View source for New Zealand International Film Festival

{{Short description|Annual film festival in New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox Film festival
| name           = New Zealand International Film Festival
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| location       = Various
| founded        = 2009
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| host           = New Zealand Film Festival Trust
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| last           = 2023
| website        = {{URL|https://www.nziff.co.nz/|NZIFF}}
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The '''New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF)''' ({{langx|mi|Whānau Mārama}}) is a [[film festival]] held annually across [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nziff.co.nz|title=New Zealand International Film Festival|website=nziff.co.nz|publisher=New Zealand International Film Festival|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> The festival is operated by the New Zealand Film Festival Trust. It programmes international and New Zealand films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baillie |first=Russell |date=13 June 2009 |title=Reel big - Entertainment News |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/reel-big/5G5AJNYKPKRE3VTUQGVSBGPFLE/?c_id=1501119&objectid=10578058&pnum=0 |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
==History==
The festival grew through a merger in 1984 of the Auckland International Film Festival (founded in 1969) and the Wellington Film Festival (founded 1972). In 2009, the festival didn't use regional names and united the various festivals under the banner of the New Zealand International Film Festival (using the abbreviation 'NZIFF'). Until then, each region had been promoted with the region’s name despite having shared a common programme and artwork since 2002. The festival has a tradition of supporting [[List of New Zealand film makers|New Zealand filmmakers]] and [[New Zealand Cinema|New Zealand cinema]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.nziff.co.nz/about/history/ |access-date=24 March 2020 |website=nziff.co.nz |publisher=New Zealand International Film Festival}}</ref>
In 1996 the New Zealand Film Festival Trust was set up by [[Bill Sheat]], the founding chairperson who remained in that role until 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wellington.scoop.co.nz » Death of Bill Sheat, a major influence on our cultural life|url=http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=133852|access-date=8 June 2021|website=Scoop|language=en-NZ}}</ref>
In 2019 long-serving festival Director Bill Gosden retired after 40 years of service. "I look back with pride on the astounding array of national and international filmmaking that has found its first New Zealand audience at NZIFF. I leave with great confidence that whoever steps up next will be working with a remarkable and cohesive crew who love NZIFF and know it backwards.” said Gosden.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Whānau Mārama News: Long-serving NZIFF Director retires in 2019 |url=https://www.nziff.co.nz/2020/at-home-online/news/long-serving-nziff-director-retires-in-2019/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=NZIFF |language=en-NZ}}</ref> New Director Marten Rabarts was appointed in October 2019. Gosden died on the seventh of November 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 November 2020 |title=Former film festival director Bill Gosden dies at 66 |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/430078/former-film-festival-director-bill-gosden-dies-at-66 |website=[[Radio New Zealand]]}}</ref>
In early 2020 General Manager Sharon Byrne resigned from the festival after more than twenty years of service and Communications Manager Rebecca McMillan resigned after a decade with the organisation. In November 2021 Director Marten Rabarts stood down from the festival.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 November 2021 |title=NZ International Film Festival director quits |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/127044125/nz-international-film-festival-director-quits}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schulz |first=Chris |date=2021-11-19 |title=After two tumultuous years, the NZ Film Festival's director has quit |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/19-11-2021/after-two-tumultuous-years-the-nz-film-festivals-director-has-quit |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=The Spinoff |language=en}}</ref> The Auckland part of the festival was cancelled in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions, Wellington screened 164 feature films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=2021-10-12 |title=Strong Asian Selection Characterizes New Zealand Film Festival |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/new-zealand-film-festival-asia-selection-1235086997/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2023 there were 129 titles presented in 15 regions, a similar size to before [[COVID-19 pandemic|Covid-19]] interrupted business.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slevin |first=Dan |date=2023-07-17 |title=Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival Preview (part one) |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/widescreen/story/2018898693/whanau-marama-new-zealand-international-film-festival-preview-part-one |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref> In November 2023 NZIFF released a 10-year strategy, ''Te Ahua o te Whānau Mārama'', citing the effects of the global pandemic and other aspects in New Zealand as affecting the viability of the festival.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2024 |title=New artistic director for NZIFF – premiering in Wellington in July |url=https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=158302 |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=Wellington.Scoop |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
=== Auckland ===
[[Auckland]] was the first city in the country to have a film festival. Founded in 1969 as a component of the [[Auckland Festival]], the Auckland International Film Festival (AIFF) in time became a fund-raising event subsidising live arts. Rescued from this role by the intervention of the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies in 1984, the AIFF achieved an audience in excess of 100,000 for the first time in 2005. In 2019, it achieved a record audience of over 112,000. The year 2000 marked the AIFF's return to the refurbished [[Auckland Civic Theatre|Civic Theatre]], an [[atmospheric theatre]] built in 1929.<ref name=":0" />
===Wellington===
The [[Wellington]] Film Festival (WFF) was inaugurated by Lindsay Shelton and the Wellington Film Society with seven films in 1972.{{citation needed|date=October 2010}} Thirty years later, it showed over 150 programmes to audiences in excess of 71,000. In 2018, it exceeded 84,000 admits. The main venue is the [[Embassy Theatre (Wellington)|Embassy Theatre]], and the WFF and NZIFF have played a major role in the theatre's rehabilitation and continuing refurbishment.<ref name=":0" />
=== Dunedin and Christchurch ===
Founded in 1977, the [[Dunedin]] manifestation of the Festival presented a highlights package of 75 features, plus [[short film]]s, at the [[Regent Theatre, Dunedin|Regent Theatre]]. Founded along with the Dunedin event in 1977, the [[Christchurch]] Festival presented substantially the same programme.<ref name=":0" />
===Other regions===
Often a selection of festival titles traveled around New Zealand, making the NZIFF unique on the world film-festival stage. Provincial centres covered by the festival included [[Gore, New Zealand|Gore]], [[Hamilton, New Zealand|Hamilton]], [[Hawke's Bay Region|Hawke's Bay]], [[Masterton]], [[New Plymouth]], [[Palmerston North]], [[Tauranga]] and [[Timaru]]. In 2024 the festival is only appearing in four centres.
==The New Zealand Film Festival Trust==
The New Zealand Film Festival Trust, which runs the NZIFF, is a registered charitable entity under the [[Charities Act 2005]], registration number CC23151.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nziff.co.nz/about/who-we-are/|title=Who We Are|website=nziff.co.nz|publisher=New Zealand International Film Festival|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> The NZ Film Festival Trust is governed by a board of trustees.<ref name=":1" /> {{As of|January 2023|alt=Current board members are|post=:}} Catherine Fitzgerald (Chair), [[Robin Laing (producer)|Robin Laing]], [[Tearepa Kahi]], Chris Hormann (appointed by the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies), Andrew Langridge, [[Toby Manhire]], Sharon Menzies and Kaine Thompson.
==See also==
*[[List of film festivals in Oceania]]
==References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{official website}}
[[Category:Film festivals in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Film festivals established in 1970]]
[[Category:Festivals in Auckland]]
[[Category:Festivals in Christchurch]]
[[Category:Festivals in Dunedin]]
[[Category:Festivals in Wellington]]