Thomson, Michelle Langstone, Jonathan Brugh; From the writers of OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE come this gentle dramedy that follows the travails of a widowed Sydney columnist as he up sticks for life in…
Born to Dance (2015): Dir. Tammy Davis
Feat. Parris Goebel, Stan Walker, Kherington Payne…; Dance phenomenon Parris Goebel and Stan Walker stars in this coming of age tale told through the eyes of 'Tu', an ambitious young man from Auckland…
Slow West (2015): Dir. John Maclean
Feat. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn…; New Zealand – specifically Twizel – stands in for Colorado in this tense Western that follows a young Scot, whose travels across America…
Westside (TV Series) (2015-2019): Feat. Antonia Prebble, David de Lautour, Reef Ireland; A period prequel to OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. Legendary safe cracker and career criminal, Ted West and his first wife Rita Build their fortune in the slums…
When We Go To War (TV Mini-series) (2015): Feat. Ido Drent, Sophia Huybens; Historical saga that tells the story of six young men and women whose plans for the future are thwarted as New Zealand enters World War I. Events…
Anzac Girls (TV Mini-series) (2014): Feat. Georgia Flood, Antonia Prebble, Laura Brent; Honouring the centenary of the commencement of World War One, this six–part mini–series is based on true stories of Australian and New…
Broken Hallelujah (2014): Dir. Alastair Riddell
Feat. Vanessa Riddell, Ben Mitchell, Greg Smith; Thoughtful New Zealand drama inspired by Leonard Cohen's iconic song follows three families' intertwining lives.
Dark Horse, The (2014): Dir. James Napier Robertson
Feat. Cliff Curtis, James Rolleston, Kirk Torrance…; Cliff Curtis turns in a magnificent performance in this accomplished and powerful story of speed chess champion Genesis Potini, his battles with…
Hope and Wire (TV Mini-Series) (2014): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Rachel House, Joel Tobeck, Chelsie Preston-Crayford…; Gaylene Preston directs this contentious, though humanly compelling medley of stories based on first–hand accounts of the direct aftermath of…
Nancy Wake: Gestapo's Most Wanted (2014): The heroics of Wellington–born Nancy Wake, aka 'The White Mouse', are given a pulpy treatment in this doco–drama celebrating the famed…
Pa Boys, The (2014): Dir. Himiona Grace; A small, nicely formed road movie of following a three–piece Wellington reggae band as they tour the North Island. At its heart a celebration…
Fantail (2013): Dir. Curtis Vowell
Feat. Sophie Henderson, Stephen Lovatt, Jarod Rawiri; A fine small–scale New Zealand drama following the life of a young Pakeha woman who identifies as a Maori as she works graveyard shift at a…
Golden Hour, The (2013): Superb 'Sunday Theatre' docu–drama relives the inspirational story behind New Zealand's greatest–ever day at the Olympics, in which…
Harry (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Oscar Kightley, Sam Neill, Hunter Kamuhemu…; Oscar Kightley plays a grieving South Auckland detective swamped by a series of armed robberies in this dark, authentic local policier, a welcome…
Mt. Zion (2013): Dir. Tearepa Kahi
Feat. Stan Walker, Temuera Morrison, Miriama Smith; Singer Stan Walker plays a humble potato picker who dreams of performing the opening act to Bob Marley and the Wailers’ 1979 Auckland concert, in…
Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song (2013): Dir. Tim van Dammen
Feat. Derya Parlak, Christopher Landon; The Bard's most iconic play is performed with colloquial gusto in this inventive musical transposing of the tale of star–crossed lovers to an…
Shopping (2013): Dir. Louis Sutherland, Mark Albiston
Feat. Kevin Paulo, Julian Dennison, Jacek Koman…; Set in 1981, this lyrical coming–of–age drama charts the self–discovery of a half–Samoan teen who escapes his volatile father…
Weight of Elephants, The (2013): Dir. Daniel Borgman
Feat. Demos Murphy, Angelina Cottrell, Matthew Sunderland; Operating on a deep level, Daniel Borgman’s [debut] film prioritises what goes on under the surface almost to the complete exclusion of plot.…
White Lies (2013): Dir. Dana Rotberg
Feat. Whirimako Black, Rachel House, Antonia Prebble…; Witi Ihimaera's novella 'Medicine Woman' forms the basis of this rich period drama about a Maori healer who is approached by a wealthy woman to help…
Kiwi Flyer (2012): Dir. Tony Simpson
Feat. Edward Hall, Tikirau Hathaway, Tandi Wright…; Amiable family fun follows twelve–year old Ben as he sets out to win Nelson's annual trolley derby, but he's up against some stiff Aussie…
Most Fun You Can Have Dying, The (2012): Dir. Kirstin Marcon
Feat. Matt Whelan, Roxane Mesquida, Pana Hema Taylor…; Sultry youth drama from first–time feature dir. Kirstin Marcon about a terminally ill young man who absconds overseas with the money raised for…
Mr. Pip (2012): Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Hugh Laurie, Florence Korokoro, Eka Darville…; In a remote Bougainville village, isolated by a rebellion over self–determination and mineral rights, the only remaining white man (Hugh…
Red House, The (2012): Dir. Alyx Duncan; A breakthrough for New Zealand's fledgling art cinema, this impressive first feature finds a beguiling middle ground between fiction and documentary…
Shackleton's Captain (2012): Dir. Leanne Pooley
Feat. Craig Parker; The Endurance's ship captain, Frank Worsley, is given the spotlight in this searing reenactment of Ernest Shackleton’s troubled expedition to the…
What Really Happened: Votes for Women (2012): Feat. Sara Wiseman, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt; Another edifying take on a key turning point in New Zealand history (following What Really Happened: Waitangi), this Sunday Theatre commission…
Almighty Johnsons, The (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Timothy Balme, Dean O'Gorman, Ben Barrington…; From the creators of Outrageous Fortune, this fantastical series follows the misadventures of four brothers who happen to be the living incarnations…
Billy (2011): Dir. Peter Burger
Feat. Tainui Tukiwaho, Morgana O’Reilly; A sound, praiseworthy biopic of New Zealand's greatest ever comedian, played here by Tainui Tukiwaho with equal parts sobriety and jolly…
Bliss: The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield (2011): Dir. Fiona Samuel
Feat. Kate Elliot, Sarah Peirse, Peter Elliot…; Revealing portrait of the early years of New Zealand's most celebrated writer Katharine Mansfield, movingly played by Kate Elliot.
Curry Munchers (2011): Dir. Cristobal Araus Lobos
Feat. Aunanda Naaido, Alison Titulaer, Ben Mitchell; Knockabout comedy has a young Indian immigrant struggling to catch the attention of kiwi girls.
Hook, Line and Sinker (Hook, Line & Sinker) (2011): Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
Feat. Rangimoana Taylor, Carmel McGlone, Geraldine Brophy; A blue–collar truck driver struggles to cope with his failing eyesight, despite the love and support of his family, in this grassroots gem from…
My Wedding and Other Secrets (2011): Dir. Roseanne Liang
Feat. Michelle Ang, Matt Whelan, Kenneth Tsang…; Dir. Roseanne Liang adapts her winning documentary (BANANA IN A NUTSHELL) on the struggle to get her traditional Chinese parents to accept her Kiwi…
Nothing Trivial (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Shane Cortese, Tandi Wright, Blair Strang…; An agreeable and endearingly performed 'singles' comedy by way of modern day Auckland, centred on the romantic hang ups of five friends who compete…
Orator, The (O le tulafale) (2011): Dir. Tusi Tamasese
Feat. Fiaula Sanote, Tausili Pushparaj; In this superlative Polynesian drama – the first Samoan language feature film – tradition and modernity collide on the island of Upolu, where a…
Personal War, A (The Kiwi Who Saved Britain) (2011): Three short dramatic accounts of war stories as a memorial to all those who have fought and lost their lives for New Zealand as soldiers. THE KIWI…
Rage (Rage1981) (2011): Dir. Danny Mulheron
Feat. Maria Walker, Ryan O’Kane, Paul Harrop…; Vividly–realised telemovie depicting a star–crossed romance against the turbulent and controversial 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour of New…
Tangiwai: A Love Story (2011): Dir. Charlie Haskell
Feat. Ryan O' Kane, Rose McIver, Miranda Harcourt…; Stirring chronicle of our worst rail disaster in which 151 lives were lost, and the extraordinary events that played out during New Zealand's cricket…
Underbelly - Season 4 (TV Mini-series) (Land of the Long Green Cloud) (2011): Feat. Daniel Musgrove, Damien Avery, Grae Burton…; World famous in New Zealand, drug trafficker Marty Johnstone – aka, Mr. Asia – steals the Underbelly spotlight in this locally made…
After the Waterfall (2010): Dir. Simone Horrocks
Feat. Antony Starr, Cohen Holloway, Michelle Langstone…; The debut feature of dir. Simone Horrocks is an intimate portrait of a man's grief as he struggles to put his life back together after the…
Boy (2010): Dir. Taika Waititi
Feat. Taika Waititi, James Rolleston, Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu…; Taika Waititi continues his dream run as director with this fictionalised coming–of–age tale that draws on his own experience growing up…
Butterfly Crush (2010): Dir. Alan Clay
Feat. Courtney Hale, Hayley Fielding, Sally Kelleher; Poppy local drama packed with tunes has the titular song and dance duo thrown into turmoil when one member becomes ensnared in a cult.
Desert (2010): Dir. Stephen Kang
Feat. Jane Kim, Andrew Han; An impressive independent feature from Korean–New Zealand dir. Stephen Kang, whose Auckland–set film observes the quiet desperation of a…
Holy Roller, The (2010): Dir. Patrick Gillies; Critically–mauled drama from the director of OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR about a debt–ridden preacher who is tricked into starting a church in a…
Home By Christmas (2010): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Tony Barry, Martin Henderson, Chelsie Preston-Crayford; The director of WAR STORIES returns to the subject for this deeply personal yet affecting docu–drama focusing this time on a single story…
Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell, The (2010): Dir. Brendan Donovan
Feat. William McInnes, Robyn Malcolm, Mia Blake…; Emotionally loaded kiwi comedy centres on a Peter Pan dad with political aspirations and a serious go–karting obsession.
Insatiable Moon, The (2010): Dir. Rosemary Riddell
Feat. Rawiri Paratene, Sara Wiseman, Ian Mune…; Heartfelt local feature has a self–proclaimed son of God setting out to save the world, save his boarding–house, and woo the Queen of…
Love Story (2010): Dir. Florian Habicht
Feat. Florian Habicht; Ebullient Kiwi filmmaker Florian Habicht creates his own 'New York Story' by turning his camera to a beautiful Russian model and his own creative…
Matariki (2010): Dir. Michael Bennett
Feat. Jason Wu, Susana Tang, Michael Whalley…; A random act of violence affects eight Aucklanders in this melting–pot drama, set on the eve of the Maori New Year. Notable for excellent…
Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Kawa) (2010): Dir. Katie Wolfe
Feat. Calvin Tuteao, George Henare, Dean O'Gorman…; Psychological drama of a family man coming to terms with his homosexuality and whose decision to come out plunges his family into crisis. Based on…
Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 6 (2010): Feat. Robyn Malcolm, Antony Starr, Antonia Prebble…; Explosive final season of the popular NZ series, set around a family of 'Westie' (West Auckland) criminals trying to go straight.
Russian Snark (2010): Dir. Stephen Sinclair
Feat. Stephen Papps, Elena Stejko, Stephanie Tauevihi…; A pair of Russian refugees settle in Auckland to make art and a new home in this eccentric yet accessible 'art comedy' from screenwriter and…
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Andy Whitfield, John Hannah, Peter Mensah…; Outlandish sword–and–sandal serial features Lucy Lawless and a line–up of Kiwi faces in various states of dismemberment and/or…
Stolen (2010): Dir. Britta Hawkins
Feat. Miriama Smith, Scott Wills, George Henare…; TV thriller based on the real life 2002 kidnapping of Baby Kahu Durie, which saturated NZ media at the time. Held for $3 million ransom, the child…
Go Girls (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Anna Hutchison, Bronwyn Turei, Alix Bushnell…; A North Shore equivalent of OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE perhaps, but with considerably less bite, this follows four middle–class 20–somethings as…
Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 5 (2009): Feat. Robyn Malcolm, Charles Mesure, Antony Starr…; Further outrageous episodes in the popular NZ series, set around a family of 'Westie' (West Auckland) criminals trying to go straight. Series 5:…
Piece Of My Heart (2009): Dir. Fiona Samuel
Feat. Annie Whittle, Rena Owen, Emily Barclay…; TVNZ–commissioned drama focused on the issue of adoption in New Zealand, told through the story of two women who must reconcile their past as…
Separation City (2009): Dir. Paul Middleditch
Feat. Joel Edgerton, Rhona Mitra, Danielle Cormack…; Kiwi comedy penned by satirical cartoonist Tom Scott , musing on the struggle of long–term relationships among a group of…
Strength of Water, The (2009): Dir. Armagan Ballantyne
Feat. Hato Paparoa, Melanie Mayall-Nahi, Jim Moriarty…; Ten–year–old twins are separated by tragedy in this evocative, gracefully shot debut for dir. Ballantyne, set in a Maori community on the…
Until Proven Innocent (2009): Dir. Peter Burger
Feat. Cohen Holloway, Edward Campbell, Miranda Harcourt; Credible homegrown teledrama tells the true story of the crusade to free David Dougherty, wrongly imprisoned for the rape and abduction of an…
Vintner's Luck, The (2009): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Jeremie Renier, Gaspard Ulliel…; Contentious, opulent NZ–made adaptation of the much–loved Elizabeth Knox novel, ostensibly about the relationship between a guardian…
A Song Of Good (2008): Dir. Gregory King
Feat. Gareth Reeves, Ian Mune, Danielle Cormack…; The director of CHRISTMAS continues to pick away at the festering sores of Kiwi suburbia, diagramming the destructive forces hampering a…
Apron Strings (2008): Dir. Sima Urale
Feat. Laila Rouass, Jennifer Ludlam, Scott Wills…; Acclaimed short film director Sima Urale makes her feature film debut with this drama about fractious maternal connections that contrast two…
Burying Brian (TV Series) (2008): Dir. Peter Burger
Feat. Rebecca Hobbs, Ian Mune, Robbie Magasiva; Kiwi black comedy series centred on four friends who find themselves entangled in a scandalous cover–up when one of the ladies accidentally…
Dean Spanley (2008): Dir. Toa Fraser
Feat. Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Peter O'Toole…; This Kiwi–British production cross–breed is a charmingly eccentric, surprisingly moving 'drawing room' drama set in Edwardian Britain in…
Jinx Sister (2008): Dir. Athina Tsoulis
Feat. Sara Wiseman, Jarod Rawiri, William Wallace…; Tidy homeland drama finds Americanized ex–pat Wiseman returning to New Zealand to reconcile with her elder sister (Nash), seemingly happily…
Map Reader, The (2008): Dir. Harold Brodie
Feat. Rebecca Gibney, Jordan Selwyn, Bonnie Soper…; A small–town teenager’s obsession with maps is the central metaphor in this ragged yet heart–felt local feature about finding and…
Pictures of You (2008): Dir. Ben Woollen
Feat. Brendan Kavanagh, Jonn Wilson, Bernard Moody…; Youth drama concerning a promising rugby player whose dreams lie far away from the sporting field.
Second-Hand Wedding (Secondhand Wedding) (2008): Dir. Paul Murphy
Feat. Holly Shanahan, Geraldine Brophy, Patrick Wilson…; Sweet–natured Kiwi suburban rom–com that was a surprise hit at the local box office, with large audiences responding to a highly…
Show of Hands (2008): Dir. Anthony McCarten
Feat. Melanie Lynskey, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt; Quaint but contrived Kiwi rom–dram set in New Plymouth in which a grab–bag of townsfolk compete for new 4–wheel drive by keeping…
Taking the Waewae Express (2008): Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
Feat. Matariki Whatarau, Evan Hussey, Isaac Heron…; Grief and resentment affect a Maori family and their friends after a tragic car accident in this honest and open–hearted drama set in…
Kissy Kissy (2007): Dir. Alexander Greenhough, Elric Kane
Feat. Daniel Northcott, Dick Whyte, Tania Nolan…; Aro Valley–made DV drama concerns the intersecting lives of a cast and crew on a low budget movie, and the all–too–familiar…
Last Magic Show, The (2007): Dir. Andy Conlan
Feat. Andy Conlan, Jade Collins, Michael Hurst; Gothic New Zealand drama with a hint of romance follows a disturbed magician searching for his next great career move and a replacement assistant…
Man Who Lost His Head, The (2007): Dir. Terry Johnson
Feat. Martin Clunes, John Leigh, Nicola Kawana; Martin Clunes plays a museum curator on a New Zealand sojourn, traveling from Britain to the small Maori community of Otakataka appealing the return…
Rude Awakenings (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Danielle Cormack, Patrick Wilson; Polished, darkly tinged suburban satire between a grassroots Kiwi family and their new latte–slurping neighbours, who declare warfare in the…
We're Here to Help (2007): Dir. Jonothan Cullinane
Feat. Erik Thomson, Miriama Smith, Michael Hurst…; Hearty bureaucratic broadside with Australian Erik Thomson well cast as Kiwi property developer Dave Henderson, who became hounded and eventually…
Lost Children, The (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Hudson Mills, Beatrice Joblin, Rhys Castle-Hughes…; Well–crafted adventure series follows three children washed ashore from a shipwreck as they search for their parents..
No. 2 (Number 2) (2006): Dir. Toa Fraser
Feat. Ruby Dee, Mia Blake, Emile Taungaroa…; Playwright Toa Fraser adapts his acclaimed stageplay about a hard–bitten matriarch determined to bring her grandchildren together for a…
Out of the Blue (Aramoana) (2006): Dir. Robert Sarkies
Feat. Karl Urban, Matthew Sunderland, Simon Ferry…; A moving, uncomfortably harrowing account of New Zealand’s worst mass murder, bringing the trauma of 1990’s Aramoana massacre to the screen with…
Sunshine Man, The (2006): Dir. Peter Tonks; A dark parable in short–film form from Wellington dir. Peter Tonks, concerning a seriously–odd telephone salesman whose frustrations in…
50 Ways of Saying Fabulous (2005): Dir. Stewart Main
Feat. Rima Te Wiata; Rural New Zealand forms a stylised background to this unusual rites–of–passage drama which combines whimsy, pathos and cruelty for a…
Insiders Guide to Love, The (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Kate Elliot, Will Hall, Ryan O' Kane…; Adopting the whimsical style of series forerunner INSIDERS GUIDE TO HAPPINESS, this spiffy companion–piece assembles an entirely new set of…
River Queen (2005): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland, Cliff Curtis…; Both underrated and overblown, dir. Vincent Ward's (VIGIL) ambitious historical drama depicts the journey across heart, soul and land–scapes of…
World's Fastest Indian, The (2005): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd; Feelgood drama with a core of goodhearted Kiwi common sense and realism, this relates the true story of Invercargill legend Burt Munro (Hopkins), who…
1 Nite (2004): Dir. Amarbir Singh
Feat. Bruce Hopkins; A successfully dramatic foray into the night–worlds of half–a–dozen characters frequenting Auckland's K' Road: a Sikh…
Fracture (2004): Dir. Larry Parr
Feat. Kate Elliot, Miranda Harcourt, Jennifer Ward-Lealand…; An impressively staged adaptation of Maurice Gee's novel "Crime Story", set around two equally fractured families who enter each other's orbit after…
Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004): Dir. Robert Harmon
Feat. Tom Selleck, James Remar, Timothy Bottoms…; Historical war dramatization of the three months leading up to Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and how General Dwight Eisenhower…
In My Father's Den (2004): Dir. Brad McGann
Feat. Matthew MacFadyen, Emily Barclay, Miranda Otto…; Achieving a new high watermark in production terms at least, this vivid New Zealand melodrama harnesses the complexities of Maurice Gee's…
Insiders Guide to Happiness, The (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Fasitua Amosa, Ben Barrington, Fraser Brown…; An ambitious, stylish TV series (made on our doorstep) which shows the life–tracks of various contemporary urbanites and suburbanites meshing…
Land Has Eyes, The (Pear ta ma 'on maf) (2004): Dir. Vilsoni Hereniko
Feat. Sapeta Taito, Rena Owen, Voi Fesaitu; The first ever Fijian feature film, this evokes WHALE RIDER with its tale of a young woman (Taito) who aspires to transcend an existence…
Memories of Tomorrow (2004): Dir. Amit Tripuraneni
Feat. Richard Thompson, Rachel Gilchrist, Ray Trickitt; An artful psychological thriller set around a man's (Thompson) frustrating amnesia of a past which seemingly involves commando training and…
Christmas (2003): Dir. Gregory King; Structured around a grueling family Christmas in suburban New Zealand, this stark and uncompromising drama is one of the best low–budget…
For Good (2003): Dir. Stuart McKenzie
Feat. Michelle Langstone, Timothy Balme, Miranda Harcourt…; Deserving of a wider audience, this assured and well–focused NZ feature debut belies its limited budget with a pertinent crime story executed…
Loop Select 005 (incl. Two Cars One Night) (2003): Dir. Taika Waititi, Patrick Gillies, Michael Duignan; Compilation of 9 music videos and 8 short films from New Zealand. Artists and bands include 'Black Seeds', 'Trinity Roots', Anika Moa and…
Murmurs (2003): Dir. Alexander Greenhough, Elric Kane
Feat. James Ashcroft, Daniel Northcott, Kristin Smith…; The daily movements of a Mt Victoria flat are wryly observed in this sophomore DV feature from the directors of KISSY KISSY. Ensconced in a…
Perfect Strangers (2003): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Sam Neill, Rachael Blake, Joel Tobeck; Thriller of possessive love, set effectively on the rugged coastline of New Zealand’s West Coast, that changes tack mid–way into blackly…
Sylvia (2003): Dir. Christine Jeffs
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig, Blythe Danner…; A simply formed, yet resonant portrait of the brilliant, doomed poet Sylvia Plath (Paltrow), recounting her years of marriage to (also poet) Ted…
Whale Rider (2003): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton…; A stirring, widely–acclaimed adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s novel about a young girl’s struggle to win the approval of her patriarchal…
Woodenhead (2003): Dir. Florian Habicht; A remarkable and surrealistic melding of New Zealand setting and Germanic sensibility, in which a sad fairytale narrative is enacted, sung and…
Mataku (TV Series) (2002-2005): Dir. Michael Bennett, Peter Berger
Feat. Temuera Morrison; A well–mounted anthology of contemporary one–off dramas, adapted from the unique and mystical world of Maori supernatural legends. The…
Off (.OFF.) (2002): Dir. Colin Hodson
Feat. Colin Hodson, Gregory King, George Rose…; Locally produced DV–feature which observes the activities of several drug associates, with a style both languid and, at times,…
Being Eve (TV Series) (2001): Feat. Fleur Saville; Spunky, good–natured Kiwi comedy essays the angsty teenage years of girl philosopher Eve Baxter, whose unconventional outlook on life is…
Crooked Earth (2001): Dir. Sam Pillsbury
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Lawrence Makoare, Nancy Brunning; Vivid action–melodrama uses the dispossession of East Coast Maori to prime its tale of tribal succession, with SAS soldier Temuera Morrison…
Her Majesty (2001): Dir. Mark J. Gordon
Feat. Vicky Haughton, Sally Andrews, Anna Sheridan…; A little–known, but sincerely crafted tale is set in 1950s New Zealand around a young girl's (Andrews) infatuation with Queen Elizabeth II,…
Rain (2001): Dir. Christine Jeffs
Feat. Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki, Sarah Peirse, Marton Csokas…; Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Kirsty Gunn, this visually crafted evocation of a seaside holiday in the 1970s – bach, suntan lotion, whiskey…
This is Not a Love Story (2001): Dir. Keith Hill
Feat. Stephen Lovatt, Sarah Smuts-Kennedy; Exploring the dynamics of a love–triangle between a soap–opera actor and two women, this local 'DV drama' from debuting dir. Hill catches…
Shifter (2000): Dir. Colin Hodson
Feat. Colin Hodson, Samara McDowell, Diane McAllen…; A study of loose–ended flatting relations and social paranoia directed by Aro Valley local Colin Hodson. Improvisational in its treatment…
Shirt, The (2000): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Brian Sargent, Kirsty King-Turner, Jeff Szusterman…; Chiefly the creation of Wellingtonian writer/producer Ross Bevan, this hits hard as a raw study of three career–junkies ‘led’ by a…
Waiting Place, The (2000): Dir. Cristobal Araus Lobos; A carefully made 'DV–feature' about two unstable prison–escapers who traverse an overgrown rural landscape towards a rendezvous at an…
Channeling Baby (1999): Dir. Christine Parker
Feat. Danielle Cormack, Kevin Smith; 'First sight' romance between a blind pacifist and a shell–shocked soldier in the 70s ended in heartbreak after the tragic 'disappearance' of…
Lunatics Ball, The (1999): Dir. Michael Thorp
Feat. Michael Daly, Jane Irwin, Sarah Ashworth…; Idiosyncratic indie set around a doctor’s efforts to apply his unorthodox ideas in a psych–ward which is slowly coming unstuck. More…
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning; Alan Duff–scripted sequel to his novel ONCE WERE WARRIORS is as good a sequel as one could reasonably expect. Story continues some years on…
When Love Comes (1999): Dir. Garth Maxwell
Feat. Rena Owen, Simon Prast, Nancy Brunning…; Earnest tableaux of straight, gay, lesbian and platonic relationships underscored by a music motif and sombre themes of compromise and loss.…
Wild Blue (1999): Dir. Dale G. Bradley
Feat. Nicola Murphy, Judge Reinhold; The wilds of Otago serve as a backdrop for this modern drama, with young Nicola Murphy (MAGIK AND ROSE) returning to NZ to assume a postponed role of…
Memory and Desire (1998): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Brenda Kendall, Yuri Kinugawa, Norman Forsey; Director Niki Caro pulls out the art–house stops for her feature debut: a love–story about a mismatched Japanese couple whose honeymoon…
Serious Shorts (Five NZ Short Films) (1998): Dir. Charlie de Salis, Neil Pardington, Stuart McKenzie; A collection of 5 short films from New Zealand. Specially compiled for educational purposes, this tape includes film analysis material between each…
Duggan (TV Series) (Death in Paradise, Sins of the Fathers) (1997-1998): Dir. Yvonne MacKay
Feat. John Bach; Detective inspector John Bach heads up these made–for–TV policiers as a recluse drawn into a murder cases near his Marlborough Sounds…
Saving Grace (1997): Dir. Costa Botes
Feat. Kirsty Hamilton, Jim Moriarty; A kind of Jesus of Upper Cuba Street, this adaptation of Duncan Sarkies' stageplay ambitiously hammers a drama of poverty in inner–city…
Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997): Dir. Harry Sinclair
Feat. Danielle Cormack, Joel Tobeck, Ian Hughes…; The local sensation of the '97 year that far too few Kiwis saw on the big screen, this fresh and assured comic tableau sees various appealing…
Whole of the Moon, The (1997): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Toby Fisher, Nikki Si'Ulepa, Pascale Bussieres…; Heartfelt yet uplifting story of two disparate teenage cancer patients who find strength in their misfortune. Dir. Ian Mune's talent for coaxing…
Broken English (1996): Dir. Gregor Nicholas
Feat. Rade Serbedzija, Aleksandra Vujcic, Julian Arahanga; Racial angst and insecurities afflict an immigrant Serbian family living in the Auckland suburbs. Impassioned drama stars Slavic superstar Rade…
Loaded (1996): Dir. Anna Campion
Feat. Oliver Milburn, Dearbhla Molloy, Danny Cunningham…; Fans of Trainspotting will connect with this compelling snapshot of the E–generation – an acid–inflected psychodrama that unfolds…
Flight of the Albatross (1995): Dir. Werner Meyer
Feat. Julia Brendler, Jack Thompson; Teenager Julia Brendler migrates from Germany to New Zealand to renuite with her mother, a scientist studying the albatross colony on a remote island.
Heavenly Creatures (1994): Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Melanie Lynskey, Kate Winslet, Sarah Peirse; Peter Jackson follows his zombie trilogy with this Oscar–nominated tour–de–force based on the Parker–Hulme murders of the…
Once Were Warriors (1994): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Julian Arahanga…; As sensational as it is important, Lee Tamahori's adaptation managed to transform Alan Duff's relentlessly down–beat novel about domestic…
Bread and Roses (1993): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Genevieve Picot; A gracious tribute to the post–war generation of New Zealand women, Gaylene Preston does a job worthy of her forebears in charting the early…
Desperate Remedies (1993): Dir. Peter Wells, Stewart Main
Feat. Michael Hurst, Cliff Curtis, Kevin Smith…; An audacious, decadent soap–opera which proudly flaunts its contempt for traditional local film–making with drugs, kinky sex,…
Piano, The (1993): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin…; A romantic masterpiece set in pioneering New Zealand worthy of its reputation and phenomenal success. Worth a second glance for the cast's impeccable…
Secrets (1993): Dir. Michael Pattinson
Feat. Noah Taylor, Willa O'Neill; During the Beatles' Melbourne tourdate of 1964, four Beatle–maniacs and an Elvis fan find themselves trapped together in a hotel basement,…
Typhon's People (1993): Dir. Yvonne MacKay
Feat. Alfred Molina, Sophie Lee, Michael Hurst…; Capable sci–fi thriller, scripted by Margaret Mahy, concerning dodgy genetic–engineering in a remote NZ research station. Stars local…
Absent Without Leave (1992): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Craig McLauchlan; Craig McLauchlan from Neighbours stars as a love–struck newly–wed on the run from the army during WW2. Slight nostalgia with lots of…
Chunuk Bair (1992): Dir. Dale G. Bradley
Feat. Robert Powell, Kevin J. Wilson, Jed Brophy; Modest, reverent account of an exhausted and shell–shocked Wellington regiment of the ANZAC forces who endeavoured to gain control of the ridge…
Crush (1992): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. Marcia Gay Harden; A downbeat analysis of female personal politics, with Marcia Gay Harden, an American vixen in Rotorua who neglects her dear friend recently paralysed…
Footstep Man, The (1992): Dir. Leon Narbey
Feat. Michael Hurst, Jennifer Ward-Lealand; An ambitious psychological drama about a forlorn sound–effects man who becomes obsessed with the woman in a film he is working on. Technically…
Short Reels: Ten New Zealand Short Films (1992-2004): 1. Watermark (2001) 12m. 2. The Platform (2001) 5m. 3. The Little Things (2004) 12m. 4. The Man Who Couldn't Dance (2004) 10m. 5. Lovelock (1992)…
Shortland Street: 15 Years Of (TV Series) (1992-2007): New Zealand's most successful primetime drama – a regular weeknight fixture for homes nationwide, and a port–of–call for almost every…
Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, The (1992): Dir. Michael Tuchner
Feat. Sam Neill, Jon Voight, Tony Barry…; Telemovie enactment of the French–sponsored bombing of the Greenpeace vessel ' Rainbow Warrior' in 1984. Solidly dramatised with Neill and…
End of the Golden Weather (1991): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Stephen Fulford, Stephen Papps, Paul Gittins; A delightful adaptation of Bruce Mason's one man play about a young boy's last summer holiday in 1930s New Zealand. Some glorious set pieces and a…
Married (1991): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Jed Brophy, Tracey Moore; Jed Brophy and Tracey Moore play newlyweds coping with sex roles and a communication breakdown one day in mythical NZ suburbia. Preston directs a…
Te Rua (1991): Dir. Barry Barclay; Dir. Barry Barclay's second feature film concerns a group of Maori who travel to Germany to reclaim sacred 'taonga' from a museum, a century after…
An Angel at My Table (1990): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Kerry Fox; Multi–award winning adaptation of Janet Frame's three autobiographies, deserving of its big reputation through compassionate storytelling and…
Soldier's Tale, A (1990): Dir. Larry Parr
Feat. Gabriel Byrne; A tragic love story between a British soldier and a beautiful French woman who is accused of Nazi collaboration by the French resistance. Gabriel…
Beyond Gravity (1989): Dir. Garth Maxwell
Feat. Iain Rea, Robert Pollock; Gay romance blossoms for a astronomy–obsessed technician when he encounters a free–spirited Italian.
Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree (1989): Dir. Martyn Sanderson
Feat. Richard Von Sturmer; A Western Samoan youth finds himself caught between traditionalism and the freedoms of Western culture. Albert Wendt's novel is given the…
Kitchen Sink (1989): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. Theresa Healy, Peter Tait, Anagretta Christian; Three shorts from director Alison Maclean. Her 1989 award–winning Gothic horror is here paired with two earlier works, TALKBACK (1987), and the…
Kiwi Shorts Volume 2 (1989-1993): Dir. William Toepfer, Anthony McCarten, Jessica Hobbs; Another good sampling of eight short films funded by the NZ Arts Council and Film Commission – also compiled by the good folk at…
Starlight Hotel (1989): Dir. Sam Pillsbury
Feat. Greer Robson, Bruce Phillips, Alison Fraser; A young runaway in search of her father and a reluctant fugitive become unlikely partners who manage to keep one step ahead of the police. Shot on…
Kiwi Shorts Volume 1 (1988-1992): Dir. Grant Lahood, Scott Reynolds, Nicky Marshall; A good sampling of eight short films funded by the NZ Arts Council and Film Commission, including the classic "The Lounge Bar". Compiled by the good…
Mauri (1988): Dir. Merata Mita
Feat. Anzac Wallace, Eva Rickard, James Hayward; Rural slice–of–life centres around an embittered man's search for fulfilment by returning to his roots. It gently illuminates the…
Navigator, The (A Medieval Odyssey) (1988): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Bruce Lyons, Chris Haywood, Marshall Napier; A group of 14th Century Cumbrians experience future shock when their mining expedition leads them to contemporary New Zealand. A terrific adventure…
Ngati (1988): Dir. Barry Barclay
Feat. Tuta Ngarimu Tamati, Iranui Haig, Tawai Moana…; A moving and powerful drama about an Australian immigrant who encounters the spiritual home of the local 'Ngati' or tribe, which triggers his own…
Dangerous Orphans (1987): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Peter Stevens, Michael Hurst, Jennifer Ward-Lealand; Three orphans act on their plan to avenge the death of their father but must undermine an elaborate crime ring to carry it out. With Peter Stevens,…
Illustrious Energy (1987): Dir. Leon Narbey
Feat. Shaun Bao, Peter Hayden, Peter Chin; Cinematographer Leon Narbey's debut as a director is a real gem, revealing one of New Zealand's 'hidden societies', that of Chinese gold–miners…
Mark II (1987): Dir. John Anderson; Three unemployed Maori youth embark on a bumpy ride south in their Mark II Ford Zephyr. The young novice actors exude charm and raw energy that…
Arriving Tuesday (1986): Dir. Richard Riddiford
Feat. Judy McIntosh, Peter Hayden; An estranged couple try to rekindle their romance by taking a holiday which only seems to make matters worse. A poignant love story.
Leading Edge, The (1986): Dir. Michael Firth
Feat. Billy T. James; Adventure docu–drama that's little more than an excuse to show off some wonderful South Island scenery and awesome ski theatrics. Billy T.…
Queen City Rocker (1986): Dir. Bruce Morrison
Feat. Matthew Hunter, William Edwardson, Sarah Douglas; Four days in the life of a young Auckland punk looking to escape the treadmill of violence and crime.
Leave All Fair (1985): Dir. John Reid
Feat. John Gielgud, Jane Birkin; A rewarding drama set among the memories of John Middleton Murray (John Gielgud), husband of NZ writer Katherine Mansfield (Jane Birkin). Well worth…
Lost Tribe, The (1985): Dir. John Laing
Feat. John Bach, Darien Takle, Martyn Sanderson…; John Bach's performance is the highlight of this mysterious drama in which he plays a man suspected of murdering his anthropologist brother who has…
Mesmerized (1985): Dir. Michael Laughlin
Feat. Jodie Foster, John Lithgow, Michael Murphy…; Jodie Foster plays a young woman in colonial NZ who flees an orphanage but finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage to a much older business man…
Should I Be Good or Should I Be Evil? (1985): Dir. Graham McLean
Feat. Beaver , Harry Lyon; Musos Beaver and Harry Lyon from Hello Sailor have a bash at acting in a story based on the Mr Asia drug–ring. Music by Hammond Gamble.
Sylvia (1985): Dir. Michael Firth
Feat. Eleanor David; Eleanor David plays Sylvia Ashton–Warner, educational cruasader and best–selling author in the 1940s.
Among the Cinders (1984): Dir. Rolf Haedrich
Feat. Paul O'Shea, Derek Hardwick, Yvonne Lawley; A tender chronicle of a 16–year–old's rite–of–passage who finds first love with an older woman embittered by her experience…
Grasp Of Wind, A (1984): Dir. Robert Franken, Russell Campbell
Feat. Neal Gunn; Dutch born New Zealand visual artist Robert Franken's one–and–only directorial effort is a quietly surreal, wordless fable in which a…
Heart of the Stag (1984): Dir. Michael Firth
Feat. Terence Cooper, Bruno Lawrence; A harrowing drama that deals frankly yet sensitively with the subject of incest. Terence Cooper plays a brutish farmer whose dreadful secret is soon…
King Pin (1984): Dir. Mike Walker
Feat. Nicholas Rogers, Junior Amega, Mitchell Manuel; Polynesian juveniles experience bonding, rivalry and violence at a child welfare training facility. Though budget constraints are evident, it's…
Other Halves (1984): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Mark Pilisi; An unlikely relationship blossoms between a 32–year–old white woman and a polynesian street–kid half her age.
Vigil (Incl. In Spring One Plants Alone & A State Of Seige) (1984): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Penelope Stewart, Frank Whitten, Bill Kerr…; A young girl's world is transformed when her father dies and a enigmatic stranger arrives in his wake. Our unique landscape provides a magnificent…
Constance (1983): Dir. Bruce Morrison
Feat. Donogh Rees; Donogh Rees gives a restrained performance in this post–war period drama as a school–teacher whose fanciful dreams are realised and then…
Issues Facing Women (1983-1987): Dir. Patricia Robins, Diana Rowan, Melanie Read
Feat. Judy McIntosh, Elizabeth McRae, Bridgette Allen…; Three short films from New Zealand made by and about women. Instincts (1987) 20 mins The story of a woman in a communal relationship in the 70's…
Utu - Redux (1983-2013): Dir. Geoff Murphy
Feat. Anzac Wallace, Bruno Lawrence, Wi Kuki Kaa…; With lavish technical enhancement and narrative streamlining, this 'Redux' version of the 1983 epic restores its rightful place in the canon of great…
Stories on Film (1982-1986): Dir. Larry Parr, Costa Botes, Lynton Butler
Feat. Bruno Lawrence, Annie Whittle; Three short films from New Zealand. The Makutu On Mrs. Jones (1986) 25 mins Based on a story by Witi Ihimaera, this short film is about a boys'…
Strata (1982): Dir. Geoff Steven
Feat. Nigel Davenport; Bold but failed attempt to emulate the arthouse cinema of European directors like Bergman, Tarkovsky and Antonioni in a New Zealand setting. Staged…
Pictures (1981): Dir. Michael Black
Feat. Kevin J. Wilson, Peter Vere-Jones, Helen Moulder; Two rival photographer brothers clash ethics over their respective portraits of the native Maori. Colonialist parable explores the value of art and…
Smash Palace (1981): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Bruno Lawrence, Grier Robson; One of local cinema's finest hours is this rural tale of a brusque auto–mechanic (Bruno Lawrence) whose estrangement from his family leads him…
Angel Mine (1979): Dir. David Blyth
Feat. Derek Ward, Jennifer Redford, Myra De Groot; A punk, Bunuel–esque social satire in which a married couple escape their material lives through anarchic fantasies, staged as dream–like…
Children of Fire Mountain (TV Mini-Series) (1979): Dir. Peter Sharp
Feat. Terence Cooper, Mark Hadlow; Fondly–remembered Kiwi period drama set in 1900 New Zealand, depicting the conflict between Maori and British settlers from the point of view…
Skin Deep (1979): Dir. Geoff Steven
Feat. Ken Blackburn, Alan Jervis, Deryn Cooper; When an urban masseuse sets up at a legitimate health bar in a small South Island town she attracts as much demand for special services as…
Sons for the Return Home (1979): Dir. Paul Maunder
Feat. Uelese Pataia; Compassionate screen adaptation of Albert Wendt's autobiographical novel, the first published by a Samoan. Uelese Pataia plays the shy young academic…
Roger Donaldson Collection, The (Sleeping Dogs, Smash Palace) (1977-1981): Dir. Roger Donaldson; Roger Donaldson's first two features – both Kiwi classics – in a 2–disc set, including substantial retrospective featurettes and…
Sleeping Dogs (1977): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Sam Neill, Warren Oates; Roger Donaldson's nihilistic action–thriller in which Sam Neill finds himself alone between two opposing extremist groups. A trail–blazer…
Solo (1977): Dir. Tony Williams
Feat. Vincent Gil, Lisa Peers, Martyn Sanderson; Emotional isolation is the theme of this moody drama in which a lonely fire patrol pilot balances his life with that of his introverted son and a…
Hunter's Gold (TV Series) (1976): Feat. Ken Blackburn, Andrew Hawthorn, Ian Mune…; Classic kidult series follows young Scott Hunter as he searches for his father amidst the Otago Gold Rush in thismagnificent recreation of early New…
Until They Sail (1957): Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, Paul Newman…; 1950s Christchurch is the novelty star of this MGM prestige picture set entirely in Canterbury, New Zealand, with landmarks such as the Christchurch…
Don't Blink: A compilation of short films and videos from students and independents in the South Island. Features 'Zero Graphic', 'Tuning In' and 'Domestic…
Walking Past Midnight / The Terrorist: Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader; A pair of underseen short films from two Aro Valley film–makers.

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