This film is presented as part of Te Waiwhakaata Wairarapa Film Festival 2026. After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine-year-old girl named Newt. But even these battle-hardened marines with all the latest weaponry are no match for the hundreds of aliens that have invaded the colony.

This film is presented as part of Te Waiwhakaata Wairarapa Film Festival 2026. Wairarapa (1965) Filmed for the Wairarapa Development Council for distribution throughout the world. Wairarapa is a promotional film that showcases the natural beauty, outdoor activities, and rural life of the Wairarapa district, from mountain landscapes and wildlife to farming and local events. Tangata Whenua: Waikato (1974) The Tangata Whenua series is a groundbreaking 1974 documentary by Barry Barclay that intimately explores Māori life, culture, and perspectives across Aotearoa. This episode of Barry Barclay’s 1974 series explores the Waikato region and its iwi, highlighting Māori education, the Kīngitanga movement, and local kaumātua stories, emphasising the enduring relevance of Māori culture and language. Special thanks to the Masterton District Creative Communities for funding the restoration of Wairarapa, and to Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision’s Film Preservation Team.

When a mutating, highly contagious fungus escapes a sealed facility, two young employees – joined by a grizzled bioterror operative – must survive the wildest night shift ever to save humanity from extinction.

This film is presented as part of Te Waiwhakaata Wairarapa Film Festival 2026. A portrait of one of Aotearoa’s greatest living artists by one of our greatest documentary filmmakers. You should expect something special, and that’s what you get. Dame Robin White may well be one of New Zealand’s most significant living artists, but Dame Gaylene Preston resists that kind of overbearing narrative in her new film. The nearest she comes might be a scene when the seventy-something artist considers one of her iconic 1970s paintings, the kind that sell well as framed prints in public gallery gift shops. “This is me as a young painter trying to figure out how to paint,” she muses. Surrounding that moment are scenes shot in recent years in Aotearoa, Japan and Kiribati, where White lived for many years. We see her as she is now, working at the height of her artistic powers, still energetically moving her practice forward, often with artistic collaborators from other cultures and artistic traditions. We gain an insight into her Bahá'í faith-driven belief in peace and shared humanity. This is a masterclass in less-is-more story telling. - Chris Brown At the heart of Grace is Dame Robin White—a celebrated artist of pakeha and Māori (Ngāti Awa) descent—who finds herself at a vexed moment in human history. In the movie Robin stands ankle- deep in the lagoon at Tarawa, mindful not only of the beautiful seaward expanse but also of the omnipresent, endlessly troubling world of geopolitics, nuclear arms, global warming and the encroaching Climate Emergency. Grace sets out to answer the question of how an artist might respond to all of this. Described as ‘a prayer for peace’, the film stands as an act of resistance rather than quietism, imbued as it is with inventiveness, joy, good humour and energy. - Greg O'Brien

In “Hoppers,” scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! Using the new technology, Mabel (Curda) will uncover mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined. Produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, “Hoppers” also features the voices of Bobby Moynihan and Jon Hamm.

After being forgotten at a highway service station during a family vacation, a housewife decides to start a new, independent life in Venice. She finds a new job, friends, and romance, forcing her to choose between her old life and her newfound freedom.

Set in the 1970s, this film follows the lives of the Canova sisters and their employees in a prestigious Roman dressmaker's shop. It explores their personal and professional struggles within a world of high fashion and glamour.

Against the racy backdrop of Italy in the 1980s and ‘90s, Riccardo Schicchi and his agency translate free love into the phenomenon of porn. This raunchy comedy follows antics at porn studio Diva Futura as fresh-faced ‘girls next door’ such as Ilona Staller, Moana Pozzi, Eva Henger and others become stars thanks to the video tape boom. Staller – better known as ‘Cicciolina’ – gets elected to Parliament and Pozzi runs for Mayor of Rome, with the film offering a fascinating insight into Italian society.

Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso NZIFF 1990) pays tribute to legendary composer Ennio Morricone and his prolific career that spanned over seven decades and included the scores to more than 70 award-winning films.

Rome, 1980. Unable to get her novel The Art of Joy published, author Goliarda Sapienza finds herself briefly imprisoned after she steals some jewellery from a wealthy friend. The experience turns out to be life-changing, as Goliarda discovers a world without class barriers, and forms a deep bond with some of the younger inmates.

Set in the late 19th century, this surreal Italian-American anti-Western follows Rosa and her lover, the outlaw-turned-folk-hero Santino, as they flee across the Italian wilderness after a deadly confrontation, pursued by an American showman (John C. Reilly). As their tale grows into a legend, it transforms into a whimsical, and sometimes ghostly journey that merges local folklore with the myth of the American Wild West.

As the 1930’s African Campaign casts its shadow, the tranquil life of a small Italian village is upendedby Ras Abraham, a captive Ethiopian leader. Young Emilio, the daydreaming son of the fascist mayor,finds an unexpected friend in the prisoner. Their deepening bond exposes Emilio to Italy's harshreality, challenging his worldview and igniting a quest for freedom. This story poignantly captures ajourney of friendship, awakening, and defiance against oppression.

Set during a surreal January heatwave in Rome, various characters struggle to maintain control as temperatures reach an unprecedented 50 degrees Celsius. The intense heat causes people and animals to lose their inhibitions, resulting in a chaotic examination of human anxiety.

Antonio (Alessandro Siani) and Pieraldo (Leonardo Pieraccioni) are two police officers with a "not-so-brilliant" career and a slightly bruised friendship. Their lives are quiet until they find themselves facing a real, intricate, and risky crime. This brings unexpected twists and forces the duo to change their lives forever.

Outgoing Italian President Mariano De Santis navigates his final term while grappling with moral dilemmas, including a bill on euthanasia and personal petitions for presidential pardons. Amidst the political pressure, he faces intense personal grief and nostalgia for his late wife, bringing to light questions about love and memory.

Starring Ludovica Martino (SKAM Italia) and Marco Leonardi (Cinema Paradiso) My Place Is Here is a compelling tale of a woman’s pursuit of happiness. Written and co-directed by Daniela Porto and Cristiano Bortone, based on the eponymous novel by Daniela Porto, this thoughtful drama is set in 1940s Southern Italy, at the time of the first feminist movement.

In the aftermath of World War II, two Neapolitan children, Carmine and Celestina, escape the poverty of their hometown by sneaking onto a ship bound for the United States. Relying on each other and a kindly ship’s officer, they journey to New York City to find a better life, navigating misadventures and a new world together.

A mysterious, harmonica-playing stranger and a notorious bandit form an uneasy alliance to protect a widowed settler from a ruthless hired gun working for the railroad. Set against the backdrop of the dying American frontier, this epic Western revolves around a bloody land battle and a quest for vengeance.

A fun dramedy, Siblings is inspired by the true story of Margherita and Damiano Tercon. Irene (Matilda De Angelis) is trying to build a regular life in Rome when she is forced to return to her hometown Rimini, to take care of Omar (newcomer Yuri Tuci), her 40-year-old autistic brother.

From Fabio Grassadoni and Antonio Piazza (Sicilian Ghost Story), this fictionalised mafia story features standout performances from Elio Germano and Toni Servillo. A dangerous liaisons crime drama with blackly comic elements, Sicilian Letters is loosely inspired by true events and real ‘pizzini’ messages by fugitive Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro.

After the global success of 2016’s Perfect Strangers, writer/director Paolo Genovese has struck gold again with his record-breaking hit Somebody to Love, an hilarious, all-star romantic comedy that reveals the innermost thoughts and uncertainties of an Italian couple on their awkward first date.

A cultural phenomenon and box office sensation in Italy, this emotional drama set in a Rome high school explores the real story behind Italy’s first publicised case of online bullying.

Elio Germano delivers a standout performance as Enrico Berlinguer in this meticulous, intelligent biopic of a man for whom life and politics, private and collective, were inextricably linked. Italy, 1970s. Enrico Berlinguer is the Secretary of the most important Communist party in the western world, with over one million seven hundred thousand card-holding members and more than twelve million voters, united by the great ambition of achieving socialism within a democracy.

Starring popular comic duo Salvatore Ficarra & Valentino Picone (Strangeness IFF23) and festival favourite Toni Servillo (also in La Grazia and Sicilian Letters), The Illusion is a fun re-imagining of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign that unified Italy.

Two blustery 50-somethings, have an obsession: going for their last drink. One night, they run into Giulio, a shy architecture student, whose way of seeing the world and love will be transformed as the trio wander from bar to bar of Veneto

The Sleeper. El Caravaggio perdido (2025) is a documentary-thriller tracking the frantic, high-stakes hunt for a lost Caravaggio masterpiece, Ecce Homo, discovered in 2021 in a Madrid home, valued at over €300 million. Directed by Álvaro Longoria, the film documents the intense, three-year process of authentication, restoration, and auction.

Adapted from Rosella Postorino’s bestselling novel At The Wolf’s Table, the new film from multi award-winning writer/director Silvio Soldini (Bread and Tulips, Days and Clouds) is a gripping historical drama inspired by the incredible true story of Margot Wölk, a woman who was conscripted to be one of Hitler’s food tasters.

Trifole (2025) is a drama about Dalia, a young woman who travels to Italy's Piedmont region to care for her aging grandfather, Igor, a reclusive expert forager. Together with his loyal dog Birba, they search for a legendary truffle to save their family home, exploring themes of tradition, dementia, and the changing landscape of rural life.

The documentary serves as a loving portrait of a brilliant mind and a testament to the enduring power of literature and knowledge, often featuring scenes of the author navigating his labyrinthine, book-lined shelves.

Jasmine (Marilena Amato) is a hairdresser in her 40s and appears to have everything she ever wanted: a devoted husband, three loving sons, and a thriving salon just south of Naples. But after her father’s passing, she is haunted by a recurring dream in which a young girl runs into her arms, offering Jasmine a new sense of fulfilment and completeness she cannot ignore.

Fabio De Luigi and Valentina Lodovini return as Carlo and Giulia Rovelli and this time, the family is heading to sunny Puglia, where their eldest daughter, eighteen-year-old Camilla, is moving to attend university with her boyfriend, Antonio Paradiso. However, Carlo is not ready to let go of his firstborn—especially if it means having her live with a young man he does not trust at all.

A comedy about a couple who are desperately looking to conceive a child and move to Spain to get the help of a renowned doctor. Their plans change after they meet an apparently perfect girl that volunteers to carry on the pregnancy in their place.

A Maori Gothic Revenge Horror set in Victorian England, 1859.

MIDWINTER BREAK is a compelling story about lost faith, commitment, and the enduring power of love, as a longtime couple takes a life-changing trip to Amsterdam.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.

When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter (Isabel May) becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.

This music-packed documentary tells the story of Pene Pati and his brother Amitai Pati, and their against-the-odds journey from Samoa to platinum-selling success in the trio Sol3 Mio and on to the world’s greatest opera stages. Bursting with humour, heart and soaring performances, the film reveals the resilience born of adversity, the richness of family and culture, and the rewards that come from following an unlikely dream.

From Maggie Gyllenhaal (Academy Award-nominated writer/director of The Lost Daughter) and starring Academy Award nominee Jessie Buckley and Academy Award winner Christian Bale comes THE BRIDE! A bold, iconoclastic take on one of the world’s most compelling stories. A lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (five-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A wild and radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance! The film stars Buckley, Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, with Bening, Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, and Oscar winner Penélope Cruz. Maggie Gyllenhaal directs from her own screenplay and produces alongside Oscar nominee Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Talia Kleinhendler and Osnat Handelsman Keren. The executive producers are Carla Raij, David Webb and Courtney Kivowitz. Gyllenhaal is supported behind the camera by a team of award-winning film artisans, including director of photography Lawrence Sher, production designer Karen Murphy, editor Dylan Tichenor, music supervisor Randall Poster, composer Hildur Gudnadóttir and costume designer Sandy Powell. Warner Bros. Pictures Presents A First Love Films / In The Current Company Production, A Maggie Gyllenhaal Film: THE BRIDE!. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, only in cinemas March 2026.

This film is presented as part of Te Waiwhakaata Wairarapa Film Festival 2026. Extended Anniversary Edition 2026 A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.

This film is presented as part of Te Waiwhakaata Wairarapa Film Festival 2026. Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.

This film is presented as part of Te Waiwhakaata Wairarapa Film Festival 2026. While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.

THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE follows Polly and Tim and their children Beth, Joe and Fran – a modern family who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. Soon after the family’s arrival in the countryside, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric residents including treasured characters Moonface, Silky, Dame Washalot and Saucepan Man. At the top of the tree, they are transported to spectacular and fantastical lands and, through the joys and challenges of their adventures, the family learn to reconnect and value each other for the first time in years.

A rising pop sensation (Charli XCX) navigates fame and industry pressures while preparing for her arena tour debut, revealing the transformation of underground culture into mainstream success.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is an animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros., and follows The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was released in 2023 and earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide. Both the 2023 film and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie are produced by Chris Meledandri of Illumination and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo. The film will be co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo and will be released worldwide by Universal Pictures. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is directed by returning filmmakers Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, from a screenplay by returning screenwriter Matthew Fogel, with Brian Tyler returning to compose the score.

When Jules joins her new boyfriend on a New Year’s Eve getaway with his old high school mates, she’s looking to get some peace and quiet, smoke a bit of weed, and make some new friends. But when the holidaymakers stumble across their host’s long-forgotten stash of ancient weed, things quickly take a turn for the nightmarish. By the time they figure out the weed’s strange effect - an insatiable hunger for human flesh - it’s too late, and the four would-be friends become accidental cannibals. Their efforts to cover up their crime trigger a darkly comic spiral of panic, blame, and even more cannibalism that Jules is determined to survive - even if she’s the only one.

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.