NZIFF: Christchurch Closes Its Film Festival Curtain

The curtain has fallen on NZIFF’s Christchurch leg for 2017, and it has been a remarkable Festival. Every year, NZIFF goes above and beyond to provide cinephiles with the best New Zealand and the world has to offer cinematically. Better yet, the Festival is not just in a single location, but across New Zealand, with dates and selections varying. One of the benefits of this is that there tends to be a bit of a ‘trickle down’ in terms of reviews, features and film fan recommendations.

For instance, someone in Auckland can rave about a film and it piques the interest of those (like myself) in Christchurch who are awaiting the start of the Festival in Christchurch. One thing’s for certain- the NZIFF is a great way to meet new people as well. Sit next to a stranger for a screening and you’re instant besties (and they’ve offered you tickets to a screening they can’t attend as well- true story! It happened to me at The Lost City of Z).

For me, the New Zealand International Film Festival is a place where memories are made. I must confess, I had put off attending the Festival on a regular basis until 2013. Before then, it was something I’d put on hold. I’m not entirely sure why, as it provides three weeks of utter cinematic bliss- why would anyone deny themselves that?

Interestingly, I recall being at the cinema with my best friend in 2012, just about to watch the film that would cause me to ‘wake up’ and pursue my career goals, poring over the 2013 NZIFF brochure. I mentioned that one day I’d love to volunteer, perhaps as a Publicity Assistant. Fast forward to Closing Night 2013, and Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive. Bill Gosden, NZIFF Director, was there to speak prior to the film. I looked at my partner and wished I’d had my resume with me, although it might have been quite a sight, Mr Gosden leaving the theatre with a short, chubby blonde waving a resume around!

Fortuitously, however, I was the Publicity Assistant for Christchurch’s NZIFF in 2014, a thoroughly enjoyable experience and something I treasure to this day. This was in the fledgling days of building Film Sprites PR, my freelance publicity and digital marketing consultancy for independent film. I think the films you view at NZIFF tend to serve as markers of memory and passages of time, just as certain songs are etched in your memory due to certain events, or certain smells evoke moods and reminders. In my case, I will always think fondly of the films Locke, We Are the Best! and CitizenFour due to their association with my stint as Publicity Assistant for NZIFF in 2014. They’re like little charms on a charm bracelet, talismans of memory.

Now Christchurch has the utterly majestic Isaac Theatre Royal as the jewel in the crown- a magnificent place which has risen like a phoenix, rebuilt and refurbished after the devastating Christchurch earthquake of 2011. Fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, the Isaac Theatre Royal is a truly wonderful place to experience NZIFF screenings. There’s nothing like venturing out on a frosty Christchurch evening and walking towards the Isaac Theatre Royal for an NZIFF screening; the front of the building lit up resplendently and acting as a beacon to cinephiles: “come forward- magic awaits you.”

This year, I attended what was for me a record number of screenings. I would have liked to have attended screenings into multiple figures, but unfortunately my schedule didn’t allow it. Nevertheless, when the Box Office opened online for the Festival, I was there with my credit card, hands shaking slightly (yes, really!), ready to purchase my tickets and update my diary. The beauty of the NZIFF website is that when you register with the site, you can build a Wishlist of films. The benefit of this is that it will show you if there are any clashes in your scheduling. From there, when the Box Office is open, you can purchase tickets for your chosen films. It’s a feature which makes things so much easier, and stops the potential for scheduling clashes.

So, looking back over the films I attended for NZIFF, and after seeing them all, here are my final thoughts about each film, and with a final star rating for each:

Stalker (4 stars)
Tarkovsky’s Stalker is a film that prompts you to engage with it long after you’ve left with the cinema. What is ostensibly dystopic Russian science fiction also prompts thinking about the nature of human desire: what is it that we’re really searching for? What’s at the root of our desires? Do we desire certain things because we believe it will lead to an end to our suffering, and if so, what if it’s better to acknowledge that suffering and learn how to live with it? For me, Stalker transcended mere cinematic viewing and became an experience. It’s a deeply spiritual and thought-provoking film.

Spookers (3 stars)
Documentary film is my favourite genre by far, and Florian Habicht’s Spookers is a deliciously genre-defying watch. Documentary melds with fanciful fiction to create something truly special. There are some brilliant laughs, but the beauty of Spookers is that your heart will be opened wide to welcome in the people behind the frightful theme park characters. These are real people, with real stories- they have suffered hardships, experienced loss, but have found their place, and a new family. Spookers gets an entire extra half-point for the “Sausages Are Beautiful” song, because there’s nothing more Kiwi than a saussie on a piece of bread with tomato sauce.

6 Days (3 stars)
My experience of viewing 6 Days was further enhanced by the fact I attended the Q&A session with Kate Adie, played by Abbie Cornish in the film. Not only is Kate an engaging and intelligent person, it heightened the experience of the film considerably. This is brilliant filmmaking. It’s tense and tightly scripted, with no extraneous detail or unnecessary dialogue. It’s about the Iran Embassy siege in London, 1980- nothing more, nothing less, and that’s a good thing. It’s such a deliciously tense film and brilliantly effective.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (4 and a half stars)
I was pretty sure after seeing The Killing of a Sacred Deer that it was going to be my favourite film of the year, and that only Herculean effort would top it. I was trying to describe it in a spoiler-free way to a friend last night, and said it was “like Hitchcock on LSD”. If you can get through the first five moments and the opening scene (yes, really), you are ready to face the onslaught of tension and terror. As much as I loved Lanthimos’ The Lobster, I think The Killing of a Sacred Deer is the more satisfying of the two films. I would love to see Lanthimos write and direct a third English-language feature, starring Collin Farrell, in order to have a trilogy of sorts. When Lanthimos’ next film is out, I will be there, front and centre at the first available viewing- he has well and truly gained a fan! The win at Cannes 2017 for Best Screenplay was well and truly deserved.

The Lost City of Z (3 and a half stars)
I had to be ruthless with my rating of this, thus I removed half a star (sorry, James Gray!) because it was the film in the bunch that had me going: “yes…but…”. Don’t get me wrong: I loved this film. I did. But I wanted so much more from the character dynamics. That being said, the performances were utterly delightful and engaging, and as I mentioned in my full review of the film Tom Holland is a scene-stealer in the third half, not in a showy way but with a quiet intensity that some actors twice his age might not have been able to muster.

The Square (5 stars)
This was the Herculean effort that managed to knock The Killing of a Sacred Deer off the top spot amongst my NZIFF films. Clever, funny and with a very deep heart and social conscience, it’s a film that is as quirky as it is accessible, and a true testament to the magic of filmmaking. An absolute winner, and deserving of the Palme d’or.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF Review: The Square

After a satisfyingly diverse NZIFF for 2017, all eyes were on the Closing Night film, Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winning satire The Square. Not only is the film wholly deserving of its Cannes win, it was also a perfect finale for the Film Festival.

The Square takes a tongue-firmly-in-cheek look at a modern art gallery in Sweden, the focus of which is on Christian (Claes Bang). After having his belongings stolen when trying to be a good Samaritan, things take a turn for the worse; affecting the gallery and causing a furore when Christian’s inattention causes a PR stunt to go hideously awry.

The Square is not afraid to poke fun at the art world whilst also challenging the view to ask: “what is art?” In fact, Östlund pokes fun to the point of tickling: wry social commentary intersects with more slapsticky, intentionally absurd moments. Chances are, you won’t let out a gentile little titter of appreciation, it will be a raucous belly laugh. The Square had the NZIFF Closing Night audience in stitches.

Hilarity aside, The Square has a surprisingly deep social conscience as well. One of the major themes which underpins the entire story is trust. Who do we trust, and why? What alters our level of trust in a person? We see this recurring through the film, from Christian being robbed after coming to the aid of a woman in trouble, through to an awkward post-coital tussle between Christian and American journalist, Anne (played by Elisabeth Moss).

Östlund is also unafraid to address the inequalities in Swedish society. He does this primarily through the contrast between Christian’s pampered existence and the presence of street beggars and Christian’s mad dash through a housing estate in order to gain justice after being robbed. One of the most startling frames of the entire film is a grimy, tuxedoed Christian, rain pouring down relentlessly, surrounded in a sea of garbage bags. It makes for a truly thought-provoking scene.

While The Square features Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, and Terry Notary, their roles in the film don’t feel obligatory or disjointed. In particular, West’s exhibiting artist, Julian, fits seamlessly into the narrative. Actor and noted movement choreographer Terry Notary appears in quite possibly the most mesmerizing scene in the entire film; a stunning and terrifying display of his uncanny ability to fully take on the embodiment of an adult male gorilla. It sounds ridiculous here, out of context, but it is a perfect fit for the narrative (as well as the theme of trust).

Ample praise must be given to Claes Bang. His depiction of Christian drives the film forward and connects us to not only the art world, but the state of the world around him. He can go from being charming and in control of situations, to flustered and clueless and back again, always keeping the audience compelled, wanting to know what is going to happen next. Being the central character in a film is a massive task for any actor, but Bang is exceptional.

The Square is charming, poignant, and a lot of fun. Ruben Östlund has given the world a film that will be memorable for years to come.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF Review: The Lost City of Z

The Christchurch leg of the New Zealand International Film Festival is creeping ever closer to the final few days; but there are still magnificent films on offer until the curtain falls this coming weekend. While my chosen films have ranged from the cerebral (Stalker, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) to the heart-warming (Spookers), there have also been selections which definitely appeal to a wider audience – the first being Toa Fraser’s 6 Days (starring Mark Strong, Jamie Bell and Abbie Cornish), the second being James Gray’s The Lost City of Z.

Based on the book by David Grann, The Lost City of Z revolves around Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam delivering a remarkable performance), a military man whose work for the Royal Geographical Society leads him to map hitherto uncharted areas in South America. After initial reluctance to undertake such a mission, Fawcett develops a thirst to uncover what he believes is a place untouched and undiscovered by European explorers: the lost city of Z. At times mocked for his explorations, other times applauded, he delves deep into the jungles of South America, leaving behind his beloved wife Nina and his children in order to achieve his quest.

If you’re expecting a rip-snorting journey through the jungles, the sort of stuff of Boy’s Own annuals (Piranhas! Angry tribesmen! Certain death!), you may come away unsatisfied. Although in the first act of the film it does feature this type of adventure, the story is very much more focused on Fawcett’s inner motivations.

There is a great deal of adventure, but this is less in the vein of anything Indiana Jones would have undertaken, and more a hero’s inner journey. Charlie Hunnam’s Fawcett is not a foaming-at-the-mouth eccentric, in fact he is quite the opposite. And though he is obsessed with finding his lost city, there is a genuine serenity to him. It’s as if the act of searching is enough to quiet his restless soul. Tellingly, when he is forced into World War I on the front lines, it’s not a picture of wife Nina that he carries with him as a talisman…it’s a charcoal sketch of the jungle. His motivation to stay alive during the war is not for the sake of his wife and children, it’s so he can venture through the Amazon again, searching for his lost city.

Hunnam has such remarkable presence as Percy Fawcett, so much so it’s hard not to get wrapped up in his motivations without a thought for Sienna Miller’s Nina. And Miller is equally commanding in her role. While she stays behind in England, looking after the Fawcett children, she’s no simpering brood mare. There is a spark and an energy to Sienna Miller’s performance that elevates the character. And while James Gray’s script gives the character more room to move than other women in the time period, there’s always conditions – Nina is an equal partner in the marriage, but not in exploration. As frustrating as that might be, it’s reasonably authentic to the thinking of the times. Gray tries not to put a modern glaze on a historical time period.

Robert Pattinson (also appearing in NZIFF 2017 selection Good Time) exudes a maturity well beyond his years, almost unrecognizable in his role as Henry Costin. Costin and Fawcett are two sides of the same coin, and Hunnam and Pattinson have a dynamic that works magnificently in this film. And while only appearing in the last third of the film, Spiderman: Homecoming’s Tom Holland (playing Percy’s eldest son, Jack) is a scene-stealer; exuding a remarkable quiet intensity that is both moving and mature. Expect big things from Holland going forward.

And while this is a thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully filmed and acted piece of drama…there are a few places where character or plot development would have been welcome. For instance, Nina Fawcett is credited with assisting Percy to find archived documentation regarding the lost city…but it’s only acknowledged during a Royal Geographic Society meeting and with a single shot of Nina handing the paper proudly to Percy. Seeing her contribution to his research and subsequent journey might have been a welcome interlude.

Also, Pattinson’s Costin is drunkenly thrust upon the audience in the first part of the film. We have little explanation into his character or motivations, and there’s even less information about his background. The father-son dynamic between Jack and Percy is left a little wanting. There’s such a to-do about Percy leaving for the War and Jack’s disillusionment and disappointment (because Percy has been such an absent father in his formative years), but then there’s a giant leap in their relationship years later when there is more than a little hero worship from Jack towards his father and a desire to follow in his footsteps. Perhaps, as a viewer, I ended up so absorbed in the drama that I wanted to know more…perhaps I was swept up in the story and immersed in the characters and their motivations that I was like an outsider in the cold, looking in and wanting to warm myself by the fire and hear their tales. If that’s the case (and I suspect it may well be), then James Gray’s script is made even more remarkable by this fact.

Nevertheless, The Lost City of Z was definitely one of the more audience-friendly picks at NZIFF. It’s more accessible than some of its Film Festival counterparts, and was definitely the best way to spend an evening. Beautifully filmed, remarkable performances from every single cast member, and a wildly engaging tale.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF Review: 6 Days

In April 1980, armed gunmen infiltrate the Iranian Embassy in London. What followed would not only set the template for the British response to terrorist threats, but saw unprecedented live news coverage never before seen in Britain. On a Bank Holiday weekend where the most anticipated viewing on television was the snooker finals, a heart-stopping, ongoing commentary was brought into the homes of 18 to 20 million people, live and on the scene. This is the premise of 6 Days, Toa Fraser’s tense and exciting film, now showing as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Toa Fraser has not one, but two films screening at NZIFF this year- as well as 6 Days, cinephiles have been treated to the extreme-sports documentary The Free Man; proof positive of Fraser’s flexibility and adaptability as a filmmaker. Interestingly, it’s a skill that lends itself to 6 Days: while 6 Days is a cinematic account of the Iranian Embassy siege, it has been meticulously researched and re-created. Christchurch viewers at the August 10th screening were also treated to a Q&A with Kate Adie, the BBC journalist portrayed by Abbie Cornish in the film. Kate noted that “there [was] no thought in this film to…romanticize…the actual action”.

It’s apparent from the film’s structure that this is less a fictional adaptation of events and more an attempt to bring the events to the big screen with accuracy, to document in cinematic form what had played out over the 6 days of the siege. In fact, Rusty Firman (played by Jamie Bell in the film) was an advisor during production, and with a no-nonsense SAS man advising you, it’s pretty safe to say there was no fluff or extraneous detail.

Fraser doesn’t pay lip service to a slow build or character development: what you see is basically what you get – the first scene in the film is the terrorists gaining entry to the Iranian Embassy. The consequence of this is that you have (both in the film and the actual event itself in real life) various groups involved, poised on the brink of action. One move makes the house of cards topple, but who will make the move…and what will the consequences be?

As Kate Adie said at the Q&A: “it was an enormous tension [for] everybody involved: the gunmen, the police, the army and indeed the media; because what do you do when you are faced with very determined acts which are against the law but which also threaten innocent lives at the same time? It’s something which we have tackled time and again, sadly, and is very prevalent today. And the action that was taken (and it does reflect it absolutely on the screen), the very determined action, and particularly the role of the SAS and the way they carry it out which is single-minded, very very intensely brave and it was ultimate force and that has been the case ever since.”

Narratively, 6 Days is remarkably similar to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk – you are witnessing various strands woven together around a main event. In the case of 6 Days it’s the police (mostly centred around Mark Strong’s incredible performance as Max), the bureaucracy trying to handle the political fallout, the SAS (with Jamie Bell’s Rusty at the forefront), and the media (Abbie Cornish as Kate Adie, and her cameraman played by Martin Hancock). The tension is ramped up at pivotal points, including the moments where the SAS are primed and prepped to storm, their gas masks on, breathing heavy, surrounded in an eerie green light. When the action finally happens, it’s almost like a blessed release. Fraser (with Glen Standring as screenwriter) has crafted the tension with precision. 6 Days cannot be criticised for needing edits- no scene is unnecessary.

For New Zealand audiences, there is a heavy Kiwi contingent- you will definitely see some familiar faces (like Jared Turner, Te Kohe Tuhaka, and Calum Gittins, just to name a few), but international audiences possibly won’t make these connections. For British audiences, there will be a different kind of connection and resonance, especially as the siege was an iconic breaking news event in the 1980s. As Katie Adie said during her Q&A: “it would be fascinating for me to sit in a cinema or two and watch the reaction of audiences in the UK. This is very much part of recent history, and there’s hardly anybody…who doesn’t know about it. It was an extraordinary, iconic moment and it would be interesting to see how British audiences react to it.”

The performances are exceptionally solid. Mark Strong has a track record of being quite the presence in his films (he tends to be so compelling I would actually pay to see him read the phone book or a shopping list), but as Max, a detective inspector who forms an unexpected rapport with terrorist Selim, he has raised the bar. There are moments of deep compassion fused with sorrow at the state of events, and more than a few scenes where you’re likely to get a lump in your throat.

Abbie Cornish’s recreation of Kate Adie is also remarkable – though Abbie and Kate never met prior to filming, it’s obvious that Cornish has painstakingly done her research, and in fact her cadence and tone during the scenes where she is reporting live to camera are strikingly accurate. Jamie Bell’s Rusty is like a viper, poised to strike. Every muscle and every cell is primed to take down the terrorists, and Bell exudes this (no doubt with great instruction from the real Rusty).

If you like your cinematic viewings expansive, long-winded and fluffy…this is not for you. However, if you like tense, intelligent and heart-pounding drama grounded in reality, this is one not to be missed.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF Review: The Killing of a Sacred Deer

 

One of the benefits of film festivals like NZIFF is that cinephiles have the opportunity to sample some very different fare from what is offered on a regular basis, and if you’re looking for something to challenge you cinematically, Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Killing of a Sacred Deer absolutely fits the bill.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is the tale of Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell), a cardiothoracic surgeon living with Ophthalmologist wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) and their two children, until a teenager (Barry Keoghan) infiltrates their lives and places them in the most difficult moral position imaginable.

Lanthimos’ follow up to the intriguing The Lobster is tense and murky, at some points an exercise in personal endurance thanks to the extreme level of tension…but it works. From the very first confronting frame of the film to the last, there is no relief. Even with moments of humour interspersed, this doesn’t act as a release valve on the tension. In fact, it serves to make such a bleak and tense atmosphere momentarily absurd- it’s something that works better than you’d think. Even in the first half hour when we get a glimpse into the lives of the Murphys and their life of beige respectability there’s a murky underbelly: Steven is a somnophiliac, preferring to engage in sex with Anna in the repose of a person under general anaesthetic, and Anna is sickeningly obsessed with their son, Bob- she coos adoringly at his hair and is effusive with her praise (while simultaneously ignoring daughter Kim).

The Killing of a Sacred Deer has Hitchcockian and Polanskian levels of tension. In fact, it shares cinematic conventions with Polanski’s Repulsion: just as Catherine Deneuve’s character in Repulsion goes from the wide-open spaces outside of her apartment to being isolated by increasing insanity within the confines of the apartment, The Killing of a Sacred Deer goes from having exteriors and scenes outside of the Murphy home to being confined inside the house as the third act ratchets up the tension rapidly towards the denouement.

There’s also an intriguing use of camerawork. There are low-angle shots from behind characters, as if we are lowly voyeurs (especially given the standing of the Murphys in the community)- how dare we watch them? Lanthimos is also unafraid to defy convention. At times, the camera will be tightly focused on the character who isn’t speaking, creating another feeling of unease.

Farrell and Kidman both deliver fantastic performances, but ample praise also needs to be heaped upon the younger members of the cast: Raffey Cassidy as daughter Kim, Sunny Suljic as Bob, and Barry Keoghan’s Martin. Thanks to Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou’s award-winning script (it won Best Screenplay at Cannes 2017), Cassidy and Suljic are not mere decorative pieces in the film, and the script demands a huge amount of intelligence and raw physicality. Barry Keoghan as Martin is by turns quirky and awkward, before delving into chilling and merciless sociopathy. Casting directors should be taking note of these three incredible young performers.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a hugely tense, dark film and utterly compelling. It’s not exactly the sort of viewing you’d pick for a rainy Sunday, but there is so much artistic and emotional payoff that it deserves a massive amount of praise. I’m going out on a limb here and saying that it is not only my pick of NZIFF 2017, but also my personal pick for film of the year.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF Review: Spookers

Confession: I didn’t expect to come out of Florian Habicht’s Spookers feeling as buoyant as I did. While the trailer for the film had utterly charmed me into making Spookers part of my NZIFF viewing this year, trailers can be deceiving. Thankfully, Spookers turned out to be a funny, engaging and life-affirming documentary experience.

Spookers looks at the lives of the actors behind the grisly characters at the popular horror theme park of the same name. The brainchild of Beth and Andy Watson (operated in conjunction with their daughter Julia), visitors come to be scared by zombie brides, tortured souls and killer clowns; some characters so terrifying that there’s no guarantee that people will make it right through the entire park. Adding to the character of the story is the fact that the theme park is located in the former Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital, a place which has ghosts of both the literal and sociological kind.

With Spookers, Florian Habicht cheekily plays with the conventions of documentary, straddling the fictional and real world by having whimsical dream sequences scattered throughout: hazy, visually distorted scenes with each interviewee as the pivotal character in the “dream”: young Cameron rises from a wormy grave to be enveloped by his Spookers family after talking in character about his struggles with ADHD and dyslexia and precocious Huia walks on water after talking about the two most important things in his life: Spookers and his Mormon faith.

It’s a refreshing way to create a film around documentary material, and it works. Habicht also gets bonus points for fun and creative opening titles. There’s also some lively and exhilarating camerawork. Instead of relying on static exteriors, Habicht takes you on a dynamic journey through the Maize Maze, including a breath-taking aerial view to show the sheer extent of the maze, and a fast-paced and thrilling journey through the Spookers park by spotlight, encountering the terrifying characters in their various nooks and crannies. While nothing beats the experience of going through the theme park yourself, Spookers comes close.

Another important thread in the film regards the use of the old Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital for the Spookers theme park. Whereas some films may aim to exploit the issue and make it more salacious, Habicht handles it in a balanced and compassionate way by interviewing not only the Watsons and the Spookers actors about it, but also a former Kingseat nurse and, most memorably, former Kingseat patient Deborah. It’s an element in Habicht’s documentary that is to be commended.

And while there are genuinely laugh-out-loud and terrifying moments in the film, deep at its heart Spookers is about people- not just the wonderful interviewees, but society as a whole and the ways in which we are isolated from one another and longing for connection. Some of the people who come to work for Spookers may have had difficulties connecting with the people around them, and thanks to their co-workers and the family atmosphere provided by the Watsons, they feel empowered and in a place where they belong. How much of what we go through as humans is driven by loneliness and the need to connect, especially in the digital age? On the whole, Spookers is a genuine delight – not only because of Habicht’s deft hand, but because of the people at the heart of the story.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF Review: Stalker

The New Zealand International Film Festival has a history of providing cinephiles not only with brilliant new films but also bringing classics back to the big screen, and this year is no different. The Christchurch leg sees the screening of the restored version of Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 dystopian classic, Stalker.

Stalker is less of a film and more of an experience. Clocking in at 161 minutes, it’s not the sort of viewing reserved for a lazy Sunday. Based on Russian novel Roadside Picnic, it is the story of a highly-guarded and militarized area called The Zone. Years before, a meteorite hit The Zone, and now it is an uninhabited wilderness. However, it is able to be illegally navigated by guides familiar with the complexities of the area, like Stalker (Aleksandr Kaidanovsky). For what lies in The Zone is an area called The Room, a place known to grant the desires of people who are guided to it. But at what cost?

With Stalker, Tarkovsky has taken the above premise and woven it into a philosophical and metaphysical journey, examining the nature of human desire and free will and using every element at his disposal (sound, dialogue, visuals) to do so. In some respects, there are conventions in the film which seem almost more like a staged play than a film. For instance, the opening scene in Stalker’s ramshackle hut feels more like a stage set than a cinematic one. There are instances when characters will break into monologues, staring unnervingly at the viewer. We’re being pulled in, whether we like it or not. Just as The Zone can do what it wants with those who enter, Tarkovsky is doing the same. We have no choice but to be an active participant. We see the remnants of human desire symbolically submerged beneath water where Stalker naps before the next part of the journey towards the room: coins (greed), a firearm (power), a syringe (escape from the ordinary).

The Zone itself is also a major character. Like an invisible overlord commanding pieces on a chessboard, Stalker and his companions have no choice but to be vigilant about The Zone’s machinations and its ability to trap and confuse the human mind. Compared to the dirty dystopia of the world outside of The Zone, it is a lush, wild, unruly environment. Stalker and his companions surrender to the environment in order to get to The Room, being partially submerged during their journey, laying on beds of moss to rest, trekking through the long grass. There are no straight lines, no easy passages to The Room- The Zone makes sure of it.

Tarkovsky also makes magnificent use of colour for contrast between the world outside The Zone and the world within. Sepia is used effectively for shots outside The Zone, making everything blur into one and feel claustrophobic, compared with the use of colour inside The Zone, providing a sense of depth and expanse.

At its heart, Stalker will make you examine your own perceptions of human desire and free will. What if we were granted the one thing that is at the deepest depths of our heart’s desire? Would it be what we thought we wanted, or does the human ego interfere with desire? And if anyone had the ability to have their desires granted, how would it impact on the people around them?

Stalker is a magnificent watch. Although long, nothing could be sacrificed in order for the film to be a completely immersive journey.

Lynnaire MacDonald, Publicist and Founder, Film Sprites PR

NZIFF: Lady Macbeth

The New Zealand International Film Festival reaches its final Friday in Auckland (don’t worry, the fest itself is by no means done), and with it another chance to catch British period drama Lady Macbeth. Directed by William Oldroyd, and penned by Alice Birch (from Nikolai Leskov’s text), the little gem tells the story of a somewhat shackled young wife who has reached her wit’s end with her older, general bastard of a husband.

Sumptuously paced, filing the open frames with both melancholy and beauty, Lady Macbeth looks and feels a tale of repression, fine-tunely written and directed, with fine cinematography from Ari Wegner. Perhaps, or should I say most definitely, the top prize ought to go to its young star Florence Pugh, a commanding, bubbling at the surface performance, with a heavy sprinkle of bitter impulse and wit.

See the NZIFF website for scheduling.

NZIFF: The Love Witch

As the Auckland leg of the New Zealand International Film Festival nears its close, the magic continues with The Love Witch, a vivid, retro horror-drama – tongue firmly in cheek. Written and directed by Anna Biller, there’s a hefty 1960s vibe, paying homage to the technicolor horror flicks of that era of cinema.

Samantha Robinson is radiant as the title character, fitting the spell-maker’s shoes perfectly, and the actress seems to be having fun. As well as the through-line of sorcery and sauciness, The Love Witch channels the roles of women and the limited powers man have in such a female-strong story. Gorgeous, glowing costume and set design lands you in the 60s even though the film is set in the present day.

See the NZIFF website for scheduling.

NZIFF: Wellington Opening Weekend

So the second venue of the New Zealand International Film Festival is underway, and the uncompromising selection of films on offer at Wellington is mouth-watering. Kicking off yesterday (28th July New Zealand time zone) the venue holds festival films through to 13th August. Here are just some of the highlights screening this very weekend.

Citizen Jane: Battle for the City

Documentary telling the tale that gave planners and architects nightmares following the release of Jane Jacobs’s book The Death and Life of Great American Cities in 1960. Activist Jacobs was involved in several New York city feuds but also championed a plight of urban culture.

Manifesto SOLD OUT

So Cate Blanchett plays 13 different characters, and when we say different I mean vastly so. As if we did not know Blanchett was one of  the best of her generation of performers the Australian gets to sink her teeth into even more depths to entertain her audience.

Kobi

Another documentary worth your time, this time about Kobi Bosshard, “the grandfather of contemporary New Zealand jewellery”, intimately put together by his daughter Andrea Bosshard – who will also be present at the Q+A sessions after the screenings.

Ethel & Ernest SOLD OUT

Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, Ethel & Ernest is an animated movie directed by Roger Mainwood. Premiering at the London Film Festival last year, the poignant story follows the lifetime together of the title characters. You may well recognize the voices of Jim Broadbent and Brenda Blethyn.

Stalker

The 1979 Soviet sci-fi film from Andrei Tarkovsky is a philosophical, psychological journey The term in the film’s title was attributed to the Strugatsky brothers’ use in their novel Roadside Picnic and Rudyard Kipling’s Stalky & Co. tales.

Beatriz at Dinner

Salma Hayek impresses as Beatriz who walks unintentionally into some strife when a massage soon turns into an invitation to a dinner party where the death of a  goat becomes the topic of conversation. Released this year, Beatriz at Dinner also stars John Lithgow, Connie Britton, and Chloë Sevigny, to name but three.

The Lost City of Z

The Lost City of Z depicts the real events when British explorer Percy Fawcett traveled to Bolivia on numerous occasions to try and find an ancient lost city in the Amazon. Charlie Hunnam plays the lead in a film literally about the exploration and intrigue a man can experience if he has the determination to never give up on what he believes.

Call Me by Your Name SOLD OUT

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier in the year, Call Me by Your Name received high praise by critics. Directed and co-written by Luca Guadagnino, with James Ivory and Walter Fasano also scripting, the film is adapted from André Aciman’s novel. Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar star.

Head on over to the Wellington section of the NZIFF website.

NZIFF: 20th Century Women

The New Zealand International Film Festival welcomes Mike MIlls’ latest movie 20th Century Women late today in Auckland. The American film from the director of Beginners is another bittersweet drama, this time set in the late 1970s Southern, and somewhat autobiographical. The screenplay by Mills was nominated for an Academy Award this year, following two Golden Globe nominations for the film.

The tale follows a mother who appears to be candid about the relationship she has with her young son – accepting at this stage in his life that she knows little about him. Other women in their life offer varied points of view and influences, and the movie follows a steady, heart-felt narrative, exploring the dynamics of these people conversing. A fine cast includes Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, and Greta Gerwig.

See the NZIFF website for scheduling.

NZIFF: A Date for Mad Mary

A bit of Irish spice lands in Auckland for the New Zealand International Film Festival with the quirky, but relevant, drama A Date for Mad Mary directed by Darren Thornton, adapted (with his brother Colin) from the Yasmine Akram play 10 Dates with Mad Mary – which he also directed. Seána Kerslake plays the title role, Mary, fresh from a stint in prison she returns to Drogheda – but finds adapting to her old friends rather tough-going.

Mary is a seemingly fearless young woman, unfiltered and foul-mouthed, perhaps disguising a longing for the more simple life. Kerslake is terrific in the lead role, full of spark and brutal wit. The screenplay, too, is genuinely funny, troubling, and somewhat touching, projecting a character so off the leash at times it is credit to the story-telling than we still want the best for her in the end.

See the NZIFF website for scheduling.

NZIFF: Una

Una, the new film with Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn, has been talked about for months now, and arrives on the shores of the New Zealand International Film Festival. Touchy subject matter to say the least, Una delves into the personal past of a troubled young woman grown up to confront the man who succumbed to relations with her when she was a teenage girl 15 years prior. Based on David Harrower’s award-winning play Blackbird, the film is directed by Benedict Andrews.

A sexual assault drama at first taste, Una portrays the long aftermath and the psychological damage this has clearly caused with a confrontational realism. A grounded, reactionary story, focuses on the former lovers, he has changed his name, re-married, and thought he had left it behind him; Una has not forgotten, and as well as feeling anger and pain, she wants to make sense of it all as an adult. An honest, gritty take on an extremely sensitive and problematic subject.

See the NZIFF website for scheduling.

NZIFF: A Monster Calls

The audiences at the New Zealand International Film Festival may have their heart strings tugged a little more here as surprise crowd favorite A Monster Calls pays a visit. Directed by J. A. Bayona with a screenplay adapted from his own novel by by Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls is a dark, sentimental tale of young Conor and his terminally ill mother. The boy, deeply troubled, is called upon by a huge tree-slash-monster who has his own stories to tell.

A Monster Calls is likely not going to be what you think it is, with its themes going over a child’s head, but plenty of make-believe and childhood strife to keep young ones watching. A fine cast plays their part, with Sigourney Weaver and Felicity Jones proving their high worth, youngster Lewis MacDougall carries the film’s heavy reigns on his small back, while Liam Neeson lending his gruff voice to the monster is a perfect match..

NZIFF: Frantz

A gorgeous shade of gloom starts its run at the New Zealand International Film Festival, nominated eleven times at the 42nd César Awards, Frantz is a drama that sees renowned French director François Ozon step away from his perhaps more outlandish, frisky film affairs. Drama being the operative word here, the story is a sullen one of a young German woman, having recently lost her fiance in World War I, comes across another soldier now here to pay his respects to Frantz. Of course, not all is as it seems.

Shot in luscious, bright black and white, Frantz is a rare cinematic treat – albeit a melancholy one – focusing with sensitive ease the emotions that come when loss and intrigue collide, when secrets and discoveries emerge. Poignant, engaging performances from Pierre Niney and Paula Beer move the story on at a steady pace. Ozon fans need not file for disappointment with this change of direction, give it time to settle, it’s a tough film to not find its way into you heart somewhere.

NZIFF: My Year With Helen

Producer and director Gaylene Preston’s My Year With Helen premieres at the New Zealand International Film Festival on Sunday July 23rd July at Auckland’s Civic Theatre. The film’s first Wellington session on July 30th at the Embassy Theatre sold out on the first day of ticket sales. Preston will venture to each venue across the festival to attend post-screening Q&A sessions.

Helen Clark & Gaylene Preston – Photo: Helen Klisser-During

My Year With Helen is a documentary about former Prime Minister Helen Clark “campaigning to become the first woman UN Secretary-General while continuing her work as the highest ranking female at the UN, leading the UN Development Group and managing to stay in daily contact with her 94-year-old father back in New Zealand.” from the film’s press release. Clark herself commented: “The film conveys how tough it is to break the remaining glass ceilings. May it motivate future generations of women to keep at it!”. The film has already received positive reviews. Check out the Facebook page and official site below, as well as viewing the trailer.

Facebook Page

Official Site

NZIFF: The Square

Following the astonishing Animation NOW! programmes that opened the New Zealand International Film Festival, over in Auckland the first feature film to screen is the Palme d’Or winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, The Square. Ruben Östlund’s intriguing, slick, somewhat disturbing drama also boasts a satirical reflection on the art world, our cultural and social morals, as well as an alarming dinner scene that has had tongues wagging since May. The talented cast includes Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Terry Notary.

Get yourself warmed up with the following three exclusive clips:

NZIFF: Animation NOW! Dark Hearts

Already three days into the New Zealand International Film Festival, with animated shorts galore. The Animation NOW! section of the festival rounds itself off with Dark Hearts, a series of films described as bleak, sexual, creepy, macabre. Check the website for scheduling details, but here is the run-down for the Dark Hearts programme.

The Inverted Peak (2016) Greg McLeod, Myles McLeod, Tom Angell
UK – 5 minutes

Hadarim (2016) Shlomi Yosef
Israel – 5 minutes

Dead Horses (2016) Marc Riba, Anna Solanas
Spain – 7 minutes

Call of Cuteness (2017) Brenda Lien
Germany – 4 minutes

Open Casket (2016) Noah Malone
USA – 3 minutes

The Pain (2016) Nadya Fedotova
Russia – 5 minutes

How Are You Today? (2016) Sophie Markatatos
UK – 7 minutes

Fruitbat (2015) Jesse Simpson
USA – 5 minutes

Flies in May (2016) Caroline Jiang
Australia – 5 minutes

Roommates (2016) Jamie Wolfe
USA – 3 minutes

Candide “Home, Sweet Home” (2015) Zsuzsanna Kreif, Olivér Hegyi
Hungary – 7 minutes

Reflecting Black (2016) Jan Utecht
Germany – 7 minutes

Johnno’s Dead (2016) Chris Shepherd
UK – 8 minutes

NZIFF: New Chinese Animation

How much of your daily thoughts are dedicated to independent Chinese animation? I thought so. Film is an education, of course, and the New Zealand International Film Festival continues its Animation NOW! programme with what might be referred to as a new wave of Chinese Animation. Take note of the following shorts screening at the festival:

A Lone Bird Flying In The Snow (2015) Piao Yuehua – 4 minutes

Cells’ Amusement Park (2016) Li Ang, Cai Caibei – 4 minutes

Forever (2016) ZhongSu – 7 minutes

So Red and a Little Blue (2016) Luo Sijia – 4 minutes

Goodbye Utopia (2014) Ding Shiwei – 7 minutes

Books on Books (2016) Lei Lei – 3 minutes

Balloon (2015) Kang Mengchi – 6 minutes

Animal Year (2016) ZhongSu – 7 minutes

The Abyss (2016) Wu Zheng, Huang Liying – 4 minutes

Toe, Petal, Cosmos (2016) Wang Qieer – 3 minutes

Another Man (2015) Wang Weiyu – 4 minutes

Still (2015) Liu Yin – 5 minutes

Missing One Player (2015) Lei Lei – 4 minutes

Mirage (2014) Xu Yaya – 4 minutes

NZIFF: International Showcase Animated Shorts

The Animation NOW! portion of the New Zealand International Film Festival will have an evening session entitled International Showcase. This will feature some inspiring animated shorts spanning the globe, demonstrating technical range, color, themes – including a short from New Zealand itself and a very direct reference to The Simpsons. Here’s the full line-up:

Double King (2017) Felix Colgrave
Australia – 9 minutes

Table of Gods (2016) Jacob Menden
USA – 3 minutes

Party (2016) Daniel Barany
Hungary – 4 minutes

À perdre haleine (2016) Lea Krowczyk
France – 4 minutes

Ralph Plays D’oh! (2016) Fabio Tonetto
Italy – 1 minute

Frankfurter Str. 99a (2016) Evgenia Gostrer
Germany – 5 minutes

Out of Internal Worlds (2016) Helen Unt
Estonia – 10 minutes

Fire in Cardboard City (2017) Phil Brough
New Zealand – 8 minutes

Beer (2016) NERDO
Italy – 2 minutes

For Ray (2016) Heidi Stokes
UK – 5 minutes

Slow Wave (2016) Andy Kennedy
USA – 3 minutes

Waiting for the New Year (2016) Vladimir Leschiov
Latvia – 8 minutes

The Head Vanishes (2016) Franck Dion
Canada – 9 minutes