What To See At The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival

NZ Herald

10 hours ago

The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival returns from this August, bringing international and local stories to the screen.
It's a magical time of year when The Civic opens its door to moviegoers
for the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival, which begins in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on July 31.
That grand corner theatre will celebrate opening night with a screening of Palme d'Or winner It Was Just An Accident. This film, directed by Jafar Panahi, is a revenge thriller that contemplates the rewards of such a quest.
Another centrepiece of the festival is the much-anticipated documentary Prime Minister, which catalogues the six years Jacinda Ardern spent in office (from the perspective of those closest to her). On Auckland's closing night, there's another genre shift: Sentimental Value directed by Joachim Trier – a comedy-drama with acclaimed performances from a sparkling cast (think Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgård).
The 2025 programme goes far beyond features too – you'll find lots to love among the short films and director discussions slated for the schedule. After its Auckland schedule, the festival heads to centres around New Zealand, from Kirikiriroa Hamilton to Ōtepoti Dunedin.
From local stories that wander Auckland's inner city streets to impactful international films, these are a few of the films to add to your watchlist now.
The Weed Eaters
In this absurd local horror-comedy, a mellow New Year's holiday in the rolling plains of North Canterbury devolves into a nightmarish trip. The celebration, marked with the sharing of a joint, is suddenly troubled with accidental killing, cannibalistic munchies and high-stakes friendship fallouts. Callum Devlin (of indie-rock band Hans Pucket) and Annabel Kean comprise the film-making duo Sports Team who have brought this feature to life, collaborating with a constellation of other stars from our creative scenes. You'll spot singer-songwriter Delaney Davidson, The Bats' Paul Kean and comedian David Correos among the tight cast. Will likely give new meaning to the phrase 'nightmare blunt rotation'.
Cactus Pears
A wistful romance shot in inland Maharashtra, India, explores a budding romance between two childhood friends. Dealing with the grief of losing his father, Anand travels from Mumbai to the countryside, where he reunites with Balya, who has become a farmer. Both are facing pressure as unmarried men in their 30s. Their history of affection unravels as they spend time together in the natural surroundings and they begin to imagine what a future together could look like. Director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade has been congratulated for his tender and precise debut: Cactus Pears won the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
Workmates
Performance fans who frequent the inner-city streets of Tāmaki Makaurau for gigs, shows and pageantry will find affectionate representations of its greatest creative venues in this sweet rom-com. Largely shot in the Basement Theatre, the film follows two theatre managers working tirelessly to keep the lights on while managing the tensions developing in their outlooks on the creative arts. Luminaries of our local scene make up a delightful cast too, including Chris Parker, Zoë Robins, Matt Whelan and Arlo Green. The film is written by Sophie Henderson (who also plays the lead) and directed by Curtis Vowell – the duo previously worked on the Rose Matafeo comedy Baby Done. Workmates promises to deliver the same amount of heart.
This souring and silly satire amplifies and degrades the shock humour (and ethics) of new-generation media companies by dropping an insensitive video crew in rural Argentina. The incompetent creators fumble their hot lead and instead search the surrounding town for other content that might fulfil their click-hungry quotas. Chloë Sevigny plays an increasingly disillusioned host, while Alex Wolff assumes the role of producer. It's said to be a colourful and messy exploration of exploitative productions, from Argentine-Spanish director Amalia Ulman.
Magellan
Director Lav Diaz tackles the myth of the great explorer in this epic historical drama (it's two and a half hours long), which follows the journey of Portuguese coloniser Ferdinand Magellan and his exploits in Southeast Asia. Filipino auteur Lav Diaz has been making feature films for more than 25 years, and this chronicle will likely showcase the best of his long-honed lens. It should make a compelling watch when considered alongside the history of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Put Your Soul On Your Hand & Walk
This documentary sees director Sepideh Farsi piece together news footage, photographs and video call interviews with Palestinian 25-year-old photojournalist Fatma 'Fatem' Hassona, to capture life on the ground in Gaza under Israeli military attack. In the production of the film, Sepideh travelled to Cairo to meet Palestinian refugees, where someone suggested she connect with Fatma. The two women connected on a daily basis and these video calls are the throughline of Put Your Hand On Your Soul And Walk. Sepideh has expressed that this film became 'my personal way not to lose my sanity.' In April, an Israeli airstrike killed Fatma along with ten other members of her family. Sepideh says this has 'forever changed its meaning.'
The Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival opens in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on July 31, before touring the motu until September 10.
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