As a result of the global pandemic constantly shifting global cinema release timelines, there haven’t been as many major blockbusters hitting our shores as we would usually see in November. Luckily for Aotearoa, though, the local film industry is happily filling the gap and providing plenty of content to get us through!
Baby Done (dir. Curtis Vowell)
Baby Done is a charming romantic comedy that is #RelatableContent for anyone in their mid-twenties or over who has grappled with the idea of bringing a child into the world. Rose Matafeo seizes the screen as usual, there’s a Harry Potter alumni, and a 90 per cent probability that you’re going to see someone you went to school with in this film.
Baby Done is showing in most good cinemas now.
Girl on the Bridge (dir. Leanne Pooley)
Girl on the Bridge follows mental health advocate Jazz Thornton, who has dedicated her life to the cause after her own experience with attempting suicide. The documentary has been created in an effort to increase our collective understanding of what it is to be suicidal and empower better responses to this — including a better system for support for young people.
You can stream the documentary here for NZ$7.50: https://watch.thegirlonthebridgefilm.com/
Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen (dir. Heperi Mita)
Okay, so it’s not new (the documentary premiered in the 2018 New Zealand International Film Festival) but it is required viewing for anyone interested in Aotearoa film, so we’re keeping it on the list. This documentary, created by Merata Mita’s son, follows the iconic career of the filmmaker and activist as she covered Bastion Point and the 1981 Springbok tour. It is an intricate and loving tribute to one of the most important figures in Aotearoa cinematic history.
Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen is available on Netflix now.
Savage (dir. Sam Kelly)
Inspired by true stories of gangs in Aotearoa, this film follows the (fictionalised) Danny through his life, charting his path from a young boy in a boys’ home in the ’60s to his future adult self as a fully entrenched gang member. The film has been compared to other tear-jerking stalwart The Dark Horse (2014) for showcasing vulnerability and empathy for those too often written off by society.
Savage is still showing in many cinemas across New Zealand.
The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps (dir. Julia Parnell)
Even if you think you don’t know The Chills, you probably do. This documentary follows Martin Phillipps after his initial success with The Chills, an excellent band that didn’t quite make it. It’s a bit tragic and a bit lovely and definitely worth a watch to add to your understanding of the history of the Aotearoa (and specifically, Ōtepoti) music scene.
The documentary did the cinema circuit last year, but you can find it now on DocPlay: https://www.docplay.com/shows/the-chills-triumph–tragedy-of-martin-phillipps
Bellbird (dir. Hamish Bennett)
Bellbird is one of those films that just punches you in the gut and doesn’t let you forget it. Fitting well into the suite of “pretty bleak films about Aotearoa”, Bellbird is nonetheless extremely sweet, warm, and loving amongst the misery. Bellbird was a standout in the New Zealand International Film Festival programme for its honesty, humour, and recognisable faces.
If you missed Bellbird in the cinema, it has been freshly added to the New Zealand Film Commission on Demand website from NZ$5.99: https://ondemand.nzfilm.co.nz/film/bellbird/
Zealandia (dir. Bruno du Bois)
It’s almost unbelievable to think that filming of this short film commenced before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, because the similarities are a little too close to home. Zealandia tells the story of a post (fictional) pandemic world where Aotearoa remains a last bastion of virus-free land. Again, this was conceptualised before 2020.
You can watch Zealandia through the LA Shorts Film Festival Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZIi5YLCo4Q