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Our short film funds aim to identify the next generation of New Zealand feature filmmakers by nurturing up-and-coming talent through short film development and production. Short films play an important role in establishing and progressing...

Brightening up the nation's Easter Tuesday, the hilarious and eye opening trailer for new Kiwi film Nude Tuesday has been unveiled, ahead of its nationwide cinema release on 16 June. Described by The Hollywood Reporter as “one of the most...

Five screen storytellers have been matched with experienced New Zealand mentors in the 2022 round of Hunga Taunaki ā Rorohiko, the New Zealand Film Commission’s online mentorship programme.  Hunga Taunaki ā Rorohiko refers to working with others and...

Vigil was the first ever film from New Zealand to compete in Cannes (1984). Winner of the Best Film award at the Madrid Film Festival it is the first feature film of 30 year-old Vincent Ward. Vigil is a powerful atmospheric drama set in a primeval...

Trial Run is the first feature from Melanie Rodriga (nee Read), who wrote and directed the film. 

Came a Hot Friday is based on the novel of the same name by Ronald Hugh Morrieson, described by Maurice Shadbolt as "by far the funniest book ever written by a New Zealander." Producer Larry Parr had been a fan of Morrieson's novels...

Psychogenesis: We Can Make Your Dreams Come True. Sharon, Brian, Amanda and Angus read the advertisment. Sounds interesting. They apply. In a building that looks like a Rubic Cube on the outside and NASA control on the inside, they meet Mr Big. An...

In less than two decades, the world's southern-most capital has changed beyond recognition. Outside war or natural disaster, few cities anywhere have changed themselves so quickly or so completely. From one of New Zealand's leading filmmakers,...

Eric (TOM BRENNAN) is their natural leader. Older, urbane and persuasive, he instigates the walkout. Thomas (CTIBOR TURBA), an enigmatic European revolutionary who speaks little English, is frustrated in his mission and eventually finds himself stranded...

Tawhai Bennet's first job is helping Mrs Jones on the rural delivery round during the school holidays. Mrs Jones is a widow who is renown for her sharp tongue, but also her tremendous spirit and pride. Over the weeks that they are working together,...

This psychadelic animation follows the spirit of a person who dies in a car crash on the motorway.  On it's way to Te Rerenga (Cape Reinga), the life force (wairua) of the victim travels through forests and beaches, meeting other spirits and...

Directed by Bruce Morrison, the movie echoes the style of Hollywood melodrama, while simultaneously critiquing the dream.

In late May, 1978, 142 carpenters and labourers on the Mangere Bridge construction site in Auckland were sacked over a redundancy dispute.  The bridge workers declared the job 'black' and began to picket the site. The company retaliated by...

A car crashes on a lonely road in the early morning. The tow-truck driver who is called out to salvage the wreck is Al Shaw (BRUNO LAWRENCE). Once an international Grand Prix racing star, Al returned home to take over his father's business, a...

Harry and Pheno, both young people in dead-end jobs, meet by chance one day and decide to rebel. They embark on a freedom binge, first painting graffitti then moving on to more daring escapades. A cop is soon on their tail, but he starts to falter when...

Using Kingi's own memories, this film shows how the problems in his life led him into ineveitable conflict with the law. It is not until he is in the solitary confinement of a police cell that Kingi starts to think about his life. His relationship...

English conservationist Richard St Barbe Baker, here aged 92,  presents his ideas with a simple and desperate clarity: "We have to plant forest trees for our lives". He brings world attentiont to the alarming rate at which the world's...

Peter Young’s documentary celebrates the passionate artists and entrepreneurs who battled to protect the creative heart of their city amongst the ruins of post-quake Christchurch. After staid, conservative Christchurch was shaken to its...

Middle Age Spread was the feature debut from director John Reid (Carry Me Back), as well as the debut of cinematographer Alun Bollinger (Goodbye Pork Pie), writer Keith Aberdein (Utu) and editor Mike Horton (Once Were Warriors). Based on the 1977 play by...

Angel Mine is director David Blyth's first feature film, for which he wrote the script as well. Angel Mine explores the ways in which consumerism and materialism govern lives in middle class suburbia, and how this affects the dreams and fantasies of...

Rose's Tale is the debut short film from Michael Winkelman, a New Zealander who has been based in Bristol, England, for the last 15 years. The story is based on a friend's recounting of an actual experience with the location being transferred...

Two New Zealand feature films and one short film have been selected to screen at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TiFF).  Nic Gorman’s debut feature, Human Traces and anthology film, Waru, written and directed by nine Māori women will...

We are excited to announce the successful applicants for this year’s piloted Interactive Development Fund. The programme supports concept development of original narrative-focused interactive and games content delivered on any platform (including mobile...

The Rialto Channel NZ Film Awards (nicknamed Moas) were presented on Saturday 18 February in a glittering yet irreverent ceremony at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds. At times it was a roller-coaster of emotions for nominees as popular favourites cemented...

Seven films have been offered funding in the June Fresh Shorts round, four at the $10,000 level, and three at the $30,000. This is the first round of Fresh Shorts Funding in which the shortlisted teams were required to attend a three-day residential...

Following is a transcript of NZFC CEO Dave Gibson's 25 September presentation at the 2016 Big Screen Symposium. Today I want to talk about and pose some questions around In amongst this I want to talk about some things we are doing...

Poi E will debut as part of the NZ International Film Festival. It's a song turned into a movie and the world premiere of Poi E: The Story of Our Song will open the NZ International Film Festival on July 14 in Auckland. The documentary about the ...

Following is a transcript of NZFC CEO Dave Gibson's presentation to industry in Auckland on 26 April 2016. Approximately 12 months ago we launched the NZFC gender policy as part of developing a wider diversity policy. I don’t think we need to spend any...

New Zealand films will be in the spotlight at the Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival (GZDOC) which runs 7-10 December. Five documentaries directed by New Zealand women will be showcased at the festival which hosts screenings in both...

Now in its fourth week of release, Tammy Davis' feature film Born to Dance has taken one million dollars at the New Zealand box office and remains in the top ten chart of films currently in theatrical release. Written by Steve Barr, Casey Whelan and...

Three New Zealand films have been included in the programme of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival (TiFF).  Tammy Davis’ Born To Dance and Leanne Pooley’s 25 April will have their World Premieres at...

For the first time in twenty years, two New Zealand films are included in the programme for the Venice Film Festival announced today. Jake Mahaffy’s Free In Deed will screen in the Orizzonti Section of the festival and Pietra Brettkelly’s...

For Anzac Day and to remember those who gave their lives for our country, we're sharing some films about New Zealanders and their unique experiences of war on our VOD site, New Zealand Film on Demand. There are two features and two short films. War...

POI E: THE STORY BEHIND OUR SONG is now shooting in Auckland and Patea, Taranaki, the home of origin for the iconic New Zealand anthem. Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi (Mt Zion) and starring Maaka Pohatu (The Modern Māori Quartet, Two Little Boys)...