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Horror, heartbreak, history and a healthy dose of the utterly unhinged… the first films to join this year’s Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) lineup have all that and more.

The 12 features include a backstage French farce (Comédie-Française), a comedy-drama that pokes a gentle stick at family complexities (Father Mother Sister Brother), and a jazz icon’s comeback from tragedy (Everybody Digs Bill Evans). A jailhouse splatter horror (Ghost in the Cell) and a cosmic conception (Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant) also join the eclectic movie mix, as well as a sizzling romance in southern Spain (Iván & Hadoum), a haunting queer indie classic re-mastered in 4K (Mysterious Skin), and a powerful documentary portrait of Lebanon (Do You Love Me).

"We are excited to share this first batch of titles from NZIFF 2026,” says Artistic Director Paolo Bertolin. “They reflect the diverse, free and adventurous nature of a line up that promises to be high on cinematic quality but also on emotional impact, fun and topicality.
We can't wait to share more titles and really look forward to the moment our audiences will discover them on the big screen."

First film announcements by strand:

Māhutonga: The place for storytellers from

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The second film of Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival has been announced... LOMU is joining the festival lineup as our 2026 Centrepiece.

You don’t have to be a rugby fan to be captivated by this complex and deeply human portrait of legendary All Black Jonah Lomu - the towering winger whose extraordinary talent and presence shaped the global game.

Directed by Vea Mafile’o and Gavin Fitzgerald, LOMU is lighting up the big screen at Tāmaki Makaurau’s mighty Civic on Saturday 1 August, before heading to other NZIFF venues.

"LOMU is a thrilling and touching celebration of an inspiring contemporary hero," says NZIFF Artistic Director Paolo Bertolin. “No need to be a rugby fan to be engrossed and moved by this quietly epic tale of a genuine soul and his resilience”.

This year’s first NZIFF film revealed…

The Voice of Hind Rajab is joining the festival lineup!

Directed by acclaimed Tunisian director and Academy Award nominee Kaouther Ben Hania, The Voice of Hind Rajab premiered at the Venice Film Festival - where it had the crowd so captivated it received the longest standing ovation in the festival’s history (over 20 minutes!). The film won over the critics too, and scooped the Grand Jury Prize. Recently, the film was nominated in the Best International Feature Film category at this year’s Oscars.

Incorporating real-life elements, the docudrama follows the harrowing story of 6-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who makes a frantic emergency call to Red Crescent volunteers while trapped in a car under fire in Gaza.

“We are immensely proud and excited to announce The Voice of Hind Rajab as our first film for the 2026 edition of Whanau Marama: New Zealand International Film Festival”, says NZIFF Artistic Director Paolo Bertolin. “Kaother Ben Hania's powerful film is a brave cry for justice that will deeply move our audiences”.

Save the date, NZIFF is coming to a cinema near you from 29 July! See below for date details, and stay tuned for venue and film updates:  

Auckland: 29 July - 9 August (encores 10 – 12)

Christchurch: 6 - 23 August (encores 25 – 31 August)

Wellington: 12 - 23 August (encores 24 – 29 August)

Dunedin: 14 - 30 August (encores TBC)

Matakana, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson, Tauranga, New Plymouth and Masterton: 27 August - 6 / 9 September (encores TBC)

Oscar season is here, and we’re thrilled to see a slew of NZIFF films make the nominee list! 

Oscars hopefuls include Sentimental Value - up for 9 awards including Best Director (Joachim Trier), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Renate Reinsve), and Best Screenplay, The Secret Agent - in the running for 4 awards, Blue Moon, It Was Just An Accident and Sirāt - each up for 2 awards, and Kokuho and Cutting Through Rocks also on the nominees list.

And keep an eye out for The Voice of Hind Rajab - the first film to be announced for NZIFF 2026, nominated in the Best International Feature Film category. 

We’ll be tuning in to see who gets top honours at the 98th Academy Awards on 16 March.

See below for the full list of films and category nominations:

Sentimental Value
Best Picture
Best Directing (Joachim Trier)
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Renate Reinsve)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Stellan Skarsgård)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Elle Fanning)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas)
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Best International Feature Film
Best Film Editing

The Secret Agent
Best Picture
Best Actor in a Leading

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