Your top must see at NZIFF this year and why?

Animals, because female friendship and sisterhood and not growing up because society tells you to is everything. Also, my favourite book I read this year was Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, so any writing about the importance of galpals is a bandwagon I have leapt onto.

Name five of your favourite films and you’re only allowed one obvious one.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Zootopia, She’s the Man, American Animals and Detroit. How’s that for variety.

What’s the best bit about being an intern for NZIFF?

The best bit about working for NZIFF specifically in my office is the willingness of the whole team to band together to figure something out or move something along. Stress doesn’t make anyone catty, just more productive and focused, and at no stage do I feel silly for asking for advice or guidance. The best bit about interning itself is floating around helping out with different jobs and areas of the office. Indigenous outreach one day, writing blogs for magazines the next, serial Instagramming the day after that #livingmybestlife

What’s the most useful thing you’ve learned being an intern this year?

I didn’t have a clue as to how a festival is strung together or what jobs are required at what points. Working in the Comms team has given me boundless access to what cogs are required to turn every aspect of NZIFF, and how a team can work together well. A lot of jobs I’ve had in the past have been far less team-orientated, so this has been immeasurably educational for me.

Also, through the daily quiz have learned countless nuggets of knowledge such as the difference between the Cuban and Puerto Rican flags, the King of Hearts card doesn’t have a moustache, and that none of us really know what baleful means.

What’s your earliest movie-going memory?

In a cinema, I remember going to see Mulan (loved it), the Star Wars where the villain has a red face (hated it), and the first The Lord of the Rings where we renamed it Lord of the Hand because I was seven and so terrified by the orcs that I sat behind the seat in front of me with my dad’s hand clasped over my face to block out the scary.

What’s your go-to office snack? Green and Black’s 70% dark mini slab things #spon OR instant coffee OR photos of Steve Harrington from Stranger Things (changing my desktop photo now).

On a scale of 1–Peter Jackson how obsessed with films are you?

I make any conversation about films. Don’t get me wrong, I have other interests (psychopaths, true crime, peanut butter, to name a few), but I’m also super lame and accidentally always say ‘omg that’s just like in that film [insert title]… have you seen it? You have to!’ and my friends, who are great, kindly lie to me and say ‘oh cool yeah I’ll add it to my list’ but there’s no list and they’re not going to watch it.

Describe your experience as an intern using only titles from the 2019 programme.

A Seat at the Table. Or Short Connections: I’m not here very long.

Describe yourself using only titles from the 2019 programme

Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Or Fire Will Come. Everything’s on fire.

And finally, your favourite ever quote from a film.

“It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.” — Zootopia