Saturday 1st August, 10.30am to 12.30pm at the Wintergarden, the Civic

We’re thrilled this year to welcome acclaimed New Zealand documentarian Pietra Brettkelly, who alongside premiering her sixth film at the festival, brings to the Aotearoa Film Focus Weekend a masterclass presented ahead of the New Zealand premiere of her latest feature, Crocodile. Go behind the lens with one of Aotearoa's foremost documentary filmmakers, as Brettkelly opens up about her creative process in this masterclass, presented in association with DEGANZ and WIFT.

$30 Full price / $25 Industry guild or student concession. For further information and to book into the session, see HERE.

Pou Kōrero – Workshop

Paloma Schneideman joins us for an informal conversation about her journey as a filmmaker, fresh from opening our festival with her debut feature Big Girls Don't Cry. From short films to opening night, Schneideman will talk candidly about her journey and the importance of homegrown stories that reflect the real experience of growing up in Aotearoa. A rare and intimate conversation for rangitahi who want to hear directly from one of Aotearoa's freshest filmmaking voices.

Entrance is free, but please RSVP by using the forms below:

Registrater for Auckland using this form.

Register for Wellington using this form.

Sunday 9th August, 11am at the Wintergarden, the Civic

Learn how to run a successful Boosted crowdfunding campaign from the experts, and those who have been through it!

Sunday, 9 August – join Boosted Crowdfunding Lead, Flynn Robson for a kōrero on film funding, and all things Boosted at the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival, in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland! 

Flynn will be on a panel including artist, filmmaker, and choreographer Alex Duncan (Growing Still ,The Sea Inside, The Red House), and 2026 NZIFF Director Conor Bowden (The Ungrateful Tenant).

Free entry but please register via this link.

Sunday 9th August, 2pm at the Wintergarden, the Civic

From Thailand to Nepal to Germany, three international filmmakers come together to discuss their journeys behind the camera, the stories that inspire them, and the challenges of bringing local voices to a global audience.

Join directors Sompot Chidgasornpongse (9 Temples to Heaven), Abinash Bikram Shah (Elephants in the Fog), and Kai Stänicke (Trial of Hein) for a conversation about their experiences as filmmakers working across different cinematic landscapes.

Together they’ll explore how personal histories, communities and cultural identities shape the stories they tell, the challenges of making films outside the dominant centres of global cinema, finding audiences around the world, and how their filmmaking journeys compare with the experiences of storytellers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The panel will also delve into their approaches to storytelling — what draws them to particular characters and communities, how they balance local specificity with universal themes, and what they’ve learned from sharing their work with audiences around the world.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear three filmmakers reflect on the stories that drive them, the communities that shape their work, and the shared experiences that connect cinema across borders.

Free entry but please register via this link.

Saturday 15th August - 3pm – Massey University Tea Gardens

Founded by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Dame Jane Campion and producer Philippa Campbell, A Wave in the Ocean is a unique initiative supporting emerging Aotearoa filmmakers through mentorship, creative development and the production of original short films.

Join moderator Gwen Isaac, director of this year’s documentary feature Be Merry, and a panel of A Wave in the Ocean filmmakers and mentors:

• Ashleigh Rowarth — producer of A Very Good Boy;
• Samantha Dutton — producer of Socks;
• Eleanor Bishop — director of Girl Time;
• Tina Cleary — casting director of The Power of the Dog and AWITO shorts A Very Good Boy, Socks and Girl Time;
• Philippa Campbell — producer of The Moon is Upside Down and Top of the Lake, and Co-Director of A Wave in the Ocean.

This conversation will explore the transformative experience of being part of the A Wave in the Ocean programme. From developing ideas and embracing collaboration, to the challenges, discoveries and creative breakthroughs that shape a filmmaker’s journey. Hear how the programme has influenced these artists’ evolving practices, the lessons they’ve carried forward, and the advice they would offer to aspiring filmmakers charting their own path in Aotearoa’s screen industry.

Join us at 3pm on Saturday 15 August at Massey University Tea Gardens.

Free entry but please register via this link.

Saturday  22nd August 11am – Massey University Tea Gardens 

Time after time, New Zealand filmmakers have proven that big ideas don't need big budgets. Armed with ingenuity, resourcefulness and a distinctly DIY spirit, local creators have built ambitious worlds from limited means, carving out an international reputation for punching well above our weight.

With global audiences increasingly embracing high-concept genre films, there's never been a more exciting time to make bold, original work. Join moderator Elizabeth Crummett and a panel of filmmakers at the forefront of contemporary New Zealand genre cinema:

• Jordan Mark Windsor and Sean Wallace (THUNDERLIPS), the directing duo behind the sci fi body horror comedy Mum I'm Alien Pregnant; 
• Jonathan Watt, director of the found footage mystery In Search of My Moehau; 
• Conor Bowden, director of the silent slapstick odyssey The Ungrateful Tenant; 
• Rouzie Hassanova, producer of the internationally acclaimed  gothic horror feature Mārama.

From self-funded productions to ambitious independent features, this conversation will explore why genre filmmaking continues to thrive in Aotearoa, how filmmakers are achieving cinematic scale on modest budgets, and what it takes to turn impossible ideas into reality. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or simply curious about the future of New Zealand cinema, this is a chance to hear from the people redefining what independent filmmaking can achieve.

Free entry but please RSVP via this link.