E3: New XBox 360 unveiled

E3: New XBox  360 unveiled

Microsoft invites everyone to join the fun with a brand-new Xbox 360

Sleek and stylish new Xbox 360 unveiled alongside spectacular lineup of games, reaffirming Microsoft’s commitment to the celebrated console that has already sold 76 million units worldwide.

LOS ANGELES — June 10, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. Today at E3 offered everyone who has yet to own an Xbox 360or wants to update their existing console an irresistible new reason to jump in. Alongside the spectacular lineup of titles for its highly anticipated next Xbox entertainment system, Xbox One, Microsoft unveiled a fresh and exciting new design for Xbox 360. Launching in New Zealand at a yet to be announced date,, the new Xbox 360 will continue to roll out worldwide across all Xbox regions over the coming months, extending the life cycle and legacy of the celebrated console that has already sold 76 million units worldwide and has been the best-selling console in the U.S. for the past 28 months.

Sporting a sleek and stylish new design that resembles the Xbox One brand elements, the new Xbox 360 brings together a similar look and feel across the entire family of Xbox products. The new Xbox 360 appears stunning wherever it fits in the home and offers great performance. It is available in multiple value-packed editions for the same great prices as the existing console: $279.00 estimated retail price (RRP¹) for the 4GB console, $399.00 RRP for the 250GB edition and $399.00 RRP for the 4GB Kinect Bundle.

            “Xbox 360 offers unrivaled value — with more great games, an Xbox Live community with 48 million members, and a compelling lineup of apps, sports, movies, TV shows and music,” said Yusuf Mehdi, chief marketing and strategy officer, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft. “We’ve taken all we have learned these past eight years and engineered a new Xbox 360 console that is elegant and accessible to anyone. There’s never been a better time to experience everything Xbox 360 has to offer.”

As a message of thanks to the millions of Xbox fans around the world for their passion and loyalty, Microsoft announced that every qualifying Xbox Live Gold member — new or existing — will receive, at no additional charge, two Xbox 360 games per month starting July 1 until the release of Xbox One. These will include popular titles like “Halo 3” and “Assassin’s Creed II.” And to celebrate E3 in the month of June, Xbox Live Gold subscribers will have access to “Fable III” at no additional charge. ³ In addition, for a limited time gamers can get a Day One 12-month Xbox Live Gold membership and play “Killer Instinct: Round One,” with the exclusive Shadow Jago character, on Xbox One. Players will also receive a commemorative Day One membership card.

The world’s brightest creators are continuing to bring imaginative new titles to Xbox 360, which leads the games industry with more than 4,500 titles and 48 million Xbox Live members. At Microsoft’s E3 press briefing, acclaimed developer Wargaming.netannounced that a new installment of one of the world’s most popular action games, “World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition,” is coming exclusively to Xbox 360 later this year, bringing the franchise to a console platform for the first time. Custom-built for Xbox 360, “World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition” is a global online multiplayer phenomenon dedicated to tank warfare in the mid-20th century. Players will command some of history’s most powerful tanks and experience intense combat where the excitement of battle is enhanced by working together with their tank platoons to win the fight. “World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition” will be available as a Free-to-Play with Gold title for Xbox Live members and a limited-time trial for all Xbox Live account holders. Register for the beta athttp://www.worldoftanks.com/xbox.²

Microsoft also showcased “Max: The Curse of Brotherhood,” a follow-up to the popular game “Max and the Magic Marker,” coming exclusively to Xbox 360 later this year. The game tells the story of a boy named Max who embarks on a journey to find his little brother, Felix, after a giant monster steals him away. With the power of Kinect, players will guide Max through a mystical, blighted fantasy world, using powerful magical abilities to overcome puzzles and enemies and save Felix before it’s too late.

Fans of action games can wage war for their god as a brutal Caos warrior in “Ascend: Hand of Kul,” a Free-to-Play with Gold third-person action-RPG featuring innovative single and multiplayer gameplay. In addition, poker fans will be able to take their game to a whole new level with “World Series of Poker^®: Full House Pro,” which lets players build their in-game bankrolls as they compete against opponents from around the world.

In its sixth year, Summer of Arcade continues to deliver the most anticipated, premier collection of the best downloadable games available on Xbox Live. Coming later this summer, fans will have access to fun, quality games including “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Out of the Shadows” from Activision, “Flashback” by Ubisoft, “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” by 505 Games and “Charlie Murder” from Microsoft Studios.

In addition to these exclusive premieres, Xbox 360 will continue to deliver a staggering line-up of the most anticipated games from the world’s best studios, including “Call of Duty^®: Ghosts,” “Grand Theft Auto V,” “Battlefield 4™,” “Madden NFL 25,” “FIFA 14,” “Assassin’s Creed^® IV: Black Flag,” “Watch Dogs™,” “Batman: Arkham Origins” and “Fable Anniversary.” The line-up reaffirms that Xbox 360 remains the best place to enjoy this generation’s must-have blockbusters.

E3: XBox One games revealed

E3: XBox One games revealed

Xbox One brings the future of gaming to life

Microsoft Studios and the world’s biggest and most renowned publishers unveil blockbuster games line up for Xbox One, with more exclusive titles coming than any time in the history of Xbox.

LOS ANGELES — June 10, 2013 — Embark on a heroic adventure to seek vengeance across the battlefields of ancient Rome. Fire up the engines in the exhilarating return of the highest-rated racing franchise of the past 10 years.¹ Fight for survival in an immersive open world teeming with thousands of undead. Today, on the eve of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Microsoft Corp. kick-started a new era of games and entertainment with a stunning line up of blockbusters for the highly anticipated Xbox Onegaming and entertainment system, showcasing why it will be the premier platform to experience the future of games when it launches in New Zealand come November. 

Home to the biggest next-generation exclusives

At its E3 press briefing, Microsoft unveiled an unprecedented line up of world-premiere Xbox One blockbusters from some of the most innovative and celebrated studios on the planet, including 343 Industries, Crytek, Turn 10 Studios, Remedy, DICE,Capcom and Insomniac Games, along with support from virtually every major publisher in the industry.

 “Microsoft Studios is committed to making Xbox One the best place to play games, with more titles in development and more exclusives coming than at any time in the history of Xbox,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president, Microsoft Studios. “With amazing games such as ‘Forza Motorsport 5,’ ‘Ryse: Son of Rome,’ ‘Dead Rising 3,’ ‘Halo Xbox One,’ ‘Kinect Sports Rivals,’ ‘Project Spark’ and ‘Quantum Break,’ Xbox will continue to lead the industry with the biggest exclusives, new IP and blockbuster franchises that will delight gamers for the next decade and beyond.”

The world’s most visionary developers showcased how they’re leveraging the unrivalled power and performance of Xbox One to bring a new generation of games to life that look and feel like nothing else — fuelled by the power of Xbox One, the fidelity of the new Kinect and the expansive power of Xbox Live⁴. Renowned studio Crytek unveiled “Ryse: Son of Rome,” an epic action-adventure story that immerses you in the brutality and intensity of Roman warfare. “Ryse: Son of Rome” extends the gameplay experience with Xbox SmartGlass and Game DVR and lets you command legions with the sound of your voice using Kinect.

Award-winning developer Turn 10 Studios showcased the breath-taking visuals and adrenaline-filled action of “Forza Motorsport 5,” the next instalment of the genre-defining racing franchise. Built from the ground up to take advantage of Xbox One and the vast power of the cloud, “Forza Motorsport 5” features revolutionary Drivatar technology that learns how you and your friends drive, delivering real human behaviour and an ever-evolving network of opponents always ready to race — even when they’re not online. Real tendencies, real mistakes.

In addition, Microsoft delighted gamers with the world premiere teaser trailer for “Halo Xbox One,” the next chapter of the award-winning Xbox franchise developed by 343 Industries that will take you on a new journey in the “Halo” universe beginning in 2014.

Other highlights at Microsoft’s briefing included “Dead Rising 3,” the next instalment of Capcom’s massively popular zombie franchise coming exclusively to Xbox One that takes open-world action to a whole new level; “Project Spark,” an open-world digital canvas that enables anyone to build, play and share their own worlds, games and stories with millions of others online; and “Sunset Overdrive,” a high-energy open-world shooter set in the not-so-distant future from Insomniac Games that delivers an always-changing gameplay experience with an arsenal of explosive and overpowered weapons.

Home to the best multiplayer and entertainment experiences through Xbox Live Gold

Xbox Live Gold membership offers Xbox One owners a premium service that unlocks a new generation of online gaming and entertainment experiences, including an expanded list of friends that lets you stay connected and play with more people through Xbox Live. Not only does an existing Xbox Live Gold membership for Xbox 360 carry over to Xbox One, and now anyone in your home can access most Gold member benefits on your Xbox One at no additional cost.² Your Gold membership also travels with you wherever you go, turning any console into your own.

For gamers, Xbox Live Gold on Xbox One delivers new benefits that make online gaming with your friends easier and more enjoyable than ever. Xbox Live Gold unlocks Twitch as a built-in experience on Xbox One, allowing gamers to seamlessly broadcast their gameplay as well as view and interact with other live gaming broadcasts.³ Twitch on Xbox One also includes the ability to discover tailored, relevant and inherently social video content that spans everything from e-sports events to user-generated original shows and game walk-throughs. Other benefits of Xbox Live Gold on Xbox One include the following:

·         Access to the premier multiplayer community. All of your friends can come together on Xbox Live to play the best games for the ultimate bragging rights. Backed by a powerful cloud service, matches are now bigger for games across Xbox One.

·         No more waiting for matchmaking. Smart Match on Xbox One allows for asynchronous matchmaking, where the system begins looking for your next match while you continue to game, watch TV or listen to music. Smart Match also instantly finds people you want to play with, where your reputation also plays an important role.

·         Rewards for good reputation. Your new Xbox Live reputation plays a prominent and valuable role by rewarding healthy participation while reducing troublemakers and cheaters. A unified system across Xbox Live and all of your games allows for you to have much more control over who you play with while giving you new and exciting ways to get even more involved in your community.

·         Ability to record, edit, share and broadcast. With Game DVR and Upload Studio,³ gamers can instantly capture their favourite moments and edit and share them with their friends around the world. With Twitch on Xbox One, a single voice command starts live broadcasting.

Home to the most complete portfolio of world-class blockbusters

The full line up of Xbox One games unveiled by Microsoft at E3 that showcased the fun, colour and immersion of the future of gaming includes the following:

·         “Battlefield 4” (DICE, Electronic Arts)⁵. DICE ushers in the next era of world-class gaming with “Battlefield 4.” The chaos of all-out war explodes, now with ground-breaking new innovations all running at a smooth 60 frames-per-second on Xbox One. “With Battlefield 4,” the intensity of combat will never be the same.

·         “Below” (Capy Games, Microsoft Studios)⁵. “Below” is a classic rogue tale with moody graphics and Kinect technology. You’ll scour the open world in search of rare and special loot while battling the malevolent Darkness, an artificial intelligence-controlled character that uses Kinect to sense and change level progression based on the room’s surroundings.

·         “Crimson Dragon” (Grounding/Land Ho!, Microsoft Studios)⁵. Humanity has been driven to the brink of extinction on a colonized planet ruled by dragons. It’s up to you to take control of a powerful dragon and battle for control of the skies in this thrilling flight-based shooter.

·         “D4” (Access Games, Microsoft Studios)⁵. An episodic noir adventure, “D4” follows the story of a detective with the curious ability to dive back in time. He must use this power to solve his wife’s murder and then try to prevent it from occurring.

·         “Dead Rising 3” (Capcom Vancouver, Microsoft)⁵. Launching in November exclusively for Xbox One, “Dead Rising 3” marks the return of the wildly popular zombie franchise and introduces a blockbuster open-world action experience that will define a new generation of zombie-slaying mayhem. With intense action, an unmatched level of weapon and character customization, and immersive Xbox SmartGlass and Kinect integration, “Dead Rising 3” delivers a heart-pounding experience unlike any other as players fight for survival in a massive, open world teeming with thousands of undead.

·         “Forza Motorsport 5” (Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Studios)⁵. Launching in November, “Forza Motorsport 5” is a cinematic automotive journey starring the world’s greatest cars and tracks. Built from the ground up to take advantage of Xbox One and the vast power of the cloud, no game better delivers the wide-eyed thrill of racing.

·         “Halo Xbox One” – working title (343 Industries, Microsoft Studios)⁵. The award-winning franchise continues on Xbox One, beginning in 2014.

·         “Killer Instinct” (Double Helix, Microsoft Studios)⁵. After nearly a decade, the popular fighting franchise returns to Xbox One with the “Killer Instinct” characters and combos that revolutionized fighting games. “Killer Instinct” is enabled with robust progression and rewards, dynamic challenges customized to player behaviour, and predictive matchmaking for seamless competitive fights.

·         “Kinect Sports Rivals” (Rare, Microsoft Studios)⁵. Launching in November, “Kinect Sports Rivals” is the next generation of the best-selling Kinect franchise, “Kinect Sports,” that brings your favourite sports back in re-imagined ways, and delivers new sports, made possible only with Xbox One’s all-new re-engineered Kinect. “Kinect Sports Rivals” puts you in the game like never before, tracks your movements and expressions with incredible accuracy, and offers never-ending competition with your friends and competitors.

·         “LocoCycle” (Twisted Pixel, Microsoft Studios)⁵. “LocoCycle” takes you on an action-packed adventure only seen on Xbox One with a sentient motorcycle named I.R.I.S and her mechanic, Pablo (who, against his will, is literally being dragged along for the ride). Together, I.R.I.S and Pablo fight for their freedom while facing the Big Arms agents and their secret sentient motorcycle weapon, Spike.

·         “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” (Kojima Productions, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.)⁵.The concept of this title is “Realistic Espionage Action in an Open World Environment.” Environmental elements like weather and wildlife, and enemies that adapt their strategy to the player’s actions, let players experience a more realistic world. The vast open world environment enhances the thrill and freedom of stealth. Aside from numerous optional missions, there are a variety of gameplay elements that encourage exploration and item-collection outside the main missions.

·         “Minecraft: Xbox One Edition” (4J/Mojang, Microsoft Studios)⁵. “Minecraft: Xbox One Edition” will deliver the “Minecraft” experience to Xbox One. Building off the hugely successful “Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition,” the edition on Xbox One will include larger maps for more complex structures, expanded multiplayer features and enhanced gameplay powered by the Xbox One platform. “Minecraft: Xbox One Edition” will be available within the Xbox One launch window.

·         “Powerstar Golf” (Zoe Mode, Microsoft Studios)⁵. Tee up for fun with “Powerstar Golf” for Xbox One. Whether you’re playing a round to unwind and admire the amazing vistas or a pro trying to climb the leader boards for bragging rights, it’s time to load up the cart and aim for the green.

·         “Project Spark” (Team Dakota, Microsoft Studios)⁵. “Project Spark” is an open-world digital canvas that enables anyone to build, play and share whatever they can imagine and create in the game. It’s a powerful, yet simple way to build and play your own worlds, stories and games. Share all of your creations with a dynamic community and play what the community makes. “Project Spark” brings creation to life and presents endless opportunities for play across Xbox One, Windows 8 and Xbox 360.

·         “Quantum Break” (Remedy, Microsoft Studios)⁵. From the creators of “Alan Wake” and “Max Payne” comes a revolutionary entertainment experience that blurs the line between gaming and TV by integrating drama and gameplay into one seamless, uniquely immersive experience. How you play the game impacts the show, and the show informs how you play the game.

·         “Ryse: Son of Rome” (Crytek, Microsoft Studios)⁵. Coming exclusively to Xbox One in November, “Ryse: Son of Rome” is an immersive action-adventure story of struggle, brutality and heroism, following a fearless Roman soldier named Marius Titus as he seeks to avenge the death of his family and leads an army to save the Roman Empire. “Ryse: Son of Rome” presents a cinematic re-creation of ancient Rome and brings the brutality and intensity of Roman warfare to life in visceral detail, thrusting you into the chaos of close-combat and epic-scale battles.

·         “Sunset Overdrive” (Insomniac Games, Microsoft Studios)⁵. “Sunset Overdrive” is an always-changing, open-world shooter set in the not-so-distant future. A catastrophic event has left your city overrun by mutants. While the majority perish or transform, you flourish. It turns out your calling isn’t picking up trash or serving food, its mutant destruction. With an arsenal of explosive, overpowered weapons and a knack for traversing the city with hyper agility, it’s not the end of days for you. Available for future release, your story is just starting. 

·         “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (CD Projekt RED)⁵. “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” is a unique combination of a non-linear story and an open world – a fantasy RPG focused on player choice, tactical combat and an immersive environment. Spinning the tale of Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster hunter, “The Witcher 3” aims to attract gamers with a mature and compelling narrative told as no other game has before. With over 100 hours of hand-crafted core and side quest gameplay, “The Witcher 3” redefines the genre and shapes RPGs of the next generation.

·         “Zoo Tycoon” (Frontier Developments Ltd., Microsoft Studios)⁵. The wildly popular “Zoo Tycoon” franchise is coming to Xbox One and Xbox 360 worldwide later this year. Fully re-imagined and featuring a menagerie of beautiful species, reactive gameplay and real calendar tie-in, this zoo simulation will charm “Zoo Tycoon” fans and new players alike.

Hitchcock for NZ International Film Festival

Hitchcock for NZ International Film Festival

CLASSIC HITCHCOCK in 3D ANNOUNCED FOR NZIFF

The New Zealand International Film Festival today announced two classic Hitchcock thrillers, North by Northwest and Dial M for Murder 3D, to screen as part of the 2013 programme.

Dial M for Murder 3D, starring Grace Kelly, was released in 1954 and was Hitchcock’s first and only use of the 3D technology. It was released just as the popularity of 3D was waning. A 4K restoration of the original film negative has been completed by Warner Brothers.

“Rarely shown in 3D anywhere at the time of its original release this high definition restoration is worth the nearly 60 year wait. Grace Kelly never looked more perfect.” says Gosden.

North by Northwest, originally released in 1959, stars Cary Grant as the advertising executive who is caught up in a case of mistaken identity and Government conspiracy, with co-stars James Mason and Eva Marie Saint.

“Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is a masterpiece of popular cinema and simply one of the most entertaining thrillers ever made. We think it most unlikely that you’ve ever seen it looking better than it does now, filling the giant screen in this fabulous new 4K restoration,” says NZIFF Director Bill Gosden.

NZIFF will begin in Auckland (18 July – 4 August), open in Wellington one week later (26 July – 11 August), then Christchurch (1 – 18 August) and Dunedin (8 – 25 August) before continuing to travel around New Zealand screening in Gore, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Nelson, Tauranga, Masterton, Hawke’s Bay and New Plymouth.

NZIFF programmes will be available online and around town from June 25 in Auckland, and June 28 in Wellington. For Festival updates visit www.nziff.co.nz and register to receive e-newsletters.

The Desolation of Smaug - a first look

The Desolation of Smaug - a first look

News hot off the social media this morning.

Peter Jackson's unveiled a first look at The Desolation of Smaug - well, a first look at the poster for The Hobbit sequel anyway.

And it's been revealed The new teaser trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be unveiled this Tuesday, June 11th, at 10am PT

Benedict Cumberbatch is the voice of Smaug and it hits cinemas in December 2013.

So, wanting to fuel that fire even further, here's your first look at Bilbo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug...

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is due in cinemas in December 2013...

Here's a First look at the elf Tauriel.

The elf Tauriel played by Evangeline Lilly will appear in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

The Impossible: Blu Ray Review

The Impossible: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M

Released by Sony Home Entertainment

There are some events which are always going to feel too raw when you see them on the big or small screen.

The Boxing Day 2004 tsunami of Thailand is, still, perhaps one of them.

In this film, a regular family, Maria (Oscar nominated Naomi Watts) and husband Henry (McGregor), along with their three sons are heading to Thailand to spend Christmas there, amid some financial worries which are on the horizon. However, when they're upgraded to a villa on the coastline, it seems as if the holiday is a perfect tonic set in an idyllic location, with Christmas with the family playing all together by the pool.

But that's when the devastating tsunami hits, violently separating them from each other and their paradise; Maria with her eldest and Henry with the two other boys are torn asunder...

And so, a desperate fight for survival begins.

It's hard to watch The Impossible without a tide of emotion sweeping over you, swallowing you up in a heap of discomfort and horror as the story unfolds. In fact, The Impossible was not a film I was relishing in many ways. Some events in history seem too raw still to explore on the silver screen, no matter how much time has passed. Certainly, a natural event which claimed the lives of some 230 thousand people, was not one which I wanted to see given the "Hollywood treatment", and particularly because it chooses to concentrate on a western family.

However, while not perfect, you couldn't be further away from the truth. Directed and pulled together by a Spanish team, The Impossible takes the true story of a Spanish family and spins it through the machine (perhaps a little unnecessarily - there's no reason why these guys have to be relocated) and emerges with something primal that taps into all of our fears; separation, loss, anxiety, grief and fear itself.

And it's because of the sensitivity of how it's handled that it really stirs something so deep within. 10 minutes into the film and the tsunami strikes. But this is not a disaster which is catalogued from multi-angles and with slow-mo shots of devastation. In fact, it's utterly horrific as the wave and associated cacophony of sound comes hurtling towards you on the screen. It's brutal, battering and utterly numbing, replete as it is with the terrifying sounds of the ocean superimposed on your eardrums as the tumult grows.

The Impossible, initially, focuses on Maria and Lucas (an unbelievably good and breakout turn from newcomer Tom Holland). Bayona shows shots of Maria being pulled under, tossed around and struck by all manner of objects as the water hits - and all through, all Naomi Watts does is channel the fear that any parent has over what's happened to their child.

Watts has been nominated for an Oscar for The Impossible - and while she's pretty much bloodied, bruised and bed-ridden throughout the majority of the film, she's commanding in every scene she's in, mixing in raw emotion, power and hope through the truly horrific scenario Maria went through. I guarantee you plenty of her scenes will have you shifting uncomfortably in your chair and squirming as the extent of her injuries are revealed in quick cutaways here and there. (Which is another thing director Bayona gets right -the choice not to dwell or over-dramatise the situation)

Likewise, McGregor brings dignity and heart to a husband, hoping against all hope for some form of survival.  There's a class to McGregor's turn and both command an association and heartbreak you immediately identify with in what's, at its heart, the (relatively) feel-good tale of survival against the odds. A scene, where he breaks down making a phone call, is like an arrow to the heart and you'd be a hard bastard to not feel anything at that point. However, where The Impossible stumbles slightly is in its depiction of life around those fighting for survival, as well as its inexplicable reason to mess with who was part of the story, by choosing European over Spanish - decisions which cast an inexorable pall over this international tragedy.

The picture of locals is nothing other than sketchy even as the story is told just as it no doubt happened. Granted, that may have been how it was in the reality of the aftermath, but the film feels questionable when examined under those moments, truth or otherwise. Likewise, an ending with empty seats on a plane feels awkward and uncomfortable, given the scale of what's occurred - though that could be naivety on this reviewer's behalf. It certainly hangs jarringly at the end. Similarly, the decision to cast Hollywood actors and move the family away from Spanish heritage could be a tactic to ensure more people see the film (and is no reflection on Watts, McGregor or Holland) - but it's one which jars, given a title board at the end which depicts the family.

All in all, The Impossible is, at its heart, a film about family, love and the universal bonds we all share as a human race. It's not a film to enjoy and in fact, in parts, it's more one which you endure as it rumbles on toward its pay-off, with moments of frenzied predictability and occasionally manipulative score.

That said though, it's breath-taking and will see you go through the gamut of emotions as the lights go down and the haunting images begin to flood toward you with one emotional sucker punch after another. But I guarantee you, that you'll not leave that cinema without swearing to always ensure you do your utmost for your loved ones - no matter what.

Extras: Audio commentary, casting the film, deleted scenes and realising the film

Rating:

ZB Movie review - Great Gatsby, Perks of being a Wallflower and Les Miserables

ZB Movie review - Great Gatsby, Perks of being a Wallflower and Les Miserables

http://newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/player/ondemand/122375836-darren-bevan-at-the-movies--june-8

Giselle to hit New Zealand International Film Festival

Giselle to hit New Zealand International Film Festival

FEATURE FILM VERSION OF GISELLE TO HAVE ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Acclaimed New Zealand playwright and film director Toa Fraser’s feature film interpretation of the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s performance of Giselle, will have its world premiere in the opening weekend of the New Zealand International Film Festival at the Civic Theatre, Auckland.

The filming of Giselle commenced in October/November 2012 in the lead up to the ballet's seven-centre New Zealand tour and three-week tour of China.

Ethan Stiefel, RNZB Artistic Director and Johan Kobborg, internationally acclaimed Principal Dancer of London’s Royal Ballet co-choreographed the ballet. Prima Ballerina, Gillian Murphy, RNZB Principal Guest Artist and star of the American Ballet Theatre, dances the role of Giselle with acclaimed Chinese/New Zealand dancer Qi Huan playing Albrecht, giving a performance which has been gathering him critical acclaim around the world.

“The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s superb, universally acclaimed production of Giselle has now been made into a superb film. Director Toa Fraser and cinematographer Leon Narbey have worked intensively with the company to ensure that this screen version works wonders in its own right.” says Bill Gosden, NZIFF Director.

“The RNZB is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary, has just toured three weeks in China and now has the immense privilege of premiering a feature film inspired by our recent Giselle production. Through the making of this film, all involved have been presented with an amazing opportunity to share a wide variety of the good things that are happening in New Zealand arts and culture. The RNZB is appreciative and proud to have been asked to be a part of such a beautiful project” says Ethan Stiefel, Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

New Zealand Film Commission CEO Graeme Mason added "The NZFC is delighted this collaboration with the RNZB has resulted in this beautiful and entrancing film with a unique view of a much loved and romantic ballet.  The festival cinema audience are in for a very special treat."
Giselle is a collaboration between the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) with additional investment from Auckland’s Digi Film, and was produced by Matthew Metcalfe (Dean Spanley, Love Birds, Beyond the Edge 3D). The film is being released in New Zealand and Australia by Rialto Distribution.