New Zealand International Film Festival 2026 preview

With the Auckland leg of the 2026 New Zealand International Film Festival beginning on Wednesday, it's almost time for cinephiles to dive into the dark of the matinee (and evening screenings too) for a range of international and national cinema.

From big winners at Cannes such as Fjord to a secret screening, there's more than enough to satiate audiences, but there are also films which may not see the light of day on a big screen again.

Opening the festival this year is a film that's come from Dame Jane Campion's filmmaking course Wave in the Ocean and which offers a New Zealand spin on the tried and true coming of age tale.

Big Girls Don't Cry by director Paloma Schneideman follows the life of 14-year-old Sid (Ani Palmer) who tackles six long weeks of summer during 2006. Set in the northern edges of Auckland, it's a sensitive, if familiar tale of a girl trying to find her way in life - and negotiating her growing feelings towards other girls.

Blessed with a sensitivity and pace, the tropes are familiar ones as Sid deals with immature boys and girls whose viciousness comes from their own desire to seem experienced. But it's in the quieter moments the film triumphs as its universally relatable themes come carefully to the fore.

In 2023, a film about a donkey proved to be popular at the NZIFF. 2026's spiritual successor to Eo is the Hungarian director György Pálfi's film Hen, a story of an errant black hen.

From literal birth (a close-up at the start unleashes an egg) to life on a battery farm before accidental escape at a service station, Hen follows the plucky chick as she literally crosses the road at the petrol stop to a new life in a rundown taverna in Greece.

Pushed into the hen house, beaten by others within and stopped from trying to break free, Pálfi's film is an at times humorous look at the follies of life as it presents a sympathetic and almost simplistic way of animal life, looking to humans for salvation, empathy and company. And much like Eo, there's a distinct danger in every interaction - add in a story of human trafficking and the film springs vibrantly and surprisingly to life, thanks to some incredible performances from a string of hens strutting their stuff.

As light as a song on the breeze, director Christopher Nelius' Whistle (not to be confused with the recent horror movie of the same name) is as genial and pleasant as they come - and content to let its subjects do the talking.

Or in this case, the competitive whistling as it follows the competitors at the Masters of Musical Whistling event. From a Spanish ingenue to a Japanese artist who never manages first place, the film's packed with quirky characters and genuine heart.

Chief to all of this is the ever-so slightly out of control self-appointed director of the event Carol Anne Kaufman, whose aspirations mix with a kind of danger as she doesn't suffer fools gladly. The documentary has the kind of feel of an almost mocking tone, but it never crosses that boundary, preferring instead to salute the genuine sweetness of the performers and their performances.

Finally, perhaps the most important film on the programme is the Oscar-nominated The Voice of Hind Rajab.

There's a degree of provocation in Four Daughters' director Kaouther Ben Hania's distressing docu-drama that meshes The Guilty's call centre setting with a 24-style story set in the war in Gaza.

But the biggest shock of all is that it's based on true events - and is incredibly harrowing, thanks to Hania's one single choice: to use the emergency audio of a 5-year-old girl caught in the middle of a horrific conflict in Gaza.

When a call comes into the Palestinian Red Crescent from a little girl trapped in her car as the tanks and guns fire all around her, the volunteers race to save her from afar. But what should be an 8-minute rescue run for a local ambulance turns into a bureaucratic nightmare where nobody can win and the victim is the little girl.

It's stirring, horrific and urgent fare - and grippingly unmissable.

For more on this year's programme, head to nziff.co.nz

Spider-Man: Brand New Day: Movie Review

Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Mark Ruffalo, Sadie Sink
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

It's a Brand New Day for Peter Parker. 

Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him—and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him - sparks a change in Peter he may not have the power to control. 

But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves - a powerful villain no one can even see.

The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them.

Rhythm Paradise Groove: Nintendo Switch Review

Developed by Nintendo / TNX
Published by Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch

Nintendo's back with another one of those block-rocking beats.

But unfortunately, if you're not on board with the timing, Rhythm Paradise Groove can be anything but paradise for players struggling to keep up with the bitesize games on offer.

Much like Parappa The Rapper did for PlayStation way back when, Rhythm Paradise Groove is perfectly suited for the Nintendo mentality of pick up and play - and get others involved.

The key to the game is its simplicity as you only have to press one button to carry out the required timing jumps and various challenges (though some throw some stick controls in as well) - but as ever with this type of game, just because it appears to be easy doesn't mean it is.

Whereas the likes of Guitar Hero and Rock Band were all about the skills and twisting of the hands to meet the combo requirements, Rhythm Paradise Groove decides to use simple gameplay mechanics and simple beats to help you get to where you need.

From jumping through hoops to talking to an alien, the clutch of mini games is colourful, bright and simple to watch without being distracting. But this is a game that's about auditory cues, and as such, the music's the star - it's highly recommended that you use headphones to achieve the best results early on.

However, it's never easy to achieve, with various things cropping up on screen to make play a little more difficult - whether it's the screen blacking out or the movement not quite working like it should, the game has a way of making it trickier than you'd expect.

With multiplayer games offering a respite from the solo efforts (and offering different games too), Rhythm Paradise Groove really does find its groove and its audience early on. It's definitely worth a spin, but don't be surprised if you find yourself feeling like you're struggling to start with - perseverance is the key here and it's all the better for it.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season Three first look

Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Brings an Epic New Season Three Teaser Trailer, Exciting News and Lots of Surprises to San Diego Comic-Con’s Iconic Hall H

 

New Season Three Characters Revealed!  Eddie Marsan as “Thrain,” Andrew Richardson as “Anarion,”

and Adam Young as “Marnûkh;”’ alongside the previously announced

Jamie Campbell Bower as “Celeborn,” and Zubin Varla as “Khamûl the Easterling”

 

Simon Pegg Cast as the Voice of “The Balrog”

 

Four Ominous “Nazgnagôl” (Ring-Servants) Made a Surprise Appearance During the Series’ Panel

to Pay Homage to Sauron

 

The Rings of Power’s Highly Anticipated New Season Premieres November 11 on Prime Video

 

Today, in San Diego Comic-Con’s iconic Hall H, over 6,500 fans were transported back to Middle-earth as Prime Video showcased the highly anticipated third season of the epic fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were joined by several of the show’s cast for a fun and insightful conversation moderated by High King Gil-galad himself, series star Benjamin Walker. The panel not only debuted a thrilling new teaser trailer, but revealed some exciting highlights from the new season, and a few surprises as well!

 

Cast members Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Daniel Weyman, and Season Three newcomer Jamie Campbell Bower, all participated in the panel, which was jam-packed with exclusive news and riveting visual elements, including:

 

• A brand-new teaser trailer unveiled the darker tone and some epic moments from Season Three, as Sauron’s quest to forge the One Ring is fully underway, and his goal to control all of Middle-earth threatens every one of its realms, causing new, and sometimes uneasy alliances to be formed to try and stop him.

 

• There were several exciting Season Three character reveals for previously announced actors throughout the panel.  They join two other characters that were revealed earlier this week - Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things) as Galadriel’s long-lost husband, “Celeborn,” and Zubin Varla (Andor) who plays “Khamûl the Easterling,” of Rhûn.  The new reveals during the panel were:
• Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky) portraying King Durin IV’s older brother, “Thrain”
• Andrew Richardson (Guys & Dolls) playing Elendil’s younger son and Isildur’s brother, “Anarion”
• Adam Young (Don’t Breathe 2) as “Marnûkh,” a mysterious Orc who may not be what he seems

 

• The Balrog Speaks!  And it’s Simon Pegg!  A special in-room only featurette titled “Bringing Season Three’s Creatures to Life” showed highlights of several creatures that will be seen this season, including Fell-beasts, the war elephants known as Mûmakil, Orcs, and the return of the fiery Balrog, who for the first time ever will speak - and that voice is revealed to be none other than acclaimed actor Simon Pegg (The Cornetto Trilogy, Mission Impossible, Star Trek)!

 

• In addition, The Rings of Power’s Hall H panel was interrupted midway by a surprise appearance of four menacing Nazgnagôl in full armor, who were awaiting Sauron’s command. Introduced this season, these entities are ring-servants of Sauron and are the earlier Second Age incarnation of the Nazgûl, also known as Ringwraiths, of the Third Age.

 

The first four episodes of Season Three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere on November 11, 2026.  Episodes 305 & 306 will be available to stream on November 18th, and the final two episodes of the season will be released on November 25th.

 

In Season Three, Middle-earth is at war. Five years have passed since the fall of Eregion. Sauron’s armies have marched across the whole of the world, conquering all in their path. Only a few isolated pockets stand between the Dark Lord and total victory – Khazad-dûm, where the Dwarves are now sealed deep within their mountain halls, and the elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell, which are protected by their Three Rings. But deep in the land of Mordor, in his newly completed tower of Barad-dûr, the Dark Lord toils day and night, obsessed with harnessing a power that will bring the last of his enemies to their knees: One Ring to rule them all... Now, all the free peoples of Middle-earth – Dwarves, Elves, Men, and Wizards alike – must find a way to come together, in a race against time to prevent Sauron from achieving his goal of utter domination of all life…

 

The third season of The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and executive producer-director Charlotte Brändström. Matthew Penry-Davey is producer and Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene, and Andrew Lee are co-producers.

 

The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. The series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.

 

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is one of the highest performing and most-viewed titles ever on Prime Video, with a broad, highly engaged, global fan base. Critics have praised the series for its epic scope and production values, and Seasons One and Two are Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Through their respective 91 day post premiere launch windows and ranked by viewers, Season One remains the biggest TV series premiere in the history of Prime Video, and Season Two is among the Top 5 most watched returning seasons ever. Season Two debuted as the #1 Original Series on Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 Chart and remained in the top 4 throughout its entire run. The globally successful and award-winning series, which has attracted over 185 million viewers worldwide, also continues to be one of Amazon’s strongest drivers for new Prime membership sign-ups.

 

All sixteen episodes of the first two seasons are available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.

Blade Runner 2099 first look

The highly anticipated Blade Runner TV series, coming to Prime Video, has revealed its first look during San Diego Comic Con.

The show will premiere on Prime Video on November 25, 2026.

 Today, at the iconic Hall H panel in front of more than 6,500 fans, Prime Video brought Blade Runner 2099 stars Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer, alongside showrunner Silka Luisa and executive producers Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson to the stage for a compelling conversation. All eight episodes will premiere on November 25, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

 

Fifty years after the events of Blade Runner 2049, Los Angeles has been reborn, just not by humanity. Cora, a fugitive in a final bid to stop running, takes on one last identity: a Blade Runner. Forced to partner with Olwen, a Replicant days from dying, she hunts down a runaway hiding a truth that could collapse their fragile city,

 

Dimitri Abold (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) and Lewis Gribben (Somewhere Boy) are series regulars alongside stars Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer. Katelyn Rose Downey (The Nun II), Daniel Rigby (Renegade Nell), Johnny Harris ("A Gentleman in Moscow”), Amy Lennox (Only Child), Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Matthew Needham (House of the Dragon), Tom Burke (Furiosa) and Maurizio Lombardi (Ripley) are recurring guest stars.

 

Silka Luisa serves as showrunner and executive producer along with Ridley Scott, Alcon Entertainment co-founders Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson, Alcon's President of Television Ben Roberts, David W. Zucker and Clayton Krueger from Scott Free Productions, Tom Spezialy, Richard Sharkey, Michael Green, Cynthia Yorkin, Frank Giustra, and Isa Dick Hackett. Jonathan van Tulleken (Shogun) is an executive producer and directed the first two episodes of the limited series Blade Runner 2099. Steven Johnson is Co-EP.

Lanterns first look revealed

The first look at the brand-new DC series Lanterns has been revealed.

The series will debut on HBO Max on August 17.

The trailer for the series was revealed during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). The panel featured stars Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan and co-creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King. The eight-episode season debuts Monday, 17 August, only on HBO Max. 

The series follows new recruit John Stewart (Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery with cosmic ties as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

The series stars Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Jasmine Cephas Jones.

HBO in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios. The Lanterns pilot is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, who are co-creators for the series. Mundy serves as showrunner. The first two episodes are directed by James Hawes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel and Alik Sakharov also tapped to direct. The series is executive produced by Mundy, Lindelof, King, James Gunn, Peter Safran, Ron Schmidt and Hawes. Based on the DC comic characters from Green Lantern.

The DC Studios drama series Lanterns premieres Monday, 17 August, only on HBO Max.