News

But wait, there’s more! We’ve just added a whopping 46 more sessions of encore screenings and late addition films  for our Wellington film fanatics. Check out what we’ve got scheduled from Monday August 24 until Wednesday August 27 in each of our five Wellington cinemas: 

Paper Tiger
A crowd favourite at Cannes this year, starring Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, this film follows a suburban New York family who get caught up with the Russian Mob.

Perfect Strangers
Director Gaylene Preston describes this 2003 movie starring Sam Neill as her “wild child”. It’s easy to see why in this tense exploration of the fine line between love and pursuit, romance and danger, fear and obsession. 

The Friend’s House is Here
In Tehran’s underground art scene, two young women build a blissful world of freedom and sisterhood. But when their creative circle is exposed, they must fight to save each other. 

Congo Boy
In Bangui, Central African Republic, 17 year-old Robert dreams of a career in music, but both his parents are thrown into prison and he is left to look after his four younger siblings while remaining determined to follow his dream.

Looking for Alibrandi
A classic Aussie panelwagon-angst coming-of-age movie from 2000 that’s funny, relatable and achingly sad at the same time. Now restored in 4K.

Extra Geography
A witty, sharply observed coming-of-age comedy about two inseparable teenage girls at an English boarding school whose grand plan to "fall in love" begins to test

Continue reading…

The spot to land before the lights go down or unwind once they come back up. Grab a seat, order something strong, and dissect that final scene with fellow festival-goers who get it.

This year, Hawthorn Lounge is also hosting our local and international guests throughout the festival, so keep an eye out — you never know which director, actor or programmer might be perched at the next table.

And here's the bonus: NZIFF subscribers who present their ticket stub at the bar get 10% off their bill, so there's even more reason to make Hawthorn Lounge your festival home base.

Hawthorn Lounge

• 82 Tory Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

This year we’re trying something a little different… Auckland and Wellington audiences will be treated to a secret screening presented in association with our friends at Letterboxd. We’ll also be hosting a Letterboxd meet-up at the Civic before the Auckland screening, your opportunity to meet likeminded Letterboxd die-hards!

Your clues for the film 👀
* This film will NOT be playing elsewhere in the festival.
* It was released in 2026.
* And it played at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

We’ll leave you to figure out the rest! Secret screenings are on in Auckland on 8 August and Wellington on 15 August - details and tickets below:

Surprise Film

Saturday 8 August 8.30pm, The Civic

Saturday 15th August, 8.45pm, Embassy Theatre

Letterboxd Meet-up

Saturday 8 August 7.45pm, The Civic

Online multipass redemption is back in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Ahead of our online pre-sale, we've made a quick guide to help walk you through the process.