This is going to start a little negative but I promise I will turn things around and everything will be okay in the end.
So this year marks the 50th anniversary of the New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland but sadly, none of the films showing during this year’s programme initially interested me. Last year, I was so ecstatic to see The Beguiled. This year feels a bit so-so for me. Mainly, I was hoping that André Leon Talley’s documentary would be part of this year’s programme but unfortunately, it is glaringly missing from the schedule – no doubt I would have bought tickets for that.
While at first glance I’m feeling a bit underwhelmed with the films, I admit this is mostly because I’m not familiar with most of the film titles for this year’s festival. Ignorance on my part, clearly. But once I started reading some of the films’ plot summaries, I was happy (and relieved) to see that there are films worth watching at the festival.
There are over 150 films screening at the festival and you can find out information about each film using the very thorough New Zealand International Film Festival 2018 programme. As I read through the booklet, I am thrilled to see that there are films that do seem quite good. So here are my picks of films to watch purely based on what’s written about them on the festival’s 2018 programme:
Yellow is Forbidden
“Chinese designer Guo Pei made fashion headlines around the world when Rihanna wore her massive canary yellow gown to the Met Gala in 2015.”
I was hooked just with that first sentence alone. That yellow gown is iconic and knowing more about the designer that created it is worth the price of a ticket. Even better, New Zealand director Pietra Brettkelly directed this documentary so that gives the film a nice local element to it.
Lean on Pete
“His focus here is on a sensitive teen named Charley (gifted newcomer Charlie Plummer)…”
I love watching magnificent performances, especially from newcomers because they offer up something different and refreshing. I remember watching Winter’s Bone long before The Hunger Games came out and it was nice to see Jennifer Lawrence in a film before she became a huge Hollywood star. So for this film, Charlie Plummer is the gifted newcomer to watch. And if you are curious about the title, the film is a drama about a bond between a boy and his horse named ‘Lean on Pete.’
Juliet, Naked
“Juliet, Naked is a witty, niftily constructed and sneakily romantic film – with a great soundtrack, of course.”
It’s a rom-com! There was a time, not that long ago, when rom-coms were all the rage but nowadays I feel like we barely get any new rom-coms to watch (now it’s all about the superhero films). So the moment I read that this film is a romantic comedy, I was sold.
Searching
“This thriller about a father’s search for his missing daughter ratchets up astounding tension and don’t-go-there chills without ever taking its eyes off computer screens.”
This. Film. Sounds. Good. Sure, found footage films aren’t unique (Hello, Blair Witch Project!) but using computer screens is creative. I’m more curious how the film will stir up tension and chills given the parameters of the screens. Like, how are you going to freak me out exactly?
Three Identical Strangers
“What begins as a light and fluffy, too-weird-to-be-fiction story goes unimaginably deeper, stranger, darker. It’s best to go in as cold as possible, to try (and likely fail) to guess what comes next…”
And this is a documentary? A non-fiction story? The craziest part of the story doesn’t even involve the reunion of the triplets (who didn’t know the others existed beforehand). Apparently, after they reunited, there are bombshells, twists, turns… What twists and turns? I need to know!
McQueen
“McQueen’s work was some of the most moving there was or ever will be.”
This is an easy one. I love fashion. McQueen was one of the most talented designers ever. Of course, this is a must-see.
The 2018 New Zealand International Film Festival is in Auckland from July 19 to August 5. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster. Venues include The Civic, Event Cinemas in Queen Street, Academy Cinemas, and the ASB Waterfront Theatre.
