10 must see films at NZIFF 2015
Your winter is about to get a lot more interesting. The New Zealand International Film Festival will be with us in Auckland from 16 July until 2 August (and all around the country throughout the winter weeks). The programme gives us another fantastic local and international selection of films that will more than satisfy everyone’s tastes. The trouble is deciding what to see.
KUWNZ is here to help. We’ve picked a small selection of some of our must-sees at this year’s NZIFF.
The Wolfpack
In this stranger-than-fiction doco, we meet six brothers who have spent their entire lives locked by their father into their Manhattan apartment – where they watch movies obsessively and film their own ingenious re-enactments. Screening times: Fri 24 Jul 6.30pm, Sat Jul 25 7.30pm and Thurs July 30 6.30pm.
Amy
Already breaking box office records this intimate, overwhelmingly moving tribute to Amy Winehouse, the great young British soul singer whose talent and charisma brought her more fame than anyone might be able to handle. From the director of Senna. Screening times: Fri 17 July 1.15pm & Sat 18 July 6.30pm.
Finders Keepers
A likable quirky tale where truth is more bizarre than fiction, this doco that gets behind the reality TV freakshow tale of a man fighting to recover his mummified leg from the guy who accidentally bought it at a storage unit auction. Screening times: Wed 29 July 4pm & Thurs 30 July 8.30pm.
The Lobster
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) casts Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly and Léa Seydoux in a surreal English-language fable set in a world where singles are forced to couple up or be turned into animals. With a cast like this The Lobster is irresistible. Screening times: Thurs 16 July – 7.15pm & Thurs 23 July – 3.30pm.
Ever the land
Observing the planning and construction of New Zealand’s first ‘living building’, Te Wharehou o Tūhoe, Sarah Grohnert draws on images of incredible beauty to portray the profound connection between Ngāi Tūhoe and the land. Screening time: Sat 18 July 5pm & Tues 21 July 3.45pm.
Turbo Kid
This Kiwi/Canadian production is set in the post-apocalyptic future of 1997, Turbo Kid must face down an evil warlord and rescue the girl of his dreams. This retro sci-fi delight is packed with heart, humour and non-stop geysers of blood. Screening times: Sat July 18 9.30pm, Tues 21 July 8.45pm, Tues 28 July 1.45pm.
Deathgasm
Another Kiwi movie has it’s homecoming to thrill local audiences. Two metalheads unleash a satanic riff that opens the gates of hell in this blood-splattered, heavy shredding comedy-horror. The winner of the Make My Horror Movie competition hits home shores after wowing audiences overseas. Screening times: Fri 24 July 9.15pm and Sat 1 Aug 10pm.
Iris
How can you not be charmed by this wonderful eccentric.Veteran documentary maestro Albert Maysles’ Iris is a captivating salute to a proud flag-bearer of the vanishing quality of fashion individuality, the legendary New York clotheshorse and design darling Iris Apfel. Screening times: Sun 19 July 4.15pm, Wed 22 July 1.45pm, Sat 25 July 5pm and Sun 26 July 1pm.
Inherent Vice
Yay it’s finally made it here! Paul Thomas Anderson’s inspired adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel stars Joaquin Phoenix as woozily perfect stoned LA beach bum and private investigator Doc Sportello, lured by his ex into a missing person enquiry that’s richly evocative in every detail. Screening times: Fri 24 July 1.15pm and Sun 26 July 8.15pm.
The Kid
The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra plus Charlie Chaplin equals glorious Live Cinema. Marc Taddei conducts Chaplin’s score for The Kid, arranged by Carl Davis, and Timothy Brock’s new score for the wildly funny The Immigrant. Screening time: Sun 2 Aug 6pm.
See the full NZIFF programme on their website.