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Need we admit that all eyes at NZIFF HQ headed first to our approval ratings? Happily for all concerned 97% of participants indicated that they were likely or very likely to attend NZIFF 2017. 95% were either very satisfied or satisfied with their experience of NZIFF this year. We are guessing that the 24 souls who characterised themselves as very dissatisfied were the same 24 who won’t be joining us next year or recommending that anyone else make that mistake.

It’s great to be able to report to our local body funders (or potential funders) how highly NZIFF rated with respondents as a contributor to civic pride. And our key sponsors will surely be pleased to learn that their presence was appreciated by so many NZIFF patrons.

Few opportunities to file a comment were left untaken. Reading every line has been engrossing, informative, entertaining and occasionally bruising. This summary concentrates on some recurrent themes in the great welter of feedback – and a few of the more vividly expressed words of approval or advice. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the lively and overwhelmingly positive survey.

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Our printed programme and website still rule when it comes to sourcing

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Miss Sharon Jones!
Academy Award-winning documentary maker Barbara Kopple delivers definitive proof, from show-stopping testimony in a small South Carolina church to Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre, that nobody raises the roof like Sharon Jones.

“The narrative arc of the film is the diminutive (‘four foot 11 and a quarter’) singer’s more than year-long battle with cancer – and her return to performing. But by lavishing huge helpings of Jones’ music and explosive performances on what is a very intimate portrait, the two-time Oscar-winning [Barbara] Kopple keeps the doco from ever becoming maudlin, or predictable, or from even slowing down.” — John Anderson, Indiewire

Wide Open Sky
In this charming documentary from Lisa Nicol, gifted teacher and musician Michelle Leonard travels to under-resourced outback NSW, auditioning children then schooling the chosen 130 to perform in the annual Moorambilla Voices choir.

“This down-to-earth crowd pleaser is a terrific antidote to the razzle-dazzle hype of TV talent shows.” — Richard Kuipers, Variety

The full NZIFF programme will be available from Tuesday 21 June for Auckland, and Friday 24 June for Wellington with further centres to follow.

In 2015 over 250,000 ticket-holders gathered at NZIFF venues over 13 towns and cities around New Zealand. In 2016 two movie characters discover the NZIFF audience in our poster art.

NZIFF Director Bill Gosden was inspired by numerous movie characters he’d seen in recent films.

“I saw couples exploring dark places with torches in every second movie I watched. There’s always a moment when the beam of light glances the lens, reaching out from the screen.” says NZIFF Director Bill Gosden.
We asked designer Matt Bluett to retain the beam of torchlight from last year’s poster and put it into the hands of a pair of shadowy movie characters. They shine it upon a bunch of lively individuals assembled expectantly before the giant cinema screen. Illustrator Tom Simpson with assistance from Sacha Lees brought the sketch to life.
“Ocean is proud of its 27-year relationship with NZIFF, and pleased to present the artwork for this year’s festival poster.” says Matt Bluett and the team at Ocean Design.

Last year stories from 60 countries were represented across a programme of 163 films. 42 languages were spoken or signed from that giant screen. Our 2016 poster artwork celebrates this sense of encountering

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