ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1
Order
Title
Original title
DirectorSynopsisShort filmsStrandPageLinkCountry
Runtime
Event screening
7-Aug8-Aug9-Aug10-Aug11-Aug12-Aug13-Aug14-Aug15-Aug16-Aug17-Aug18-AugKey
2
1Agent of Happiness
Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó
“Agent of happiness” Amber sets out on a cross-country road trip surveying the satisfaction of the Bhutanese public, as this crowd-pleasing doco questions whether the Himalayan country really is the happiest place on Earth.
journeys64
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/agent-of-happiness/
Bhutan9413:45The Civic
3
2
Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara
Kent Belcher
Even if you’re not a fan of heavy metal, you can’t help but admire Alien Weaponry. If not for their rise to fame on an international scale, then for being the first band of the genre to sing in te reo Māori.
mahutonga
12
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/alien-weaponry-kua-tupu-te-ara/
NZ100+q&a20:4512:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
4
3All We Imagine As LightPayal Kapadia
Direct from Competition in Cannes where it scored the Grand Prix, this radiant Indian drama follows two nurses looking for love but finding sisterhood in the vibrant, heaving 20 million plus populace of Mumbai.
visions58
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/all-we-imagine-as-light/
India11411:3014:45The Hollywood
5
4
American Stories: Food, Family and Philosophy
Histoires d'Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy
Chantal Akerman
A poetic assemblage of monologues and daft skits form an affectionate ode to Jewish-American identity in this charming quasi-documentary from one of the most important directors of our time.
treasures68
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/american-stories-food-family-and-philosophy/
USA9616:00The Civic
6
5AnguishAngustiaBigas Luna
Midnight screenings make a triumphant return, with a 35mm presentation of Bigas Luna’s cult horror-comedy classic, about an ophthalmologist serial killer with a penchant for collecting eyeballs. Brace yourself for a ride like no other.
treasures69
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/anguish/
Spain8923:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
7
6Armand
Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel
Winner of the Caméra d’Or for Best First Film at Cannes, this Bergman-esque drama entraps the viewer into a claustrophobic debate of fact and fiction when two boys’ parents are called to a meeting at their school.
journeys66
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/armand/
Norway11721:00The Hollywood
8
7The BeastLa bête
Bertrand Bonello
Léa Seydoux and George MacKay’s fatal attraction endures across space and time in Bertrand Bonello’s audacious Lynchian reflection on love and obsession, mixing sci-fi, melodrama, and horror across three different time frames.
visions59
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-beast/
France14620:4510:00The Civic
9
8Birdeater
Jim Weir, Jack Clark
This Australian debut marks the arrival of incredibly promising new directing talents as a bride-to-be tags along to her fiancé’s stag do from hell. An audacious, rollicking deep dive into power, control and the rituals of toxic masculinity.
fresh26
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/birdeater/
Australia11520:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
10
9Black Box DiariesShiori Ito
Journalist Shiori Ito embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country’s outdated judicial and societal systems.
frames32
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/black-box-diaries/
Japan10313:00The Hollywood
11
10Black DogGou zhenGuan Hu
An ex-convict finds redemption in the bond he forms with an unwanted mutt in Guan Hu’s dynamically shot and darkly comic Un Certain Regard Prize winner.
widescreen
44
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/black-dog/
China11015:4520:30The Civic
12
11Brief History of a Family
Jia ting jian shi
Lin Jianjie
Equally mysterious and revealing, Lin Jianjie’s debut feature Brief History of a Family provides a dispassionate, almost analytical look into the dynamics of estranged family relations in contemporary China.
fresh27
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/brief-history-of-a-family/
China9918:0012:15Auckland Waterfront Theatre
13
12CrossingLevan Akin
An aging aunt must voyage from her rugged Georgian home to cosmopolitan Istanbul in search of an estranged trans niece in this graceful cross-cultural panorama from Levan Akin.
widescreen
45
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/crossing/
Georgia10615:4520:30The Hollywood
14
13CuckooTilman Singer
Equal parts picturesque, creepy and batshit crazy, with a stunning performance from Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer in her first feature lead, this riotous horror flick proves to be raucously entertaining and refreshingly unpredictable.
nocturnal50
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/cuckoo/
Germany10221:1515:45The Civic
15
14DahomeyMati Diop
In 2021, 26 plundered artefects from the Kingdom of Dahomey are returned to the modern day nation of Benin, Mati Diop’s dreamlike documentary skilfully examines the debate surrounding the repatriation of stolen cultural treasures.
visions59
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/dahomey/
Benin6814:0010:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
16
15Days of Heaven
Terrence Malick
Reclusive auteur Terrence Malick’s sophomore effort, beautifully restored in 4K, is a bewitching, visually ravishing pre-World War I fable of passion and betrayal on the sun-drenched Texas prairie.
treasures69
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/days-of-heaven/
USA9410:0013:15The Hollywood
17
16DìdiDìdi (弟弟)Sean Wang
Sensitive and funny, this semi-autobiographical film follows 13-year-old Chris Wang as he grows up in diaspora, flirting through AOL emojis and navigating family life, with beautiful small details that feel painfully realistic and true to life.
fresh38
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/didi/
USA9311:0018:15The Civic
18
17A Different Man
Aaron Schimberg
Aaron Schimberg’s darkly comic feature from indie powerhouse A24 sees a man with facial tumours make a Faustian pact to change his appearance, only to discover good looks can’t buy happiness.
portraits39
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/a-different-man/
USA11213:1521:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
19
18DormitoryYurtNehir Tuna
This rebellious debut plasters teenage angst across a politically and religiously charged critique of the systems forced upon children before they’ve even had the chance to form their own opinions.
fresh27
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/dormitory/
Turkey11813:00The Hollywood
20
19DyingSterben
Matthias Glasner
This triptych tale of a family in turmoil is equal parts incredibly moving and scabrously funny, Matthias Glasner’s award-winning drama may be called Dying, but it’s really a celebration of the messiness of life.
portraits39
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/dying/
Germany18112:1510:00The Civic
21
20EnoGary Hustwit
This groundbreaking documentary on musician, artist and superstar producer Brian Eno changes every time it screens. The two New Zealand premiere screenings at the Festival will both be completely different and will never be seen again.
rhythms54
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/eno/
USA9018:15Auckland Waterfront Theatre
22
21Evil Does Not Exist
Aku wa sonzai shinai
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi follows up his Oscar-winning film Drive My Car with a modern eco-fable that provides a gorgeous meditation on humanity’s relation to nature and an unnerving commentary on the price of progress.
visions60
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/evil-does-not-exist/
Japan10618:1510:30The Hollywood
23
22Explanation for Everything
Magyarázat mindenre
Gábor Reisz
A lovesick young student accidentally becomes a right-wing cause célèbre when he fails his exam in this sharp Hungarian satire which recalls the incisive social critiques of the Romanian New Wave.
portraits40
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/explanation-for-everything/
Hungary15214:4515:00The Civic
24
23Flow
Gints Zilbalodis
Direct from wowing audiences at Cannes, this immersive animated wonder from Lativian director Gints Zilbalodis tells the surreal tale of an unlikely group of animals who must overcome their differences to survive a great flood.
visions60
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/flow/
Latvia8518:1513:30Auckland Waterfront Theatre
25
24Gloria!
Margherita Vicario
An energetic re-envisioning of Baroque music through the lens of the fiery female composers whose revolutionary work was concealed throughout history.
rhythms55
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/gloria/
Italy10611:0003:30The Hollywood
26
25Good One
India Donaldson
A 17-year-old grows disillusioned with her father as they take a hike through the Catskills in this incisive minimalist drama from debut feature filmmaker India Donaldson.
fresh28
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/good-one/
USA9018:15The Civic
27
26GraftedSasha Rainbow
Mean Girls meets Face/Off to absolutely wild results in Sasha Rainbow’s gory and uniquely Kiwi black comedy about a Chinese student who finds a new way of achieving popularity one body at a time.
mahutonga
13
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/grafted/
NZ96+pr, q+a20:4515:30Auckland Waterfront Theatre
28
27Grand Theft Hamlet
Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane
Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane bring the brutality of Grand Theft Auto to the world of Shakespeare – or is it the other way around?
frames33
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/grand-theft-hamlet/
USA9115:15The Hollywood
29
28Grand TourMiguel Gomes
A runaway groom with his bride-to-be in hot pursuit takes us on an epic tour through colonial-era Asia in Miguel Gomes’s playful Cannes prize-winner which mingles the artificiality of classic cinema with a documentary sense of place.
visions61
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/grand-tour/
Portugal12818:3013:00The Civic
30
29Green Border
Zielona granica
Agnieszka Holland
Brutal, enraging and heartrending, Polish writer-director Agnieszka Holland’s controversial take on the Polish-Belarusian border crisis serves as a startling call to arms in the face of a little-seen humanitarian crisis.
visions45
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/green-border/
Poland15210:0020:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
31
30The Haka Party IncidentKatie Wolfe
In 1979, group of young Māori and Pasifika activists sought to stop Pākehā students at the University of Auckland performing a parody of haka each capping week. Unfortunately, the consequences for those activists were severe – many were convicted of crimes. Director Katie Wolfe uncovers this largely forgotten event in our history with interviews from both in this resonant and thought-provoking documentary.
mahutonga
13
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-haka-party-incident/
NZ90+pr, q&a18:15The Hollywood
32
31Head South
Jonathan Ogilvie
Christchurch-born filmmaker Jonathan Ogilvie returns home for this evocative coming-of-age story that brilliantly captures the feeling of growing up weird in the Garden City. Starring Ed Oxenbould, Márton Csókás and featuring Stella Bennett aka Benee in her acting debut, Head South will be our Opening Night film for the Christchurch leg of the festival.
big-nights
6
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/head-south/
NZ98+Intro18:3013:15The Civic
33
32Heavenly CreaturesPeter Jackson
Returning to the Festival in a stunning new 4K restoration, Peter Jackson’s sublime 1994 film about the notorious Parker-Hulme murder drew rapturous acclaim and brought the former splatter king a newfound mainstream respectability.
treasures68
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/heavenly-creatures/
NZ10818:15Auckland Waterfront Theatre
34
33Hollywoodgate
Ibrahim Nash’at
A vital and terrifying historical document, this remarkable film follows the first year of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, revealing the extensive spoils of war left behind by the American occupation.
frames33
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/hollywoodgate/
Afghanistan
9210:45The Hollywood
35
34The House Within
Joshua Prendeville
Filmmaker Joshua Prendeville’s sterling documentary holds a delicate lens to the fascinating life and work of one of Aotearoa’s literary treasures, Dame Fiona Kidman.
mahutonga
14
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-house-within/
NZ71+pr, q&a12:45The Civic
36
35
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant
Ariane Louis-Seize
A sensitive vampire meets a depressed teenage boy in this deadpan romantic comedy about two loners connecting.
nocturnal51
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/humanist-vampire-seeking-consenting-suicidal/
Canada9216:0020:30Auckland Waterfront Theatre
37
36I Am a Dark RiverTessa Mitchell
Tess Mitchell seeks to fully understand her infamous grandfather, printmaker and publisher Bob Lowry. Using the unconventional medium of performance documentary, she uncovers the story of a troubled but truly revolutionary New Zealander.
mahutonga
23
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/i-am-a-dark-river/
NZ70+21:00The Hollywood
38
37I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun
Gunge, goons, and girls with unbreakable psychic bonds are your new late-night obsession in this unsettling fable about what happens when you get offered a chance at a fantasy, but choose to settle for reality.
nocturnal51
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/i-saw-the-tv-glow/
USA10015:4518:00The Civic
39
38In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul SimonAlex Gibney
Paul Simon is that rare popular artist who has produced vital music across seven decades. Drawing on archives and intimate new footage, this comprehensive documentary examines the creative career of a lifelong seeker.
rhythms55
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/in-restless-dreams-the-music-of-paul-simon/
USA20912:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
40
39Janet PlanetAnnie Baker
Acclaimed playwright Annie Baker ruminates on the evolving relationship between an eleven-year-old misfit and her single mother during the summer holidays in this intimately observed debut feature.
fresh28
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/janet-planet/
USA11013:3018:15The Hollywood
41
40KneecapRich Peppiatt
Belfast’s own Beastie Boys become unlikely figureheads of the Irish Language Act in this madcap biopic of sex, drugs, and Gaelic rap.
rhythms56
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/kneecap/
Ireland10516:0020:30The Civic
42
41MarimariPaul Wolffram
Paul Wolffram’s urgent documentary takes us into the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea and one indigenous woman’s fight against the insidious influence of sanguma – sorcery violence.
mahutonga
14
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/marimari/
PNG97+pr, q+a10:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
43
42Menus-Plaisirs - Les Troisgros
Frederick Wiseman
A quietly diligent examination of a family-run three-star Michelin restaurant in France, revealing minute details of a sprawling ecosystem as it unobtrusively traverses kitchens, dining rooms, suppliers, markets, cheese caves, farms, vineyards, and apiaries.
visions61
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/menus-plaisirs-les-troisgros/
France24010:00The Hollywood
44
43Midnight Oil: The Hardest LinePaul Clarke
Defying the traditional rock ’n’ roll narrative, this is the story of how a young Australian hard rock band developed a political conscience and brought their audience along with them.
rhythms56
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/midnight-oil-the-hardest-line/
Australia10513:3017:45The Civic
45
44A MistakeChristine Jeffs
On the eve of a move towards greater public health data reporting, a medical error throws life into a spin for a respected surgeon and her surgical team; the downward spiral threatening all in her orbit.
mahutonga
15
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/a-mistake/
NZ101+q+a18:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
46
45The Monk and the Gun
Pawo Choyning Dorji
Is “political freedom” worth the cost of familial or social discord? When Bhutan’s king abdicates in favour of democratic reform, a strange series of events unfolds, where the old and the new collide in wondrous fashion.
journeys65
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-monk-and-the-gun/
Bhutan10716:1513:15The Hollywood
47
46The Mother of All Lies
Kadib abyad
Asmae El Moudir
Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir enlists her family and friends to help investigate the mysteries of her childhood and her family’s connection to their nation’s troubled past in this multi-award-winning documentary.
frames35
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-mother-of-all-lies/
Morocco9613:15The Civic
48
47My Favourite Cake
Keyke mahboobe man
Maryam Moghaddam, Behtash Sanaeeha
A lonely but fiercely determined 70-year-old widow takes second chance on love in this charming and funny yet politically subversive romance from Iran.
portraits40
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/my-favourite-cake/
Iran9710:0010:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
49
48My First FilmZia Anger
A young filmmaker recounts the story of directing her first feature in Zia Anger’s enthralling, deeply personal inquiry into the growing pains inherent to creation and collaboration.
frames35
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/my-first-film/
USA10015:45The Hollywood
50
49Naughty Little Peeptoe
Garth Maxwell, Peter Wells
mahutonga
23
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/naughty-little-peeptoe/
NZ35+8short21:00The Civic
51
50Never Look AwayLucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless makes her directorial debut with a raucous documentary exploring the life of another warrior princess – fierce and fearless Kiwi war photojournalist Margaret Moth.
mahutonga
15
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/never-look-away/
NZ86+q+a19:0010:15Auckland Waterfront Theatre
52
51New Zealand's Best 2024
The year’s best New Zealand short films as chosen by guest selector, Gerard Johnstone.
shorts
mahutonga
19
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/new-zealands-best-2024/
NZ81+
intro vote
15:15The Hollywood
53
52Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts 2024
Support these Māori and Pasifika films and vote for your favourites at screenings all across the motu.
shorts
mahutonga
18
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/nga-whanaunga-maori-pasifika-shorts-2024/
NZ79+
intro vote
15:15The Civic
54
53Night Piece
Bridget Sutherland
Bridget Sutherland documents the confronting career of Peter Roche, one of Aotearoa’s most electrifying conceptual artists, in this affectionately assembled portrait.
mahutonga
23
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/night-piece/
NZ59+13:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
55
54No Other Land
Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor
Filmed in Palestine between 2019 and 2023, No Other Land is documentary film performing its calling. An urgent and irresistible reminder as to why we choose to understand the world, and others, through cinema.
widescreen
46
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/no-other-land/
Palestine9510:0013:15The Hollywood
56
55
Oceans Are the Real Continents
Los oceanos son los verdaderos continentes
Tommaso Santambrogio
Beautifully shot in stunning black and white this exquisitely realized first feature from Italian filmmaker Tommaso Santambrogio paints a stark and poetic portrait of a Cuban society crippled by mass exodus.
fresh29
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/oceans-are-the-real-continents/
Cuba11915:30The Civic
57
56The Outrun
Nora Fingscheidt
Saoirse Ronan brings Amy Liptrot’s award-winning memoir to the screen in this ardently moving portrait of addiction recovery set in the majestic Orkney Islands of Scotland.
portraits41
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-outrun/
Scotland11812:1510:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
58
57Paris, TexasWim Wenders
Starring the late great Harry Dean Stanton in his most iconic role, Wim Wenders’ newly restored modern classic delivers one of the definitive outsider views of America.
treasures71
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/paris-texas/
USA14810:1510:00The Hollywood
59
58Peeping TomMichael Powell
Critically and commercially loathed and dismissed upon its release, championed and revived by Martin Scorsese, and now restored in a majestic 4K transfer, master filmmaker Michael Powell’s twisted, voyeuristic psychological thriller about a serial killer whose chosen weapon is a camera is even more alarming – and alarmingly prescient – than ever.
treasures71
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/peeping-tom/
UK10213:1520:45The Civic
60
59The People's JokerVera Drew
Vera Drew lays her soul bare with this fever-dream of a DC Universe parody that takes us through the trippiest and most monumental moments of her life and gender realisation.
nocturnal52
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-peoples-joker/
USA9223:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
61
60Pepe
Nelson Carlos de Los Santos Arias
One of Pablo Escobar’s “cocaine hippos” ponders the meaning of existence from beyond the grave in this gleefully unclassifiable film that playfully weaves fact, fiction and form into a truly unique cinematic experience.
visions63
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/pepe/
Dominican Republic
12215:30The Hollywood
62
61ProblemistaJulio Torres
Julio Torres makes a bold directorial debut with a bright, colourful and unique take on the American dream featuring a delightfully manic performance from Tilda Swinton.
widescreen
46
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/problemista/
USA10518:4515:45The Civic
63
62The Remarkable Life of IbelinBenjamin Ree
Winner of multiple awards at Sundance this powerful and heartwarming documentary reveals an outwardly introverted gamer’s vibrant secret cyberlife following his death from a degenerative muscular disease.
journeys66
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-remarkable-life-of-ibelin/
Norway10420:3015:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
64
63Ryuichi Sakamoto | OpusNeo Sora
Opus is a starkly intimate, self-performed elegy capturing a dying man’s genius.
rhythms57
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/ryuichi-sakamoto-opus/
Japan103+q+a18:1512:15The Hollywood
65
64Sasquatch Sunset
David Zellner, Nathan Zellner
A year in the life of a pack of mysterious Sasquatches unfolds as an eccentric mix of nature documentary and silent-era comedy in the Zellner brothers’ peculiar yet profound film.
nocturnal52
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/sasquatch-sunset/
USA9021:15The Civic
66
65The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof
A conflicted family implodes under pressure as protests spread throughout Iran, Mohammad Rasoulof’s courageous and urgent film delivers a bold middle finger to the totalitarian regime of his homeland.
visions47
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-seed-of-the-sacred-fig/
Iran17215:0010:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
67
66Seeking Mavis Beacon
Jazmin Renée Jones
The first thing you should know is that Mavis Beacon doesn’t exist. This bright and fresh Generation Z-skewing documentary takes the viewer on a whirlwind cyber-journey to the ’90s and back.
frames36
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/seeking-mavis-beacon/
USA10215:45The Hollywood
68
67Sex
Dag Johan Haugerud
A chimney sweep confesses to having sex with a male customer much to the surprise of his colleague and wife. Dag Johan Haugerud’s candid and refreshing comic drama takes a candid and refreshing look at modern gender roles.
journeys67
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/sex/
Norway11820:45The Civic
69
68Shambhala
Min Bahadur Bham
How far would you go to prove yourself? The accused Pema embarks on a journey through the beautiful yet unforgiving Himalayan landscape to confirm her virtue.
journeys65
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/shambhala/
Nepal15020:1510:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
70
69Short Connections 2024
Five new Aotearoa shorts examine the ways we connect with each other. From strangers uniting to stand up for what is right to fleeting moments of understanding between loved ones, these films deftly capture the bonds and binds between us.
shorts
mahutonga
17
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/short-connections-2024/
NZ83+intro10:00The Hollywood
71
70SleepJamJason Yu
A young wife faces a nightmarish scenario when her husband suddenly starts behaving strangely in his sleep. Does he have a sleeping disorder or is something more sinister afoot? Jason Yu’s whip smart debut will keep you guessing.
nocturnal53
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/sleep/
South Korea
9521:00The Civic
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71SonsVogterGustav Möller
A corrections officer sees her placid work life thrown into disarray upon the arrival of a new inmate, a mysterious figure from her past, in this sophomore feature from Gustav Möller.
portraits43
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/sons/
Denmark10021:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
73
72Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Johan Grimonprez
An electrifying assemblage of sound and image tells the story of a CIA-backed cold war coup in Congo – and the American jazz musicians weaponised in its cause.
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https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/soundtrack-to-a-coup-detat/
Congo15013:0010:00The Hollywood
74
73The Speedway Murders
Luke Rynderman, Adam Kamien
First-time filmmakers Luke Rynderman and Adam Kamien present a stylistically unique and visually stunning feature that delves into the unsolved 1978 Speedway Burger Chef murders while shifting away from the traditional true crime documentary format.
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https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-speedway-murders/
Australia10220:30The Civic
75
74The Story of Souleymane
L’histoire de Souleymane
Boris Lojkine
A young African immigrant seeking asylum in Paris tries to survive day-to-day in this tense, heartrending piece of social realism anchored by an astonishing performance from first-time actor Abou Sangare.
widescreen
47
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-story-of-souleymane/
France9218:15Auckland Waterfront Theatre
76
75The SubstanceCoralie Fargeat
Direct from wowing audiences at Cannes, Coralie Fargeat’s magnificent shocker closes out this year’s Festival in style and lays down her marker to take the crown as the new queen of carnage with this wildly entertaining feminist body-horror feast.
big-nights
7
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-substance/
USA140+closing awards20:15The Hollywood
77
76Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
An intimate look at the man behind the cape, Super/Man charts actor Christopher Reeve’s journey from super-stardom to near-death injury and the difficult road to embracing a different kind of heroics.
portraits43
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/super-man-the-christopher-reeve-story/
USA10512:15The Civic
78
77The Sweet East
Sean Price Williams
A psychedelic journey through a warped America, this contemporary picaresque follows a high school runaway as she navigates oddities, dangers and delights on the road to nowhere, from cinematographer-turned-director Sean Price Williams.
nocturnal53
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-sweet-east/
USA10420:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
79
78
Taki Rua Theatre - Breaking Barriers
Whetū Fala
What began as an experience in biculturalism between Māori and Pākehā grew into Taki Rua Theatre, the unofficial national Māori theatre company. As we tour the motu with the latest ensemble of young artists, we witness the deeply personal and politically visionary story of the 30-year struggle to create a truly bicultural force, and the wāhine toa who agitated for change.
mahutonga
17
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/taki-rua-theatre-breaking-barriers/
NZ80+pr q+a18:00The Hollywood
80
79Tatami
Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir Ebrahimi
An Iranian judo champ weighs her principles and ambitions against the safety of her family and herself as government forces threaten violence unless she tows the party line, in this riveting political-sports-thriller.
widescreen
48
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/tatami/
Iran10515:4518:30The Civic
81
80The Teachers' Lounge
Das Lehrerzimmer
İlker Çatak
Driven by a captivating central performance, this unsettling Oscar-nominated classroom thriller thoughtfully probes the grey area of student care versus culpability, and to what degree our systems promote or constrain our humanity.
widescreen
48
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-teachers-lounge/
Germany9818:1510:00Auckland Waterfront Theatre
82
81To a Land UnknownMahdi Fleifel
This urgent, vibrant and incredibly topical debut feature from Palestinian filmmaker Mahdi Fleifel follows two refugee cousins stranded in Athens as they strive to hustle and scam their way to a new life in Germany.
fresh29
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/to-a-land-unknown/
Palestine10518:15The Hollywood
83
82The Universal Theory
Die Theorie von allem
Timm Kröger
Featuring numerous unexpected twists and plenty of Hitchcockian suspense, German director Timm Kröger’s heady sci-fi thriller takes us on a gripping cinematic voyage packed with astute film references and brain-melting metaphysics.
visions63
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-universal-theory/
Germany11818:15The Civic
84
83Viet and Nam
Trong lòng đất
Trương Minh Quý
A bold and atmospheric queer romance about two coal miners who find love deep in the bowels of the earth, this stunning feature from upcoming young Vietnamese filmmaker Trương Minh Quý was beautifully shot in richly textured 16mm.
fresh30
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/viet-and-nam/
Vietnam12915:45Auckland Waterfront Theatre
85
84The Village Next to ParadiseMo Harawe
A makeshift family struggles with the challenges of daily life in the hope of finding a better future in this poignant debut from Somali filmmaker Mo Harawe, taking us beyond the usual sensationalist portrayal of his homeland.
fresh30
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/the-village-next-to-paradise/
Somalia13317:3010:00The Hollywood
86
85We Were Dangerous
Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu
Winning the Special Jury Prize at SXSW this year, Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s electric debut launches our festival with a fiery trio of delinquent schoolgirls railing against the colonial system in 1950s New Zealand.
big-nights
5
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/we-were-dangerous/
NZ82+Opening19:0010:30The Civic
87
86When the Light BreaksLjósbrot
Rúnar Rúnarsson
A poignant and beautiful snapshot of grief that asks us, how can you know what to do when the light breaks on the day following a major tragedy?
widescreen
49
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/when-the-light-breaks/
Iceland8218:15Auckland Waterfront Theatre
88
87Wild Diamond
Diamant brut
Agathe Riedinger
French director Agathe Riedinger, in her stunning feature-length debut, brings to life a unique heroine in Liane, a young woman obsessed with the glittery world of social media and reality TV fame.
fresh31
https://www.nziff.co.nz/2024/tamaki-makaurau-auckland/wild-diamond/
France10318:15The Hollywood
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