New Zealand International Film Festival reveals full 2021 programme for Christchurch & Wellington
The announcement of the programme for Wellington and Christchurch follows the cancellation of NZIFF in Auckland last week. NZIFF has simultaneously been working with all its partner venues and cinemas around the country to be able to present the festival under the new Alert Level 2 requirements in 12 towns and cities.
“We are delighted that even at level 2 we can screen our outstanding 2021 programme to Cantabrians and Wellingtonians in a safe environment this November. Cancelling Auckland was a big blow – one that we share with fellow arts and culture organisations around the country who’ve been hugely impacted by this latest Delta outbreak. We hope that Kiwis will now rally behind the film festival and show their support by coming out to see the stunning lineup of films that we’ll be presenting,” says Festival Director Marten Rabarts. 
The French Dispatch
“As well as having a fantastic collection of New Zealand films, our international line up is jam-packed with award-winning, critically acclaimed films from around the globe that we can’t wait to share with audiences.”
Highlights from the 2021 festival which will screen in both Wellington and Christchurch include Wes Anderson’s star-studded homage to the golden age of journalism, The French Dispatch, Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s award-winning adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s The Lost Daughter, featuring a powerhouse performance from Olivia Colman, decorated Chinese Master Zhang Yimou’s love letter to cinema, One Second, and Bosnia and Herzegovinia’s contender for the 2022 Best International Feature Oscar, Jasmila Zbanic’s Quo Vadis, Aida?
Delivering star power is Berlin Golden Bear nominee, Maria Schrader’s I’m Your Man, featuring Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as a love android, colourful televangelist biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield, and moving literary memoir My Salinger Year, staring Sigourney Weaver.
Dame Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog will have its New Zealand premiere at Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal on opening night, before the film kicks off the 50th Jubilee edition of the Wellington festival at flagship venue The Embassy, the following week. Cannes Film Festival’s Palme D’or winner Titane is set to close the festival in both centres in an unforgettable fashion, with Paulo Sorrentino’s Venice Grand Jury Prize-winning masterpiece The Hand Of God anchoring the festivals’ middle weekend in centerpiece position. 
The Power of the Dog
Other major award-winning films heading to both cities include previously announced Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix award winners, A Hero, from decorated Iranian director Asghar Farhadi and Juho Kuosmanen’s offbeat train romance, Compartment No. 6, Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner, Audrey Diwan’s Happening, Sundance Grand Jury prize-winner Flee and Berlin Film Festival highlights, Golden Bear winning black comedy Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn and Grand Jury Prize winner, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy.
Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal and the Lumière Cinemas will screen 95 feature films from 37 countries, while Wellington – which celebrates its 50th year of the film festival this year – will screen a total of 164 feature-length films from 51 countries over 18 days across its eight venues.
Joining the previously announced line-up of New Zealand films is MILKED, a thought-provoking exploration of New Zealand’s dairy industry and Juliet Gerrard: Science in Dark Times, a fascinating insight into the life and career of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Chief Science Advisor. New Zealand short films will be well represented, with short film competitions New Zealand’s Best 2021 and Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts screening in both centres, as well as several additional locally produced shorts due to screen ahead of features throughout the festival.
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