Australian Cinema > NZ films

Inclusive list of New Zealand films

My intention is to list every feature film made in New Zealand.
See also: NZ films by date.

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   
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50 Ways of Saying Fabulous (Stewart Main, 2005) coming of age; NZ

6 Days (Toa Fraser, 2017) wr. Glenn Standring; Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish, Mark Strong; 1980 Iranian Embassy siege; NZ


A


Absent Without Leave (John Laing, 1993) prod. Robin Laing; Craig McLachlan, Katrina Hobbs, Tony Barry; WW2 melodrama, thriller; NZ

Adventures of Algy, The (Beaumont Smith, 1925) Beaumont Smith's Productions, wr. prod. Beaumont Smith, dp Lacey Percival; Claude Dampier (Algernon Allison), Bathie Stuart (Kiwi McGill), Eric Harrison; mostly shot in NZ

Alex (Megan Simpson, 1992) Aust/NZ; Lauren Jackson, Chris Haywood; children & family; swimming

Among the Cinders (Rolf Haedrich, 1984) wr. John O'Shea, Maurice Shadbolt (novel), dp Rory O'Shea; Paul O'Shea, Derek Hardwick, Yvonne Lawley, Rebecca Gibney, Amanda Jones, Bridget Armstrong, Maurice Shadbolt; Rebecca Gibney, NZ; 112 min.

Angel at my Table, An (Jane Campion, 1990) NZ; based on autobiographies of Janet Frame: To the Island, Angel at my Table, Envoy from Mirror City; Kerry Fox; made as a three-part mini-series, but also screened as a feature; 158 min.

Angel Mine (David Blyth, 1978) NZ, prod. wr. David Blyth; Derek Ward, Jennifer Redford, Myra de Groot, Mike Wilson; 68 min.

Apron Strings (Sima Urale, 2008) Laila Rouass, Scott Wills, Jennifer Ludlam; family melodrama; NZ

Arriving Tuesday (Richard Riddiford, 1986) NZ; 83 min.

Audition, The (Anna Campion, 1989) short film featuring Jane Campion and her mother Edith, who is auditioning for a role in An Angel at my Table; in the finished product, Edith plays the high school English teacher Miss Lindsay, who gives a rousing classroom recitation of Tennyson's Excalibur that enthralls Jane

Autumn Fires (Barry Barclay, 1977) New Zealand, prod. John O'Shea, wr. Barry Barclay, Martyn Sanderson, Helena's Story by Olive Bracey, dp Rory O'Shea, ed. Dell King; Martyn Sanderson, Olive Bracey, Helena's Story read by Dell King; 50 min.


B


Baby Done (Curtis Vowell, 2020) wr. Sophie Henderson; Rose Matafeo, Matthew Lewis, Rachel House; comedy; NZ

Bad Behaviour (Alice Englert, 2023) wr. Alice Englert, prod. Desray Armstrong, Milly Hallam; Jennifer Connelly, Ben Whishaw, Alice Englert, Ana Scotney, Dasha Nekrasova, Karan Gill, Marlon Williams

Bad Blood (Mike Newell, 1981) NZ; Jack Thompson, Carol Burns; drama; 113 min.

Bad Taste (Peter Jackson, 1987) NZ; comedy; 94 min.

Battletruck (Harley Cokliss, 1982) Battletruck Films Ltd, prod. Lloyd Phillips, Rob Whitehouse, wr Irving Austin, Harley Cokliss, John Beech from story by Michael Abrams, dp Chris Menges; Michael Beck, Annie McEnroe, James Wainwright, Bruno Lawrence, John Bach; dystopic future, action; NZ; 92 min.

Beyond Gravity (Garth Maxwell, 1988) was available on one VHS tape called Boys on Film with Bad News Bachelors and two other short films; NZ; 48 min.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt (John Laing, 1980) NZ, prod. John Barnett, wr. David Yallop from book by David Yallop; dp Alun Bollinger; David Hemmings, John Hargreaves plays Arthur Alan Thomas, who was jailed for a double murder for which he was later (partly as a result of the film) acquitted

Beyond the Glass Ceiling (1994) Ronin Films; includes three short films by Jane Campion: Peel, A Girl's Own Story, Passionless Moments; as well as The Lead Dress, Excursion to the Bridge of Friendship, Crack in the Curtains, Just Desserts; VHS (director from NZ)

Billy (Peter Burger, 2011) Tainui Tukiwaho; biopic of NZ entertainer Billy T James

Black Sheep (Jonathan King, 2006) NZ horror comedy; zombie werewolf sheep

Bliss (Fiona Samuel, 2011) Kate Elliott; biopic of Katherine Mansfield; NZ

Bonjour Timothy (Wayne Tourell, 1995) NZ; comedy

Boogeyman (Stephen Kay, 2005) US/NZ/German copro; horror; Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Lucy Lawless

Born to Dance (Tammy Davis, 2015) hip-hop; NZ

Boy (Taika Waititi, 2010) James Rolleston, Te Aho Eketone-Whitu, Taika Waititi; NZ

Braindead (Peter Jackson, 1992) aka Dead Alive, NZ, 100 min.; horror, scifi; behind the neat curtains in suburban Wellington, Lionel, formerly a shy and naive young man is busily attempting to sever his mother's apron strings in the most spectacular fashion; high level violence and horror effects

Bread and Roses (Gaylene Preston, 1993) NZ; drama; Genevieve Picot

Breaker Upperers (Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek, 2018) wr. Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek; Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek, James Rolleston, Celia Pacquola, Ana Scotney; comedy; release 3May18; NZ; 90 min.

Bridge to Nowhere (Ian Mune, 1986) NZ

Broken (Tarry Mortlock, 2018) NZ

Broken Barrier (John O'Shea, Roger Mirams, 1952) wr. John O'Shea, prod. John O'Shea, Roger Mirams, dp Roger Mirams; Kay Ngarimu, Terence Byler, Myra Hapi; NZ

Broken English (Gregor Nicholas, 1996) NZ; Croatian girl, Maori boy

Brothers (Terry Bourke, 1982) aka Hounds of War; Chard Hayward, Ivar Kants, Margaret Laurence, Alison Best; based on true story of five Australian journalists shot in Timor in 1975; two journalist brothers escape death but find it hard to settle in small town in NZ even after four years

Bush Cinderella, The (Rudall Hayward, 1928) prod. Rudall Hayward, wr. Rudall Hayward, dp Rudall Hayward; Dale Austen, Walter Gray, Tony Firth

Butterfly Crush (Alan Clay, 2010) NZ/Aust copro; drama musical romance


C


Came a Hot Friday (Ian Mune, 1984) Mirage Film Productions/NZ Film Commission, prod. Larry Parr, wr. Dean Parker, Ian Mune, dp Alun Bollinger; Peter Bland, Phillip Gordon, Michael Lawrence, Billy T. James, Marshall Napier; comedy; 103 min.

Carbine's Heritage (Edwin Coubray, 1927) Moa Films Ltd, NZ Radio Films Production, wr. Edwin Coubray, dp Edwin Coubray; Queenie Grahame, Stuart Douglas, Ted Preston, Tom Patten; NZ; horse-racing, includes footage of the Auckland Cup 1926; 8000ft

Carry Me Back (John Reid, 1982) NZ, Kiwi Films/NZ Film Commission, prod. Graeme Cowley, wr. Derek Morton, Keith Aberdein, John Reid from idea by Joy Cowley, dp Graeme Cowley; Grant Tilly, Kelly Johnson, Dorothy McKegg, Derek Hardwick; comedy; 102 min.

Cave In (Rex Piano, 2003) telemovie

Changeover, The (Miranda Harcourt, Stuart McKenzie, 2017) Timothy Spall, Melanie Lynskey, Lucy Lawless; thriller; NZ

Channeling Baby (Christine Parker, 1998) NZ

Chicken (Grant Lahood, 1996) NZ, comedy

Chill Factor, The (David L. Stanton, 1988) NZ; action

Christmas (Gregory King, 2003) NZ

Chunuk Bair (Dale Bradley, 1991) NZ; war, Gallipoli, 1915

Cinema of Unease, A (Sam Neill, Judy Rymer, 1995) part of the Century of Cinema project; NZ

Cold Summer, A (Paul Middleditch, 2003) NZ; Teo Gebert, Olivia Pigeot, Susan Prior; Rottderdam FF 2003; IF Mag, June 2003: 28-29

Compound (Dale Stewart, 2012) NZ; horror

Constance (Bruce Morrison, 1984) Mirage Films Ltd/NZ Film Commission, prod. Larry Parr, wr. Jonathan Hardy, Bruce Morrison from Morrison story, dp Kevin Hayward; Donogh Rees, Hester Joyce, Dana Purkis, Martin Vaughan, Judie Douglass; 104 min.; drama

Cops and Robbers (Murray Reece, 1993) Aust/NZ; comedy; Grant Dodwell, Gosia Dobrowolska, Melissa Kounnas, Mark Wright, Rima Te Wiata, Martin Vaughan

Country Lads (Stanhope Andrews, 1941) NZ; documentary

Cousins (Ainsley Gardiner, Briar Grace Smith, 2021) Rachel House, Cohen Holloway, Chelsie Florence; drama; NZ

Crooked Earth (Sam Pillsbury, 2001) wr. Greg McGee, Waihoroi Shortland, prod. Robin Scholes, dp David Gribble; Temuera Morrison, Jaime Passier-Armstrong, Lawrence Makoare, Quinton Hita, Nancy Brunning; drama; NZ

Crush (Alison MacLean, 1992) NZ; dp Dion Beebe

Cupid's Prey (Dale G. Bradley, 2003) NZ/US copro

Cure, The (David Gould, 2014) wr. David Gould, prod. David Gould, Alex Clark, dp David Paul, prod. designer Gim Bon, vfx Frank Reuter; Antonia Prebble, Daniel Lissing, Stephen Lovatt, John Bach, John Landreth; action thriller; premiere Wellington NZ 6 Feb 2014

Curry Munchers (Cristobal Araus Lobos, 2011) comedy; NZ


D


Dangerous Orphans (John Laing, 1986) NZ

Dark Horse, The (James Napier Robertson, 2014) wr. James Napier Robertson; Cliff Curtis; biopic based on Genesis Potini, chess champion

Dark Stories: Tales from beyond the Grave (various, 2001) collection of short art/horror films; NZ

Dead Kids (Michael Laughlin, 1983) aka Shadowland, Strange Behaviour; prod. Antony I. Ginnane & John Barnett for Endeavour Productions and Bannon Glen, wr. William Condon and Michael Laughlin, music Tangerine Dream, design Susanna Moore, dp Louis Horvath, ed. Petra; Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor, Fiona Lewis, Arthur Dignam; "the splatter end of exploitation"; NZ; Eastman colour, 35mm, wide-screen, 97 min.

Dead Lands, The (Toa Fraser, 2014) wr. Glenn Standring; James Rolleston, Lawrence Makoare, Te Kohe Tuhaka; NZ Maori story; NZ release 30 October

Dean Spanley (Toa Fraser, 2008) aka My Talks with Dean Spanley; Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown; comedy; NZ

Deathgasm (Jason Lei Howden, 2015) horror comedy; NZ

Death in the Family, A (Stewart Main, Peter Wells, 1987) NZ; last 16 days of man dying of AIDS; 48 min.

Death Warmed Up (David Blyth, 1984) Tucker Production Company/NZ Film Commission, prod. Murray Newey, wr. Michael Heath, David Blyth, dp James Bartle; Michael Hurst, Margaret Umbers, William Upjohn; 85 min.

Desperate Remedies (Stewart Main, Peter Wells, 1993) NZ, comedy

Devil Dared Me To, The (Chris Stapp, 2007) action; NZ

Devil's Rock, The (Paul Campion, 2011) WW2; NZ

Diagnosis Death (Jason Stutter, 2010) horror comedy; NZ

District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, 2009) US/NZ/Canada/SAfrica copro

Don't Let It Get to You (John O'Shea, 1966) wr. John O'Shea, prod. John O'Shea, dp Tony Williams, ed. John O'Shea; Howard Morrison, Gary Wallace, Carmen Duncan, Normie Rowe, Kiri Te Kanawa; Aussie drummer goes to NZ to find work; comedy musical; 80 min.

Down by the Riverside (Brad Davison, 2007) NZ

Down on the Farm (Stewart Pitt, 1935) Hamner Nine Syndicate, dp Lee Hill; George Claridge, Daphne Murdoch, Florence Hastie, Ra Hould; first NZ sound fiction film, if The Devil's Pit is discounted

Dreamer by Design (David Chan, 2011) NZ; romcom/drama


E


Eagle vs Shark (Taika Waititi, 2007) NZ; Loren Taylor, Jemaine Clement

End of the Golden Weather (Ian Mune, 1991) NZ

Erebus: Into the Unknown (Charlotte Purdy, 2014) aka Erebus: Operation Overdue; telemovie; aviation disaster; NZ

Eternity (Alex Galvin, 2013) wr. Alex Galvin; Elliot Travers, Amy Tsang, Dean Knowsley; crime; NZ

Event 16 (Derek Pearson, 2006) scifi; NZ

Exposure (David Blyth, 2000) thriller/romance; NZ


F


Fantail (Curtis Vowell, 2013) wr. Sophie Henderson; Sophie Henderson, Stephen Lovatt, Jarod Rawiri; dramedy; NZ

Ferryman, The (Chris Graham, 2006) fantasy/horror; NZ

Field Punishment No. 1 (Peter Burger, 2014) telemovie; war; WW1; NZ

Five (Amit Tripuraneni, 2007) horror; NZ

Flatmates Wanted (Gary Davis, 2004) NZ

Flight of the Albatross (Warner Meyer, 1996) NZ

Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree (Martn Sanderson, 1990) NZ; story by Albert Wendt, Samoa

Footrot Flats (Murray Ball, 1986) NZ; animated

Footstep Man, The (Leon Narbey, 1992) NZ; foley artist

Forgotten Silver (Peter Jackson, Costa Botes, 1995) mockumentary about filmmaker Colin McKenzie; NZ

Fracture (Larry Parr, 2004) family melodrama, crime; NZ; story of how one man's crime ruins the lives of two families forever

Free In Deed (Jake Mahaffy, 2015) David Harewood, Edwina Findley Dickerson, Kathy Smith, Helen Bowman, Alex Coker, Geoff Falk, Jan Falk, Porsha Ferguson, Preston Shannon, Jon W. Sparks

Frighteners, The (Peter Jackson, 1996) NZ; scifi

Futile Attraction (Mark Prebble, 2004) romcom; NZ


G


Ghost Shark (Griff Furst, 2013) telemovie; fantasy thriller; NZ

Ghost Shark 2: Urban Jaws (Johnny Hall, Andrew Todd, 2015) fantasy thriller; NZ

Ghost TV (Phil Davison, 2012) wr. Phil Davison; Leah Carrell, Melissa Hobbs, Dell McLeod; comedy, horror; NZ

Giselle (Toa Fraser, 2013) wr. Toa Fraser; Gillian Murphy; NZ

Gloriavale (Fergus Grady & Noel Smyth, 2022) Virgina Courage, Dennis Gates, Liz Gregory; cult; NZ; released NZ 6Aug22

God Boy, The (Murray Reece, 1976) NZ telemovie, prod. Murray Reece, wr. Ian Mune, dp Allen Guilford, camera operator Alun Bollinger; Jamie Higgins, Maria Craig, Graeme Tetley, Sandra Reid; 16mm, 88 min.

Good for Nothing (Mike Wallis, 2011) comedy drama; NZ

Goodbye Pork Pie (Geoff Murphy, 1980) wr. Ian Mune, Geoff Murphy, prod. Nigel Hutchinson, Geoff Murphy, dp Alun Bollinger; Kelly Johnson, Claire Oberman, Tony Barry; comedy; NZ

Grampire (David Blyth, 1991) aka Moonrise; NZ; comedy

Grasscutter, The (Ian Mune, 1988) NZ; action

Green Dolphin Street (Victor Saville, 1947) drama; Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Richard Hart, Donna Reed, Edmund Gwenn, Frank Morgan; American film set partly in NZ

Gupta vs Gordon (Jitendra Pal, 2003) comedy drama; NZ


H


Hamilton Talks (Rudall Hayward, 1934) NZ's 'first talking picture comedy' (?) 20 min.

Hang On a Minute, Mate (Alan Lindsay, 1982) prod. Alan Lindsay; Alan Jervis, Kelly Johnson; NZ comedy, road movie; 71 min.

Head South (Jonathan Ogilvie, 2024) wr. Jonathan Ogilvie, prod. Mat Govoni, Antje Kulpe; Ed Oxenbould, Marton Csokas; explores New Zealand’s 1979 post-punk scene

Heart of the High Country (Sam Pillsbury, 1985) wr. Elizabeth Gowans, prod. Lloyd Phillips, Rob Whitehouse; Kenneth Cranham, Valerie Gogan, John Howard, David Letch; NZ

Heart of the Stag (Michael Firth, 1984) Southern Light Pictures/NZ Film Commission, prod. Don Reynolds, Michael Firth, wr. Michael Firth, Neil Illingworth; Bruno Lawrence, Terence Cooper, Mary Regan; incest

Heaven (Scott Reynolds, 1998) drama; NZ

Heavenly Creatures (Peter Jackson, 1995) wr. Frances Walsh, Peter Jackson; Melanie Lynskey, Kate Winslet, Sarah Peirse, Diana Kent, Clive Merrison, Simon O'Connor, NZ, 95 min.

Hei Tiki (Alexander Markey, 1935) aka Primitive Passions, aka Hei Tiki: a Saga of the Maoris; Markey Films, A First Division Picture, wr. Alexander Markey, dp Howard Bridgman; Nowara Kereti, Ben Biddle; NZ; drama

Her Majesty (Mark J. Gordon, 2001) Sally Andrews; NZ

Hercules and the Amazon Women (Bill L. Norton, 1994) drama, satire; Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn, Roma Downey, Michael Hurst, Lloyd Scott, Lucy Lawless, Christopher Brougham, Tim Lee, Kim Michalis; NZ

Hercules and the Circle of Fire (Doug Lefler, 1994) drama, satire; Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn; NZ

Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (Harley Cokliss, 1994) drama, satire; Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn; NZ

Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur (Josh Becker, 1996) drama, satire; Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn; NZ

Hercules in the Underworld (Bill L. Norton, 1994) drama, satire; Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn; NZ

Hercules Returns (David Parker, 1993) aka First Take Meets Hercules, The Last Temptation of Hercules; David Argue, Michael Carman, Mary Coustas, Bruce Spence; voices: Des Mangan, Sally Patience, Matthew King; Italian film used is Hercules, Samson, Maciste and Ursus Are Invincible

Hercules: the Legendary Journeys (Bill L. Norton, 1994) drama, satire; Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn, Lucy Lawless; NZ

Hidden (Tim McLachlan, 2005) thriller; NZ

Hinemoa (Gaston Melies, 1913) wr. Edmund Mitchell from Maori legend, dp George Scott; Maata Horomona; first of three Hinemoa films; no footage exists; one reel, 1000ft; NZ

Hinemoa (George Tarr, 1914) wr. George Tarr, based on Maori legend of Hinemoa and Tutanekai, based on the George Gray version, dp Charles Newham; Hera Tawhai, Rua Tawhai, Miro Omahau, Taimai Omahau; second of three Hinemoa films; no footage exists; also claimed to be the first NZ feature, as the production company was antipodean (Tarr lived in NZ, tho had been born in Australia)

Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The (Peter Jackson, 2012) dp Andrew Lesnie; NZ

Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The (Peter Jackson, 2013) dp Andrew Lesnie; NZ

Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The (Peter Jackson, 2014) dp Andrew Lesnie; NZ

Holy Roller, The (Patrick Gillies, 2010) drama; NZ

Home by Christmas (Gaylene Preston, 2010) NZ; about Preston's father

Hook, Line and Sinker (Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader, 2011) drama; NZ

Hopeless (Stephen Hickey, 2000) comedy; NZ

Hopes & Dreams of Gazza Snell, The (Brendan Donovan, 2010) drama; NZ

Hot Target (Denis Lewiston, 1985) aka Restless; NZ

Housebound (Gerard Johnstone, 2014) wr. Gerard Johnstone; Morgana O'Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru; mystery; NZ

Hugh and Heke (Reston Griffiths, 2010) comedy

Human Traces (Nic Gorman, 2017) wr. Nic Gorman; Sophie Henderson, Mark Mitchinson, Vinnie Bennett, Sara Wiseman, Milo Cawthorne, Peter Daube; drama; NZ

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Taika Waititi, 2016) wr. Taiki Waititi from book by Barry Crump; Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rhys Darby; comedy; NZ


I


I'll Make You Happy (Athina Tsoulis, 1998) NZ

Illustrious Energy (Leon Narbey, 1988) aka Dreams of Home; Chan, a Chinese prospector in the NZ goldfields in the 1860s and his father-in-law work a gold claim in a racist climate

I'm Not Harry Jenson. (James Napier Robertson, 2009) Gareth Reeves, Jinny Lee Story, Marshall Napier, Ian Mune, James Napier Robertson; mystery thriller [the fullstop is apparently part of the title and 'Jenson' is so spelt] NZ

In My Father's Den (Brad McGann, 2004) NZ, Premiere Sydney Film Festival 11 June 2004, wr. Brad McGann, mystery-thriller, loosely based on whodunnit novel by Maurice Gee, Matthew MacFadyen, Emily Barclay, Miranda Otto, NZ$7.3mill/AUD$6.3mill budget; MacFadyen's hotshot photojournalist character becomes a suspect in the disappearance of Celia (ingenue Barclay), daughter of former lover; opened Sydney FF 2004; best new director Seattle IFF 2005

In Search of the Castaways (Robert Stevenson, 1962) NZ/USA, Disney, prod. Walt Disney, wr. Lowell S. Hawley, dp Paul Beeson; Hayley Mills, Maurice Chevalier, George Sanders, Wilfrid Hyde White, Michael Anderson Jr, Wilfred Brambell; children's; 16mm; 100 min.

Insatiable Moon, The (Rosemary Riddell, 2010) drama; NZ

Iris (Tony Isaac, 1984) aka Out of Time; telemovie; drama; Helen Morse, Philip Holder, John Bach; NZ; biopic of author Robin Hyde (irl Iris Wilkinson)

Irrefutable Truth About Demons, The (Glenn Standring, 2000) fantasy horror thriller; NZ


J


Jack Be Nimble (Garth Maxwell, 1993) NZ

Jack Brown, Genius (Tony Hiles, 1996) NZ

Jinx Sister (Athina Tsoulis, 2008) drama; NZ

Journey for Three (Michael Forlong, 1950) NZ

Jubilee (Michael Hurst, 2000) comedy; NZ

Justice of Bunny King, The (Gaysorn Thavat, tba) wr. Sophie Henderson, prod. Emma Slade; Essie Davis, Thomasin McKenzie; NZ


K


Kawa (Katie Wolfe, 2010) aka Nights in the Gardens of Spain; wr. Witi Ihimaera (and novel); Calvin Tuteao, Nathalie Boltt, George Henare; gay man comes out; NZ; 76 min.

Kids World (Dale G. Bradley, 2001) childrens; NZ

King Kong (Peter Jackson, 2005) NZ/USA/Germany copro

Kingpin (Mike Walker, 1985) NZ; children's/educational

Kitchen Sink (Alison MacLean, 1989) NZ; Kiwi Gothic

Kiwi Christmas (Tony Simpson, 2017) family; NZ

Kombi Nation (Grant Lahood, 2003) comedy; NZ


L


Landfall (Paul Maunder, 1977) NZ National Film Unit for BCNZ, prod. David H. Fowler, wr. Paul Maunder, dp Lynton Diggle; Denise Maunder, John Anderson, Sam Neill, Gael Anderson, Rowena Zinsli; 3100ft, 86 min.

Last Magic Show, The (Andy Conlan, 2007) comedy romance; NZ

Last Tattoo, The (John Reid, 1994) NZ

Leading Edge, The (Michael Firth, 1987) NZ

Leave All Fair (John Reid, 1985) wr. Jean Betts, Stanley Harper, Maurice Pons, John Reid, prod. John O'Shea, dp Bernard Lutic; John Gielgud, Jane Birkin, Féodor Atkine, Simon Ward, Louba Guertchnikoff, Maurice Chevit, Mireille Alcantara, Léonard Pezzino, Jean Betts; John Middleton Murray and Katherine Mansfield; NZ

Lie of the Land (Grahame McLean, 1987) NZ; wr. Grahame McLean; Marshall Napier

Lincoln County Incident (Tony Brittenden, 1980) Western; NZ; 48 min.

Lizzie (David Blyth, 1983) aka It's Lizzie to Those Close, aka A Woman of Good Character; drama; NZ

Loaded (Anna Campion, 1995) NZ; wr. Anna Campion

Locals, The (Greg Page, 2003) horror thriller; NZ

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson, 2001) dp Andrew Lesnie, adaptation of Tolkein's book; Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto; NZ

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Peter Jackson, 2002) dp Andrew Lesnie; Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto; NZ

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003) dp Andrew Lesnie; Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto; NZ

Lost Tribe, The (John Laing, 1985) NZ; landscape as metaphor, psychological interior; darker heart of the menacing land

Lost Valley (Dale Bradley, 1997) NZ

Love Birds (Paul Murphy, 2011) romcom; NZ

Loved by a Maori Chieftess (Gaston Melies, 1913) wr. Edmund Mitchell from his story, dp George Scott; first NZ film, no footage exists, two reels, 2000ft; NZ

Lovely Bones, The (Peter Jackson, 2009) US/UK/NZ copro; drama; partly shot in NZ

Luella Miller (Dane Giraud, 2005) action drama; NZ

Lunatic's Ball, The (Michael Thorp, 1998) NZ


M


Magik + Rose (Vanessa Alexander, 2001) drama; NZ

Mahana (Lee Tamahori, 2016) aka The Patriarch, wr. John Collee from novel Bulibasha by Witi Ihimaera; Temuera Morrison, Akuhata Keefe, Nancy Brunning; NZ; family melodrama; released 3Mar16

Maiden Voyage (Colin Budds, 2005) telemovie; NZ

Man Who Lost His Head, The (Terry Johnson, 2007) romcom; Martin Clunes; British film mostly shot in NZ; concerned with the return of sacred carvings to NZ

Maori Maid 's Love, A (Raymond Longford, 1915) prod. Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, Vita Film Corp, Zealandia Photo Play Producing Co.; Lottie Lyell, Raymond Longford, Kenneth Carlisle, Rawdon Blandford; no footage exists; 5000 ft, five reels; Aust/NZ; first shown NZ Nov 1915; has a claim to being first NZ feature as first film of 4000ft or more to be made and screened there

Map of the Human Heart (Vincent Ward, 1993) wr. Louis Nowra, Vincent Ward; Patrick Bergin, Anne Parillaud, Jason Scott-Lee, Jeanne Moreau, Ben Mendelsohn, John Cusack, Robert Joamie, Annie Galipeau; set in Northern Canada

Map Reader, The (Harold Brodie, 2008) drama; NZ

Mark II (John Anderson, 1986) NZ; Mark II Ford Zephyr, unemployed teenagers on the run from drug dealers

Matariki (Michael Bennett, 2010) drama; NZ

Mauri (Merata Mita, 1988) NZ; Merata Mita is first Maori woman to direct a feature film

Meet Me in Miami (Eric Hannah, Iren Koster, 2005) Carlos Ponce, Eduardo Verastegui, Tara Leniston, Castulo Guerra, Richard Yniguez

Meet the Feebles (Peter Jackson, 1989) NZ; animated

Memories of Tomorrow (Amit Tripuraneni, 2005) crime; NZ

Memory and Desire (Niki Caro, 1997) wr. Niki Caro, story Peter Wells, dp Dion Beebe; Sayo and Keiji elope from Japan to New Zealand to get away from Keiji's interfering mother; NZ; www.nzvideos.org/memory.html

Men Shouldn't Sing (Sarah A. Higginson, Michael Bell, 2007) NZ

Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence (Nagisa Oshima, 1984) wr. Nagisa Oshima, Paul Mayersberg, from Laurens van der Post novel The Seed and the Sower, prod. Jeremy Thomas, dp Toichiro Narushima; David Bowie, Tom Conti, Fyuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi, Jack Thompson; Japan/NZ

Mesmerized (Michael Laughlin, 1984) aka Letter to George, Shocked; NZ; wr. Michael Laughlin, story by Jerzy Skolimowski; Jodie Foster, John Lithgow, Michael Murphy, Dan Shor, Harry Andrews; colonial romance

Middle Age Spread (John Reid, 1979) Endeavour Entertainment, NZ Film Commission, prod. John Barnett, wr. Keith Aberdein, dp Alun Bollinger; Grant Tilly, Dorothy McKegg, Peter Sumner, Bridget Armstrong, Donna Akersten; 98 min.

Mistake, A (Christine Jeffs, tba) wr. Christine Jeffs, prod. Christine Jeffs, Matthew Metcalfe, commencing principal photography 15Aug2022; NZ

Moontan (Alan Clay, 2007) short; NZ

Mortal Engines (Christian Rivers, 2018) Stephen Lang, Hugo Weaving, Frankie Adams; post-apocalyptic fantasy; NZ

Most Fun You Can Have Dying, The (Kirstin Marcon, 2012) wr. Kirstin Marcon, novel by Steven Gannaway, dp Crighton Bone; Matt Whelan, Roxane Mesquida, Pana Hema Taylor; NZ

Mr Wrong (Gaylene Preston, 1985) NZ; possessed Jaguar

Mr Pip (Andrew Adamson, 2012) Florence Korokoro, Eka Darville, Hugh Laurie; NZ; war

Mulholland Falls (Lee Tamahori, 1996) NZ director, American film, NOT Australasian

Murmurs (Alexander Greenhough, Elric Kane, 2004) drama mystery; NZ

Muru (Tearepa Kahi, 2022) wr. Tearepa Kahi, Jason Nathan; Cliff Curtis, Ray Ryan, Manu Bennett; NZ

Mutiny of the Bounty, The (Raymond Longford, 1916) Aust/NZ; wr. Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, dp Franklyn Barrett, A. O. Segerberg, Charles Newham; George Cross (Captain Bligh), John Storm (George III), D. L. Dalziel (Sir Joseph Banks), Wilton Power (Fletcher Christian); no footage exists; 5000ft

My Lady of the Cave (Rudall Hayward, 1922) Gordon Campbell, Hazel West; 5000ft, 83 min.; only portions remain; NZ

My Wedding and Other Secrets (Roseanne Liang, 2011) romcom; NZ


N


Savage Islands (Ferdinand Fairfax, 1983) aka Nate and Hayes (USA); USA/NZ copro; dp Tony Imi; Tommy Lee Jones, Michael O'Keefe, Max Phipps, Jenny Seagrove, Grant Tilly, Bill Johnson; 101 min.

Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey, The (Vincent Ward, 1988) Aust/NZ, Arenafilm, prod John Maynard, dp Geoffrey Simpson; Bruce Lyons, Chris Haywood, Hamish McFarlane, Marshall Napier, Noel Appleby, Paul Livingston, Sarah Peirse; 93 min.

Nemesis Game (Jesse Warn, 2003) Canada/NZ/UK copro

Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi, 2023) wr. Taika Waititi, Iain Morris; Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana; comedy; the infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team, known for a brutal 2001 FIFA match they lost 31-0; NZ

Never Say Die (Geoff Murphy, 1988) wr. Andy Borowitz, Geoff Murphy, prod. Barrie Everard, Geoff Murphy, Murray Newey, dp Rory O'Shea; Lisa Eilbacher, Temuera Morrison, Tony Barry, George Wendt, Geoff Murphy, Barrie Everard, Colin Clarke; investigative journalist, anti-apartheid; NZ

Ngati (Barry Barclay, 1987) wr. Tama Poata, prod. John O'Shea, dp Rory O'Shea; Tuta Ngarimu Tamati, Iranui Haig, Tawai Moana, Michael Tibble, Oliver Jones, Wi Kuki Kaa; first feature dir. by Maori; in a remote seaside village, an Australian doctor becomes involved in public and personal crises; NZ; 92 min.

Night Raiders (Danis Goulet, tba) exec. prod. Taika Waititi; NZ-Canada copro

No. 2 (Toa Fraser, 2006) aka Naming Number Two; wr. Toa Fraser, prod. Tim White, Lydia Livingstone Philippa Campbell, Colonial Encounters & Southern Light Films, finance New Zealand Film Commission, Working Title Films, Miramax Films, NZ On Air, TVNZ; Ruby Dee (Nanna Maria) Tuva Novotny (Danish Maria); inspired by a dream of her childhood back in Fiji, Nanna Maria demands that her grandchildren put on a big feast at which she will name her successor

No-one Can Hear You (John Laing, 2001) thriller; NZ

Northspur (Aaron Falvey, 2022) Josh McKenzie, Michael Hurst, Marshall Napier; NZ


Nude Tuesday (Armagan Ballantyne, 2022) Jackie van Beek, Damon Harriman, Jemaine Clement; comedy; NZ

Nutcase (Roger Donaldson, 1980) wr. Keith Aberdein, Ian Mune, prod. Aardvark Films, Endeavour Productions, NZFC, dp Graeme Cowley, grip Stuart Dryburgh; Nevan Rowe, Ian Watkin, Michael Wilson, Ian Mune; NZ


O


Offensive Behaviour (Patrick Gillies, 2004) comedy

Offering, The (Taggart Siegel, Francesca Fisher, 1996) aka Shadow of the Pepper; Mexico/NZ/USA

Old Scores (Alan Clayton, 1991) NZ

On the Friendly Road (Leonard P. Leary, 1936) NZ Film Guild, prod. Leonard P. Leary, wr. George Altier, Leonard P. Leary, idea Rudall Hayward, dp Rudall Hayward; Rev. C.G. Scrimgeour, Stanley Knight, John Mackie, Jean Hamilton; NZ; 7592ft, 84 min.

Once Were Warriors (Lee Tamahori, 1994) Temuera Morrison (Jake the Muss), Rena Owen; NZ

One Hundred Crowded Years (H. H. Bridgman, 1940) dramatised documentary? including Treaty of Waitangi, 1840; NZ

Orator, The(Tusi Tamasese, 2011) aka O Le Tulafale; first feature from Samoa

Orphans and Angels (Harold Brodie, 2003) NZ, wr. Harold Brodie, ed. Harold Brodie, music Blind Divine; Emmeline Hawthorne, Christopher Brown

Orphans and Kingdoms (Paolo Rotondo, 2014) drama; NZ

Other Halves (John Laing, 1984) NZ, Orringham Ltd, prod. Tom Finlayson, Dean Hill, wr. Sue McCauley from her novel, dp Leon Narbey; Lisa Harrow, Mark Pilisi, Paul Gittins, Clare Clifford, Bruce Purchase, Emma Piper, Temuera Morrison; 106 min.

Out of the Blue (Robert Sarkies, 2006) drama; NZ

Ozzie (William Tannen, 2001) aka The Koala Wonder from Down Under; family


P


Pa Boys, The (Himiona Grace, 2014) road movie; NZ

Pallet on the Floor (Lynton Butler, 1986) NZ

Patu (Merata Mita, 1983) documentary, NZ

Peach (Christine Parker, 1995) short; NZ

Penny Black (Joe Hitchcock, 1015) road movie; NZ

Perfect Creature (Glenn Standring, 2006) vampire; NZ

Perfect Strangers (Gaylene Preston, 2003) wr. Gaylene Preston, dp Alun Bollinger; Sam Neill, Rachael Blake, Joel Tobeck; prod. Huntaway Films (Sam Neill, John Clarke, Jay Cassells); NZ

Phar Lap's Son (Dr A. L. Lewis, 1936) aka Phar Lap's Son?; South Seas Films Ltd, technical advisers Jack Welsh, Lee Hill; Harry V. Smith, Peggy/Peggie Collie; NZ; 5623ft, 63 min.

Pictures (Michael Black, 1981) wr. Robert Lord, John O'Shea, prod. John O'Shea, Pacific Films; Kevin J. Wilson, Peter Vere-Jones, Helen Moulder, Elizabeth Coulter; photographers in 1880s NZ; in pioneer New Zealand, two brothers learn about the realities of their new and different life; 87 min.

Pirates of the Airwaves (Charlie Haskell, 2014) radio pirates; NZ

Pork Pie (Matt Murphy, 2017) wr. Matt Murphy, dp Crighton Bone; Dean O'Gorman, James Rolleston, Ashleigh Cummings; remake of Goodbye Pork Pie; road movie, adventure; NZ; released 4 May

Power of the Dog, The (Jane Campion, 2021) wr. Jane Campion, novel by Thomas Savage, prod. Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian; Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst; psychodrama: two ranch-owning brothers in Montana; won Best Director Venice; Netflix Original; shot NZ

Possum (Brad McGann, 1997) NZ; short; 19 min.

Predicament (Jason Stutter, 2010) crime comedy; NZ

Price of Milk, The (Harry Sinclair, 2000) comedy drama; NZ

Prisoners (Peter Werner, 1982) Aust/NZ; Tatum O'Neal, Colin Friels, Shirley Knight, David Hemmings, Bruno Lawrence, Ralph Cotterill, John Bach, Ira Seidenstein, Michael Hurst


Q


Queen City Rocker (Bruce Morrison, 1986) aka Tearaway; NZ

Quiet Earth, The (Geoff Murphy, 1985) wr. Craig Harrison (novel), Bill Baer, Bruno Lawrence, Sam Pillsbury, prod. Sam Pillsbury, Don Reynolds, dp James Bartle; Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Pete Smith, Anzac Wallace; scifi; NZ

Quiet Night In (Christopher Banks, 2005) comedy; NZ


R


Race for the Yankee Zephyr (David Hemmings, 1981) ANZ/US copro; aka Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr; prod. John Barnett, Antony I. Ginnane, David Hemmings for F. G. H. Film Consortium, Zephyr Films, First Gty Films, wr. Everett DeRoche, dp David Monton, music Brian May, ed. John Laing, design Bernard Hides; Bruno Lawrence, George Peppard, Donald Pleasence, Ken Wahl, Lesley Ann Warren, Donald Pleasence; action thriller, search for money from crash; Eastman colour, 35mm, 100 min.

Rage (Danny Mulheron, 2011) wr. Grant O'Fee, Tom Scott; Maria Walker, Ryan O'Kane, Paul Harrop; 1981 Springbok tour of NZ

Raider of the South Seas (Chris Bailey, 1990) Canada/NZ copro telemovie; action/family

Rain (Christine Jeffs, 2003) NZ, Sarah Peirse, Marton Csokas, Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki, Alistair Browning, Aaron Murphy; Metro, 136: 78-80; 82-85; 'Endurance' is 'holding on ... it's holding on, and now it's my turn.' 'So then we just went on.'

Rain of the Children (Vincent Ward, 2008)

Rangi's Catch (Michael Forlong, 1973) NZ, Michael Forlong Productions for the Children's Film Foundation, UK, wr. Michael Forlong, dp William Jordan; Andrew Kerr, Temuera Morrison, Kate Forlong, Vernon Hill, Ian Mune; children's; 8460ft, 72 min.

Red House, The (Alyx Duncan, 2012) Lee Stuart; Meng Jia Stuart; drama; cross-cultural relationship; NZ

Rehearsal, The (Alison Maclean, 2016) Michelle Ny, James Rolleston, Ella Edward, Errol Shand, Rachel Roberts, Kerry Fox; NZ

Repeat Performance (Dale G. Bradley, 1996) drama; not NZ? shot partly in NZ?

Rest for the Wicked (Simon Pattison, 2011) crime; NZ

Return to Paradise (Mark Robson, 1953) US production shot in Samoa

Returning, The (John Day, 1990) Aust/NZ

Rewi's Last Stand (Rudall Hayward, 1925) Maori War Films Ltd, wr. Rudall Hayward from history, dp Frank Stewart; Frank Nemo, Nola Casselli, M. Millington, Eric Yates, Edmund Finney, Chief Abe (Rewi Maniapoto); the last stand of Rewi Maniapoto at the Battle of Orakau in 1863; remade in 1940 as a sound film by the same director; NZ

Rewi's Last Stand (Rudall Hayward, 1940) aka The Last Stand: An Episode of the New Zealand Wars; Frontier Films Ltd, wr. Rudall Hayward, source Cowan's history, dp Rudall Hayward, Edwin Coubray; Leo Pilcher, Ramai Te Miha, Henare Toka; NZ; 5750ft, 64 min.

River Queen (Vincent Ward, 2005) NZ epic; Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland, Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison, Stephen Rea; Toronto Sept 2005

Romance of Hine-Moa, The (Gustav Pauli, 1926) Gaumont, dp Gustav Pauli; Maata Hurihanganui, Akuhato, Tingarue; third of three Hinemoa films

Romance of Maoriland, The (Edward T. Brown, 1930) wr. Edward T. Brown, dp Edwin Coubray; Patch Mason, Tom Campbell; was to be NZ first talking feature but was never released; 11300ft; 30 min. remains

Romance of Sleepy Hollow, The (Henry J. Makepeace, 1923) Francis X. Bouzaid, June Phillips; comedy-drama; 5700ft cut to 4800ft by the censor; NZ

Ruby and Rata (Gaylene Preston, 1990) NZ

Runaway (John O'Shea, 1964) wr. John Graham, John O'Shea, prod. John O'Shea, dp Tony Williams; Colin Broadley, Nadja Regin, Deidre McCarron, Selwyn Muru, Barry Crump, Gil Corwall, Kiri Te Kanawa; thriller road movie; NZ

Russian Snark (Stephen Sinclair, 2011) NZ


S


Savage Honeymoon (Mark Beesley, 1998) NZ

Savage Islands (Ferdinand Fairfax, 1983) aka Nate and Hayes; NZ

Saving Grace (Costa Botes) NZ

Scarecrow, The (Sam Pillsbury, 1981) aka Klynham Summer (USA), wr. Michael Heath, Sam Pillsbury from novel by Ronald Hugh Morrieson, prod. Rob Whitehouse, Oasis Films, NZNFU, dp James Bartle; John Carradine, Jonathan Smith, Tracy Mann, Daniel McLaren; thriller; NZ

Scarfies (Robert Sarkies, 1999) aka Crime 101; NZ; 94 min.

Seal Hunters, The (Paul Maunder, 1973) NZ, short, ed. Sam Neill

Second Time Lucky (Michael Anderson, 1984) comedy; NZ

Second-Hand Wedding (Paul Murphy, 2010) wr. Nick Ward, Linda Niccol; Holly Shanahan, Geraldine Brophy; NZ

Secrets (Michael Pattinson, 1992) aka One Crazy Night, Do You Want to Know a Secret? prod. Michael Pattinson, wr. Jan Sardi; Beth Champion (Emily), Malcolm Kennard (Danny), Danii Minogue (Didi), Willa O'Neill (Vicki), Noah Taylor (Randolf); teenpic; five teenagers break into the hotel where the Beatles are staying but get no further than the service basement; trapped there together, they tell each other their secrets, with the Kennard character as the evil catalyst; filmed in Wellington standing in for Melbourne

Seekers, The (Ken Annakin, 1954) aka Land of Fury, Group Film Productions, Fanfare Films, prod. George H. Brown, wr. William Fairchild, dp Geoffrey Unsworth; Jack Hawkins, Glynis Johns, Noel Purcell, Inia Te Wiata, Kenneth Williams, Laya Raki; NZ; 8100ft, 89 min.

Send a Gorilla (Melanie Read [Melanie Rodriga], 1988) wr. Melanie Read, prod. Dorothee Pinfold, dp Wayne Vinten; Carmel McGlone, Katherine McRae, Perry Piercy, John Callen; 96 min.

Separation City (Paul Middleditch, 2009) NZ; Joel Edgerton, Rhona Mitra, Danielle Cormack

Shaker Run (Bruce Morrison, 1985) NZ; car chases

Shearer's Breakfast, The (Scott Reynolds, 2001) aka Highway Psychos (Germany); Radha Mitchell, Josh Lucas, Barry Watson; mystery thriller; filmed NZ

Should I Be Good? (Grahame McLean, 1985) NZ

Show of Hands (Anthony McCarten, 2008) romcom; NZ

Shrimp on the Barbie, The (Michael Gottlieb, Alan Smithee, 1990) aka The Boyfriend from Hell: title used in UK because Mattel owns the word "Barbie"; Cheech Marin; comedy; NZ/USA; 86 min.

Siege (Mike Smith, 2012) aka True Crime: Siege; wr. John Banas; Joel Tobeck, Mark Mitchinson, Miriama Smith; crime; NZ; 90 min.

Silent One, The (Yvonne Mackay, 1984) NZ, prod. Dave Gibson, wr. Ian Mune, dp Ian Paul; Telo Malese, George Henare, Pat Evison, Anzac Wallace, Rongo Tupatea Kahu; first NZ fictional feature directed by a woman (cf. Trial Run); 92 min.

Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, The (Michael Tuchner, 1992) wr. Martin Copland & Scott Busby; Jon Voigt, Sam Neill, Bruno Lawrence, Kerry Fox, John Callen, Stacey Pickren, Michael Mizrahi, Tony Barry; NZ, 94 min.

Sione's Wedding (Chris Graham, 2006) wr. James Griffin, Oscar Kightly; NZ comedy

Sione's 2: Unfinished Business (Simon Bennett, 2012) comedy; NZ

Skin Deep (Geoffrey Steven, 1978) NZ, Phase Three Film Productions Ltd, prod. John Maynard, wr. Piers Davies, Roger Horrocks, Geoffrey Steven, idea by Geoffrey Steven, dp Leon Narbey; Ken Blackburn, Deryn Cooper, Alan Jervis, Grant Tilly; 110 min.

Sleeping Dogs (Roger Donaldson, 1977) wr. Christian K. Stead (novel Smith's Dream—as Karl Stead), Ian Mune, Arthur Baysting, prod. Roger Donaldson, Larry Parr, dp Michael Seresin, gaffer Alun Bollinger; Sam Neill, Warren Oates, Nevan Rowe, Ian Mune; NZ

Slow West (John Maclean, 2015) Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ben Mendelsohn

Smash Palace (Roger Donaldson, 1981) wr. Roger Donaldson, Peter Hansard, Bruno Lawrence, prod. Roger Donaldson, Larry Parr, dp Graeme Cowley, gaffer Stuart Dryburgh; Bruno Lawrence, Anna Maria Monticelli (as Anna Jemison), Greer Robson, Keith Aberdein; NZhunt fo

Snakeskin (Gillian Ashurst, 2001) thriller/adventure; NZ

Soldier's Tale, A (Larry Parr, 1988) France/NZ

Soldier Boys (John King, 1967) NZ

Solo (Tony Williams, 1978) prod. David Hannay, Tony Williams, wr. Martyn Sanderson, Tony Williams, dp John Blick, music Marion Arts, Dave Fraser, Robbie Laven, design Paul Carvel, ed. Tony Williams; Lisa Peers, Vincent Gil, Perry Armstrong, Maxwell Fernie, Martyn Sanderson, Davina Whitehouse; romance drama; first Aust-NZ co-production; Eastman colour, 35mm, 96 min.

Song Of Good, A (Gregory King, 2008) crime drama; NZ

Sons for the Return Home (Paul Maunder, 1979) Pacific Films/NZ Film Commission, wr. Paul Maunder from novel by Albert Wendt (Samoa), dp Alun Bollinger, art director Vincent Ward; Uelese Petaia, Fiona Lindsay, Moira Walker, Lani Tupu, 117 min.

Spooked (Geoff Murphy, 2004) wr. Ian Wishart (book), Geoff Murphy, prod. Geoff Dixon, Mark Hotchin, Merata Mita, Geoff Murphy, Don Reynolds, Eric Watson, dp Rewa Harre; Cliff Curtis, Christopher Hobbs, Andrea Kelland, Ian Mune, John Leigh, Mark Ferguson, Greg Johnson, Kevin J. Wilson, Alison Bruce, Vincent Ward; thriller; NZ

Spring Interlude (Martin Sagadin, 2019) wr. Martin Sagadin; Luke Agnew, Alayne Dick, Hannah Herchenbach; dramance; 79 min.

Squeeze (Richard Turner, 1980) Trilogic Film Productions, wr. Richard Turner, dp Ian Paul; Robert Shannon, Paul Eady, Donna Akersten; gay relationship; 79 min.

Starlight Hotel (Sam Pillsbury, 1987) wr. Grant Hinden-Miller, prod. Larry Parr, Finola Dwyer, Mirage Films, Challenge Film Corp, dp Warrick Attewell; Peter Phelps, Greer Robson, Marshall Napier, Bruce Phillips, The Wizard; Depression era NZ school-kid Kate missing her father badly; temptation to seek him out leads her into diverse and intense encounters with fate; NZ

State of Siege, A (Vincent Ward, 1978) NZ, prod. Timothy White, School of Fine Art, U Canterbury, dp Alun Bollinger, Michael Rathbone; Anne Flannery, Peggy Walker, John Bullock; thriller/drama; not feature length; 52 min.

Stickmen (Hamish Rothwell, 2001) drama; NZ

Strata (Geoffrey Steven, 1983) NZ, Phase Three Films Ltd, Prod. John Maynard, wr. Ester Krumbachova, Geoff Steven, Michael Havas, dp Leon Narbey; Nigel Davenport, John Banas, Judy Morris, Tom Brennan, Roy Billing; art film; 110 min.

Stray (Dustin Feneley, 2018), Kieran Charnock, Arta Dobroshi, Luciane Buchanan, NZ; released 4 Oct 2018

Strength of Water, The (Armagan Ballantyne, 2009) drama

Sylvia (Michael Firth, 1985) NZ; biopic of educationist Sylvia Ashton-Warner

Syrenia (Fraser Grut, 2014) fantasy; NZå


T


Taking the Waewae Express (Andrea Bosshard, 2008) drama; NZ

Tangiwai (Charlie Haskell, 2011) wr. Paula Boock, Donna Malane; Rose McIver, Ryan O'Kane, Miranda Harcourt; NZ train crash

Tank, The (Scott Walker, tba) wr. Scott Walker, prod. Matthew Metcalfe, Scott Walker; NZ

Tatooist, The (Peter Burger, 2007) horror thriller; NZ

Te Kooti Trail, The (Rudall Hayward, 1927) Whakatane Films, wr. Rudall Hayward, Frank Bodle, dp Rudall Hayward, Oswald Caldwell; Jasper Calder, Billie Andreasson, Arthur Lord, Eric Yandell; 7100ft

Te Rua (Barry Barclay, 1991) wr. Barry Barclay, prod. John O'Shea, dp Rory O'Shea, Warrick Attewell; Wi Kuki Kaa, Nissie Herewini, Tilly Reedy; an iwi's attempts to repatriate stolen carvings from a German museum back to their rightful place in Aotearoa; NZ, colour, PG, 105 min.

Teesh and Trude (Melanie Rodriga, 2002) Susie Porter, Linda Cropper, Peter Phelps; world premiere Brisbane Film Festival 13 July 2002, then Melbourne Film Festival later the same month; national season began Perth Thursday 6 March 2003; Australian film, NZ director

Terror Peak (Dale G. Bradley, 2003) telemovie; NZ

Test, The (Rawdon Blandford, 1916) NZ

Test Pictures: Eleven Vignettes from a Relationship (Geoffrey Steven, 1975) NZ, Hinge Film Productions, prod. Geoff Chapple, Erik Braithwaite, wr. Denis Taylor, dp Geoffrey Steven; Denis Taylor, Lee Feltham, Francis Halpin, Moira Turner, Geoff Barlow, Dora Warren, Barbara Saipe, Mark Elmore, Mike Fitzgerald; couple move to a small community in the country to live an alternate lifestyle (Verhoeven 1999: 500); 955m., 87 min.

This is New Zealand (Hugh Macdonald, 1970) documentary, triptypch presentation; three screen film for Expo 70 in Japan

This is not a Love Story (Keith Hill, 2002) comedy drama; NZ

To Love a Maori (Rudall Hayward, Ramai Hayward, 1972) NZ, Rudall and Ramai Hayward Film Productions, wr. Rudall & Ramai Hayward, Diane Francis from case studies by Diane Francis, dp Alton Francis; Val Iriwn, Marie Searell, Desmond Lock, Sybil Lock/Westland; 3850ft, 104 min.

Tongan Ninja (Jason Stutter, 2002) action comedy musical; NZ

Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (Harry Sinclair, 1997) NZ

Toy Love (Harry Sinclair, 2002) romcom; NZ

Tracker (Ian Sharp, 2010) NZ; Ray Winstone, Temuera Morrison

Treasure Island Kids 1: The Battle of Treasure Island (Gavin Scott, 2006) adventure/family; NZ

Treasure Island Kids 1: The Monster of Treasure Island (Gavin Scott, 2006) adventure/family; NZ

Treasure Island Kids 1: The Mystery of Treasure Island (Gavin Scott, 2006) adventure/family; NZ

Trespasses (Peter Sharp, 1984) NZ, prod. Tom Finlayson, Dean Hill, wr. Maurice Gee, Tom Finlayson, dp Leon Narbey; Patrick McGoohan, Emma Piper, Andy Anderson, Terence Cooper; 101 min.

Trial Run (Melanie Read [Melanie Rodriga], 1984) Cinema and TV Productions/NZ Film Commission, prod. Don Reynolds, wr. Melanie Read, dp Allen Guilford; Annie Whittle, Judith Gibson, Christopher Broun, Philippa Mayne, Stephen Tozer, Martyn Sanderson; psychological thriller; second NZ fictional feature directed by a woman (beaten by three months by The Silent One); 91 min.

Turbo Kid (François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, 2015) action/adventure/comedy/superhero/post-apocalyptic; NZ

Tyrannical Love (Scott Boswell, 2005) romcom; NZ


U


Ugly, The (Scott Reynolds, 1997) NZ

Under the Mountain (Chris Bailey, 1982) TV series; family/scifi; NZ

Under the Mountain (Jonathan King, 2009) NZ

Under the Southern Cross (Gustav Pauli, 1927) Gaumont; Charles Aubrey Ashford, Moataa Doughty, Tui Fryer; typical pioneer plot; 5000ft

Under the Southern Cross (Lew Collins, 1929) aka The Devil's Pit; Universal, dp Wilfred Cline, Howard Smith; Patiti Warbrick, Witarina Mitchell, Hoana Keeha, Ani Warbrick; 5606ft silent, 6279ft sound; The Devil's Pit arguably first NZ sound fiction film, except that the sound inserts were added in the USA

Undercover (Yvonne Mackay, 1991) NZ

Uproar (Hamish Bennett, Paul Middleditch, 2023) Minnie Driver, Rhys Darby, Julian Dennison, NZ

User Friendly (Gregor Nicholas, 1990) NZ

Utu (Geoff Murphy, 1983) wr. Keith Aberdein, Geoff Murphy, prod. Con Blakeney, Geoff Murphy, dp Graeme Cowley; Anzac Wallace, Bruno Lawrence, Tim Elliott; NZ


V


Via Satellite (Anthony McCarten, 1998) NZ; comedy

Vector File, The (Eliot Christopher, 2002) telemovie; NZ/Germany copro; adventure drama

Venus of the South Seas (James R. Sullivan, 1924) aka Venus of the Southern Seas; Lee Bradford Corporation and NZ Dominion Productions, ass dp Bert Bridgeman; Annette Kellerman, Roland Purdu, Norman French, Robert Ramsey; five reels, 7000ft; NZ

Vigil (Vincent Ward, 1984) NZ, John Maynard Productions, prod. John Maynard, wr. Vincent Ward, Graeme Tetley, Fiona Lindsay, dp Alun Bollinger; Bill Kerr, Fiona Kay, Gordon Shields, Penelope Stewart, Frank Whitten; 91 min.

Vintner's Luck, The (Niki Caro, 2009) romance drama; France/NZ

Waimate Conspiracy, The (Stefen Harris, 2006) drama; NZ


W


Wagon and the Star, The (J.J.W. Pollard, 1936) aka The Waggon and the Star, wr. J.J.W. Pollard, dp Lee Hill, sound Jack Welsh; John Peake, Faye Hinchey, William Buchanan; NZ

Waiting Place, The (Cristobal Araus Lobos, 2001) thriller drama; NZ

War Stories (Gaylene Preston, 1995) NZ

Warrior's Way, The (Sngmoo Lee, 2010) martial arts western; NZ

Waru (8 directors, 2017) story surrounding the tangi (funeral) of a Waru boy who dies at the hands of his caregiver and how his death impacts the community; drama, NZ

We're Here to Help (Jonothan Cullinane, 2007) Erik Thomson; drama; NZ; A Kafkaesque comedy based on the true story of one man's David-and-Goliath battle with the biggest bureaucracy of all - the tax department. He wins, they lose?

Whale Rider (Niki Caro, 2003) NZ

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted (Ian Mune, 1999) Temuera Morrison (Jake the Muss), Rena Owen; NZ

What We Do in the Shadows (Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, 2014) wr. Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi; Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Jonathan Brugh; NZ vampire mockumentary

When Love Comes (Garth Maxwell, 1998) NZ

When Night Falls (Alex Galvin, 2007) thriller; NZ

When Strangers Appear (Scott Reynolds, 2001) aka Highway Psychos, Shearer's Breakfast; action drama; filmed in NZ

Whina (James Napier Robertson, Paula Whetu Jones, 2022) Rena Owen, Vinnie Bennett, James Rolleston; biopic of Dame Whina Cooper; NZ

White Lies (Dana Rotberg, 2013) wr. Dana Rotberg from novel Medicine Woman by Witi Ihimaera; Whirimako Black, Rachel House, Antonia Prebble, Nancy Brunning, Te Waimarie Kessell; drama; NZ; NZ submission in the best foreign language film category, Oscars 2014

Whole of the Moon, The (Ian Mune, 1996) NZ

Wild Blue (Dale G. Bradley, 2000) family melodrama; NZ

Wild Horses (Derek Morton, 1984) Endeavour Productions/NZ Film Commission, prod. John Barnett, wr. Kevin O'Sullivan, dp Doug Milsome; Keith Aberdein, John Bach, Kevin J. Wilson, Sara, Tom Poata, Bruno Lawrence, Marshall Napier, Martyn Sanderson; 90 min.

Wild Man (Geoff Murphy, 1977) wr. Bruno Lawrence, Geoff Murphy, Martyn Sanderson, Ian Watkin, prod. Bruno Lawrence, Ray Murphy, dp Alun Bollinger; Bruno Lawrence, Ian Watkin, Tony Barry, Martyn Sanderson; NZ

Woodenhead (Florian Habicht, 2003) fantasy; NZ

World's Fastest Indian, The (Roger Donaldson, 2006) Invercargill, NZ; Anthony Hopkins; life of Burt Munro who set land speed records on his Indian Scout motorcycle

Wound (David Blyth, 2010) Kate O'Rourke, Te Kaea Beri, Campbell Cooley; supernatural horror; NZ


Y


Young Detectives On Wheels, The (Roger Donaldson, 2005) family; NZ


Z


Zilch! (Richard Riddiford, 1989) NZ


References

Dennis, Jonathan & Jan Bieringa eds 1992, Film in Aotearoa New Zealand, Victoria University Press, Wellington.

Mayer, Geoff & Keith Beattie, The Cinema of Australia and New Zealand, Wallflower, 2006.

Murray, Scott ed. 1995, Australian Film 1978-1994: A Survey of Theatrical Features, editorial assistants Raffaele Caputo, Alissa Tanskaya, 2nd edn, OUP in association with the Australian Film Commission and Cinema Papers, Melbourne. Rev. and expanded edn of: Australian Film 1978-1992.

Pike, Andrew & Ross Cooper 1998, Australian Film 1900-1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, revised edition, OUP, Melbourne.

Verhoeven, Deb, 1999, Twin Peeks: Australian and New Zealand Feature Films, Damned Publishing, Melbourne.

Links

NZvideos.org : bibliography

www.nzvideos.org

www.nzonscreen.com

Wikipedia: Cinema of New Zealand

Wikipedia: List of New Zealand films


Garry Gillard | New: 8 July, 2012 | Now: 8 February, 2024