Fri 27 July | after the 10:45am screening
Sat 28 July | after the 6:45pm screening
Civic Wintergarden, Auckland
The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) and Script to Screen are thrilled to present two very special TALKS: the first with celebrated director Debra Granik (WINTER’S BONE), and the second with Debra Granik and New Zealand actor Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie.
LEAVE NO TRACE, Granik’s 4th feature, premiered at Sundance 2018 and screened at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. It stars Ben Foster and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie.
Granik’s earlier feature WINTER’S BONE was nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture. LEAVE NO TRACE, one of the best reviewed independent films of the year, is predicted by IndieWire to bring Granik her second Oscar nomination for best screenplay with co-writer and producer Anne Rosellini.
Join us after each NZIFF screening of this highly anticipated film, to hear firsthand from Debra Granik about the challenges and intrigues of bringing LEAVE NO TRACE to the screen. New Zealand actress Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, credited with a remarkable lead performance, will be part of the Saturday evening TALK.
Entry to the TALKS are free, to see the film beforehand you need to book your ticket through the NZIFF website.
Civic Wintergarden | Fri 27 July | after the 10:45am screening. Moderator Philippa Campbell.
Civic Wintergarden | Sat 28 July | after the 6:45pm screening. Moderator Robyn Malcolm.
Debra Granik will also be doing Q&A sessions in Wellington on July 29 and July 30 at the Embassy Theatre.
Script to Screen talks are made possible thanks to generous support from New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North, White Studios and Images & Sound.
Script to Screen is thrilled to partner with the NZ International Film Festival to present a series of TALKS with the filmmakers behind: MY YEAR WITH HELEN, MOUNTAIN, WARU and GOD’S OWN COUNTRY.
Join us after each screening to hear firsthand from both international and local filmmakers about the challenges and intrigues of bringing these much anticipated films to the screen.
Entry to the TALKS is free but to see the film beforehand, please book your tickets through the NZIFF website.
MY YEAR WITH HELEN
Director, Gaylene Preston.
Fresh from the World Premiere in Sydney, join legendary filmmaker, Gaylene Preston as she reveals what she discovered about Helen Clark, and the challenges she faced when making a documentary across multiple continents with a high profile subject.
“Preston’s cameras explore the cracks between the diplomats, the embedded press and feminist activists as they push for change, (at the U.N.), while caught up in a power process as secretive and patriarchal as the selection of the Pope.” Kip Brook (makelemonade.nz)
23 July with Paula Morris after 1.00pm screening
25 July with Helene Wong after 11.00am screening
VENUE: Wintergarden at the Civic Theatre
WARU
Directors: Casey Kaa, Ainsley Gardiner, Katie Wolfe, Renae Maihi, Paula Whetu Jones, Awanui Simich-Pene and writer Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu in conversation with Mihingarangi Forbes
This is the World Premiere of a powerful NZ film. WARU brings eight talented Māori women to the director’s chair to address one of the most important issues facing NZ society right now. If the exceptional feedback from the moving conversation at last year’s Big Screen Symposium is anything to go by, this is a film and a discussion not to be missed.
These sessions were made possible thanks to additional support from the New Zealand Film Commission.
2 Aug after 6.15pm screening
6 Aug after 4.00pm screening
VENUE: ASB Waterfront Theatre
Please note: As this TALK is in the cinema, you must purchase a ticket to the film to attend.
MOUNTAIN
Director, Jennifer Peedom
MOUNTAIN is described by The Guardian as“a 70-minute rush of adrenaline; a safari into the sublime; a vertiginous voyage to the top of the world”. Director, Jennifer Peedom (SHERPA) visits Auckland to share stories about her experience working for the second time with high altitude cinematographer Renan Ozturk; her collaborations with writer Robert Macfarlane and narrator Willem Defoe; creating an atmospheric score with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and wrangling more than 2,000 hours of footage shot in 15 countries to make her spectacular new movie.
1 Aug with Leanne Pooley after 6.30pm screening.
VENUE: Wintergarden at the Civic Theatre
GOD’S OWN COUNTRY
Writer/Director Francis Lee
Francis Lee joins us from the UK to share stories about the making of his first feature, GOD’S OWN COUNTRY, winner of Best British Feature Film at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, Best Director prize in Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition and the Männer Jury Award for Best Film at Berlin Film Festival. BFI describes the film as “one of the most assured, fully-formed British debuts of recent years”. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear from Francis who started his directing career at 40 when he quit acting to make three self-financed short films.
2 Aug with Max Currie after 6.30pm screening
3 Aug with Shuchi Kothari after 1.00pm screening
VENUE: Wintergarden at the Civic Theatre
Last year Script to Screen worked closely with the Whirinaki community to design a storytelling workshop where the outcome would be making a short film together.
The workshop was aimed at rangatahi aged 16-25, along with their teachers, community leaders and whanau. It took place in July 2016 over three days at Matai Aranui Marae in Whirinaki, and provided rangatahi from the Far North region a safe and creative space to write and develop their short ideas into compelling outlines. With access to talented screenwriting mentor Michael Bennett, the workshop fostered and encouraged a huge step forward for these Northland storytellers. On the second day participants had the chance to share their stories, and receive feedback. A judging panel chose one idea for the group to make together as a community short film.
The idea chosen was called NATALIE, by 16-year-old Northland College student Qianna Titore. Mentor Michael Bennett spent 6 hours guiding Qianna as she wrote a 9 page script for the film. The workshop ended with a read through of the script, performed by participants of the workshop Jo and Julina Wikaira – who were later cast as Natalie and Natalie’s mum.
The workshop participants came back together at Matai Aranui Marae ten days after the writing workshop, to shoot Qianna’s short film NATALIE in three days. Script to Screen brought heads of department from Auckland and Northland to mentor the novice filmmakers in the crew roles like camera, clapper loader, continuity, art department, lighting, grip, sound recording, acting, and catering. Mentors included esteemed writer/director Michael Bennnett, one of NZ’s most reputed cinematographers Leon Narbey and grip Annie Frear.
All the participants worked incredibly hard over the three days, with the rushes being assembled in the evenings, allowing a rough cut to be screened at the wrap party. The process of making a short film from start to finish in only two weeks was a massive learning curve for the whole team, and the community were very proud to have made their first film. The mentors were thrilled to be part of a community-minded project, fuelled on generosity and heart.
See NATALIE at Wairoa Maori Film Festival as part of the Kiriata Māori: Māori Shorts 2017
and part of the Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts 2017 at the New Zealand International Film Festival.
“Arguably the most important British filmmaker of his generation, Terence Davies is a poet of the cinema, at once austere and passionate … His films’ combination of art-film style and reverence for working-class popular culture is unique in British cinema.” – Film Critic and writer Tom Charity
Script to Screen and the New Zealand International Film Festival present a discussion with one of cinema’s most beloved auteurs, British writer/director Terence Davies.
Davies is here to present two films at this year’s festival. A QUIET PASSION, Davies’ portrait of 19th century poet Emily Dickinson, stars Cynthia Nixon and was described as ‘an absolute drop-dead masterwork’ by the New Yorker; and SUNSET SONG, his ‘ beautiful and brutal’ adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s novel of the same name, stars Peter Mullan and Agyness Deyn.
Join us to hear director Terence Davies in conversation with writer Fiona Samuel, as they discuss his approach to cinema and his life’s work. The discussion takes place in the Wintergarden, following the Sunday screening of A QUIET PASSION.
Sunday 24th July, 4-5pm, The Wintergarden (The Civic’s basement), free entry
SCREENINGS
A Quiet Passion
Wed 27 July 10:30am, The Civic
Sunset Song
Mon 25 July 10.30am, The Civic
Born in Liverpool, Terence Davies is one of the most distinctive talents to have emerged from British cinema in the last thirty years. He shows a passionate concern with film craft, and his approach to filmmaking has been called “the cinematic equivalent of literature’s magic realism.” His feature film titles include DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES (1988), THE LONG DAY CLOSES (1992), THE NEON BIBLE (1995), THE HOUSE OF MIRTH (2000) and THE DEEP BLUE SEA (2011). All of his films have been critically acclaimed and received numerous nominations and awards in Britain and internationally.
Presented in partnership with the New Zealand International Film Festival.
Script to Screen and the NZ International Film Festival present a special discussion with the creative team behind highly anticipated NZ film THE REHEARSAL, which enjoys its world premiere at the festival.
THE REHEARSAL marks the return of avant-garde director Alison Maclean to New Zealand. Alison reunited with producers Bridget Ikin and Trevor Haysom, and co-wrote with novelist Emily Perkins, to adapt Eleanor Catton’s first novel for the screen.
“I want it to be an intimate, authentic experience of what it’s like to be a young person in New Zealand now.”- Alison Maclean.
Join us for a discussion with Alison Maclean, Bridget Ikin and Emily Perkins, as they talk to Philippa Campbell about adapting and making THE REHEARSAL. Hear them delve into the decisions made at each stage of the process to create the brave, modern film starring Kerry Fox and James Rolleston.
Tuesday 26th July, 3:15 – 4:15pm, The Wintergarden (basement level of The Civic), free entry
FILM SCREENINGS
Sat 23rd July, 8:30pm, The Civic
Tues 26th July, 1:15pm, The Civic
Presented in partnership with the New Zealand International Film Festival.
“Housebound manages to balance consistent, fantastic comedy with a properly eerie mystery and what should be a star-making turn from lead Morgana O’Reilly.” Samuel Zimmerman, Fangoria
With so many elements to juggle to get a film to shine, it’s a feat when a low-budget first feature gels. Escalator funded horror-comedy Housebound has been hailed as a remarkable accomplishment by US reviewers after its SXSW festival debut earlier this year, where it was praised for freshness of voice, strong performances, carefully handled script, and the perfect dose of NZ’s dry humour.
Join us for a special NZ International Film Festival Writers’ Room with Housebound’s writer, director and editor Gerard Johnstone (The Jaquie Brown Diaries) and producer Luke Sharpe (The Jaquie Brown Diaries) as they talk to filmmaker Jackie Van Beek (Go the Dogs) about the challenges of writing and making this stellar debut feature.
Join us afterwards for some nibbles on us and a drink.
Tues 29 July, The Wintergarden (Civic Theatre), 7pm drinks, 7:30-8:30pm discussion, free.
Note: There will be spoilers!!
Housebound screened at the Civic in Auckland at the New Zealand International Film Festival on Sat 26 July at 9pm.