USA

Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland as the perfect Robin and Marian in the adventure cinema classic. "This great 1938 film exists in an eternal summer of bravery and romance." — Chicago Sun Times

Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson and Colin Firth star in this heartfelt adaptation of Blake Morrison's memoir of his uneasy relationship with his country doctor father. "Likely to strike a chord in almost anybody." — Evening Standard

Cut-outs, paint-on-glass, puppetry, watercolour on tile, scratch films and hand-drawn work all feature in this year's selection of the best animated shorts from around the world.

A spirited appreciation and colourful portrait of the great jazz singer and queen of 50s cool. Excellent clips, archived interviews and unseen footage.

An inspirational rockumentary about an aging metal band, both funny and heart-warming in equal measure. "It's a hilarious, and unexpectedly moving, documentary about the greatest metal band you've probably never heard of." — Entertainment Weekly

In the most widely praised debut at Sundance this year, a rural Mississippi family realigns after a tragic death. "Fragmentary, mysterious and poetic." — Village Voice

A lost Egyptian band spends the night in a small Israeli town in this charming comedy. "Marries goofy deadpan comedy with a conciliatory spirit... you'll weep with laughter." — LA Weekly

When all the tapes in their store get wiped, Jack Black and Mos Def set out to remake every movie. Directed by Michel Gondry. "A hundred minutes of sweet-natured idiocy." — Financial Times

Are steroids really a cheaters' drug, or are they as American as Rocky Balboa? Dedicated gym rat Chris Bell weighs the evidence. "Whip-smart, funny and refreshingly honest." — CNN.com

Much-awarded and widely loved documentary about a 15-year-old hyper-engaging small-town misfit. "A movie about adolescence unlike any other." — LA Times

The emergence and impact of the beat-era LA art scene is examined in this lively documentary. "Smart, jazzy and unafraid to deflate egos... a fast-paced, finely critical study." — Time Out NY

This brash, attention-grabbing documentary recounts a life-long tale of violently obsessive passion that has made numerous headlines over the decades.

Neil Young's film intercuts concert footage of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 2006 US tour with a frank documentary record of audience reactions to his political activism.

This heartbreaking doco begins as a loving scrapbook tribute to the filmmaker's dead friend before careening into a harrowing and provocative true-crime drama.

Film-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.

Behind the scenes with six contenders at the 2006 Kentucky Derby. "Compelling, expertly paced... Nothing short of riveting." — Washington Post

Sam Hamilton and Eve Gordon present an amazing collection of cinema experimentation and live music.

The Festival and the Vector Wellington Orchestra in a single rare screening of one of the popular comedy classics of the silent era.

A nerve-wracking thriller about two women trafficking illegal immigrants across a frozen river. Winner Grand Jury Prize (Best Dramatic Feature), Sundance Festival.

Michael Haneke (The Piano Teacher) channels his anger with mainstream media depiction of violence into a horrific and highly entertaining piece of cinema. Starring Naomi Watts, Tim Roth.

Gore-hounds rejoice! The Maestro returns with a new installment in his epic anthology of all things zombie. "An entirely fresh take on the inevitably impending apocalypse." — Cinematical

Definitive biography of iconic writer, drinker and lunatic Hunter S. Thompson seeks to separate man from myth. Directed by Alex Gibney (Enron, Taxi to the Dark Side).

An intimate look into the lives of two stalkers of 80s teen pop one-hit-wonder Tiffany, Sean Donnelly's I Think We're Alone Now is absolutely disturbing, wince-inducing trainwreck viewing of the highest order.

In this cool and funny lo-fi romantic comedy, two love-scarred LA 20-somethings meet on Craigslist rather than spend New Year's Eve alone. "The perfect date movie." — RottenTomatoes.com

The Festival and The Trusts are proud to present the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in a single rare screening of one of the great comedy classics of the silent era.

"A true gem about rivalry amongst videogamers... a thrilling examination of the human psyche – a hugely entertaining account of good vs evil." — Time Out

Academy Award nominated short documentary about the annual beauty contest held by the inmates of Colombia's largest women's penitentiary.

This tender deadpan comedy follows 16-year-old Juan as he tries to organise a repair job on the family car he has just crashed. Selected as 'Revelation of the Year', Critics' Week Cannes 2008

Director Julian Schnabel captures Lou Reed performing his 1973 album live in 2006. "Berlin gets the documentary it deserves: [it] instantly ranks as one of the great concert films ever shot." — Tribeca Film Festival

Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson and Rachel McAdams in a Hitchcockian tale of adultery and murder, 40s style. Slyly ironic film noir by Sundance winner Ira Sachs. "Perfectly acted." — New York Film Festival

From Rwanda a delicate, poignant film about the friendship of two young men, one Hutu, the other Tutsi. "An authentically beautiful film." — Film Comment

A staggering overview of how America lost the war in Iraq with plentiful testimony from inside the Bush camp. "A mind-boggling litany of mistakes and poor judgements." — Film Comment

Engrossing step-by-step account of the production of a single Steinway concert grand piano. "A stirring symphony of specialized labor." — Village Voice

A highly entertaining portrait of Barney Rosset, one of the most adventurous English-language publishers of the 20th century and one of the great unsung heroes of free expression.

Filmmaker Margaret Brown find the segregated South alive and well in America's oldest Mardi Gras, in Mobile Alabama. "Vibrant and revealing." — Hollywood Reporter

An intimate, lyrical portrait of punk pioneer Patti Smith. "If Patti Smith has ever mattered to you, you'll remember why when you see Dream of Life." — Film Comment

A rousing, affectionate biographical portrait of singer/activist Pete Seeger, now in his late 80s. "As certain to get audiences singing as the man himself." — Variety

This exhilarating documentary brings us all the excitement of the 2005 break dancing Battle of the Year. Featuring insane performances and impossible choreography from the world's best b-boys.

Welcome to the fevered dream world of Daniel, 20-something and losing the plot. "Dazzling... its hip sensibility is Lynch before he went into self parody." — Ant Timpson

An illuminating music-filled history of Stax Records, low-down cousin to Detroit's silkier Motown. "An essential account." — NY Times

In association with the Harold Lloyd Estate, the Festival is delighted to present a Live Cinema screening of one of the classic comedies of the silent era, accompanied on the piano by Tim Dodd.

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney are in peak form in this American black comedy as brother and sister obliged to care for their estranged father. "Terrific." — Entertainment Weekly

Documentary auteur Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War) recounts the fruit of two years of research into events surrounding the notorious photographs from Abu Ghraib.

Highly entertaining portrait of 84-year-old surf legend 'Doc' Paskowitz and the nine kids he raised to live the nomadic surfing lifestyle. "Wonderfully engaging." — NY Times

Alex Gibney's Academy Award winning documentary digs deep into the systematised abuse and outright murder of 'enemy combatants' held in American prisons.

This fiendish, black comedy-horror updates the ancient myth of 'vagina dentata' into a high-concept social satire with a razor-sharp script and outlandish gore.

A boy no bigger than a thumb can be a hero! Grimms' fairy tales were never more upbeat that this high-spirited 1958 MGM adaptation starring Russ Tamblyn and Peter Sellers.

A shy, disillusioned university professor retrieves his heart in this quiet, soulful drama from writer/director of The Station Agent. "A heartfelt human drama that sneaks up and floors you." — Rolling Stone

Two Bens, Ben Rivers from the UK and US-based Ben Russell, converge on the South Pacific to present a programme combining their experimental work making for a vivid varied film experience.

Celebratory portrait of avant-garde musician and disco producer Arthur Russell. "A long-neglected cult musician gets his well-deserved moment in the limelight." — Screendaily