NZIFF 2022: Feature Film Anthologies You Don't Want to Miss • Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand

The New Zealand International Film Festival has announced a line-up of exciting New Zealand feature films that have been selected to screen at the festival so far. Part of the excitement of these two anthology films is how they spotlight many of our talented local filmmakers and present a diverse range of experiences and perspectives among our indigenous and people of colour.

World Premiere for Kāinga

Following the success of Waru and Vai, the trilogy completes with Kāinga. Eight Pan-Asian female filmmakers craft unique stories that chronicle the diverse, ever-changing experiences of Asians trying to make Aotearoa New Zealand their home.

In this anthology film set in a single house, DEGANZ members Michelle Ang, Ghazaleh Golbakhsh, Julie Zhu and Nahyeon Lee each directed one of the eight stories, alongside HASH, Angeline Loo, and DEGANZ alumni Asuka Sylvie and Yamin Tun. Nahyeon and Ghazaleh also wrote on the project, as well as fellow member Mia Maramara. The screenplay was also written by Mei-Lin Te Puea Hansen, Asuka Sylvie, Shreya Gejji, HASH and Angeline Loo.

NZ Premiere for We Are Still Here

This film is an unparalleled First Nations celebration. It interweaves eight stories by 10 directors from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. That includes DEGANZ members Tim Worrall, Chantelle Burgoyne and board member Renae Maihi.

We Are Still Here is a poetic and powerful statement of resistance and survival, conceived as a cinematic response to the 250th anniversary of James Cook’s arrival in this region. The movie is a joint indigenous initiative between Screen Australia’s First Nations Department and the NZ Film Commission. The other directors involved are Beck Cole, Danielle MacLean, Dena Curtis, Richard Curtis, Miki Magasiva, Mario Gaoa and Tracey Rigney.

See the full list of films announced so far at NZIFF.

Last updated on 2 June 2022