“Is Donald Trump psychologically fit to be President?” An eye-opening and shattering analysis of the behaviour, psyche, condition, and stability of US President, Donald J. Trump. After years of empirical observation, for the first time ever, prominent mental health professionals go on camera, on the record and for the record. They discuss, analyse, and conduct a science-based examination of the behaviour, psyche, condition, and stability of President Trump. #UNFIT examines his effect on America’s citizenry, culture and institutions. Equally crucial to understanding the Trump phenomenon is understanding his support base. In a riveting discussion, the film’s mental health experts theorise on the phenomenon of Trump’s hardened base of supporters. Why do they continue to support him, and why do so many of them dig in, deny, deflect, and otherwise mirror his actions? Though it has undeniable political implications, #UNFIT is not politically motivated; it does not advocate for policy issues or take a stance on matters of state. The film is also not intended to offer a formal diagnosis, nor to recommend treatment. But the analysis is rooted in science. “An eye-opening and shattering analysis of the behaviour, psyche, condition and stability of Donald J. Trump.” Using anecdotal references, the filmmakers connect the dots between Trump’s behaviour and what they observe to be conditions of paranoia, anti-social personality disorder, narcissism and sadism. These traits are collectively termed Malignant Narcissism, often referred to as the “quintessence of evil”. A malignant narcissist is grandiose, with an inflated sense of accomplishment, and an excessive need for admiration: boastful, hypersensitive to criticism, arrogant, and envious. He is always ready to raise hostility levels, and uses deceit and manipulation. He transgresses social norms, and lacks moral conscience. He is preoccupied with perceived disloyalty, bears grudges, is quick to blame others and prone to conspiracy theories. He dehumanises people he perceives as weak, and takes glee in their misfortune. Does any of this sound familiar?

Hisashi Tanaka (Haruma Miura) is a medical student in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. He does volunteer work and gets to know Yasuaki Kano (Yo Oizumi) at the hospital. Yasuaki Kano has suffered from muscular dystrophy since he was 12-years-old. Yasuaki Kano has his eccentric ways like running out of the hospital and saying that he wants to eat a banana late at night. Hisashi Tanaka thinks Yasuaki Kano is a lovely person. Yasuaki Kano develops a crush on rookie volunteer Misaki Ando (Mitsuki Takahata). He asks Hisashi Tanaka to write a love letter for him, but Misaki Ando is Hisashi Tanaka’s girlfriend. 2018 | JP | 120 min | Dir. Tetsu Maeda

The Osugi family consists of the father Shigeichiro Osugi (Lily Franky), mother Iyoko (Tomoko Nakajima), son Kazuo (Kazuya Kamenashi) and daughter Akiko (Ai Hashimoto). The family believes the father is from Mars, the mother is from Jupiter, the son from Mercury and the daughter from Venus. They are proud that they are aliens, but they keep their true identities a secret. Shigeichiro works as a weather forecaster, Iyoko is absorbed in her weird water business, Kazuo is a freeter and Akiko is a college student with a complex about her beauty. The family struggle to save mankind from nuclear weapons that can destroy the world. Based on novel "Utsukushii Hoshi" by Yukio Mishima 2017 | JP | 127 min | Dir. Daihachi Yoshida

“A microcosm of the restaurant industry and the dedication, creativity and team relationships that make it so special.” - Mary Wagstaff Chef David Kinch and his team journey from their 3 Star Michelin restaurant, Manresa, in California for a one of a kind “four hands” collaboration with three legendary chefs at their iconic restaurants in Paris, Provence, and Marseille. The film opens in Los Gatos, California, as Kinch and the Manresa team close the famous restaurant for a month so that they can travel to France to celebrate their fifteenth anniversary. Planning the trip has been going on for months. In order to represent the refined Californian cuisine of Kinch in France, the team must bring some of the characteristic ingredients of Manresa, such as seasonings, sauces that take days to make and Pacific seafood such as dried abalone. But the logistics are tricky and they worry about whether they can get all the food through airport security and customs. Each kitchen staff member is responsible for packing up certain items in their suitcases, so Kinch tells them to leave out personal items so they have more space. “Pack underwear and abalone,” he quips. The stakes are high and, as Kinch says, “Everything could go wrong.” The crew takes off as soon as they arrive in France to cook alongside chefs and teams from three of the country’s best starred restaurants: Le Taillevent, L’Oustau de Baumanière and Le Petit Nice. Even for Kinch’s well-oiled team, it’s difficult to navigate their host kitchens and represent Californian gourmet cuisine on Michelin’s “home turf” while jetlagged, on an aggressive schedule and with a language barrier just to start with. “Since the coronavirus hit, the project now has a new mission: raising funds for unemployed food-service workers.” It’s a fascinating look behind the scenes of the inner workings of one of the top restaurants in America – and, it’s a visit to the heart of bucolic Provence, the animation of Paris and the magnificent coast of Marseille. We accompany the team in unknown kitchens, joking with its French counterparts wearing toques, consult Yelp to find out which restaurants in Paris are open until well after midnight – and celebrate the 15 years of Manresa excellence by doing what Chef Kinch and his team do best: creating meals and experiences worthy of those three stars.

Mockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter.

A family weekend in southern Tunisia turns into a nightmare when a father's entire world comes apart after his 11-year-old son is gravely injured in a terrorist shootout as is in dire need of an organ transplant.

Take a step back in time with Massimiliano Bruno’s hilarious crime comedy Non ci Resta che il Crimine; the story of three carefree old friends who decide to put their talents to the test in organising a “Criminal Tour” of Rome, where the once-famous organised crime group, The Magliana, controlled all illegal betting in the mid-1970’s. But an unexpected twist of fate catapults the trio back into 1982 ... and all the way to the World Cup in Spain, where they come face to face with the original mob bosses (a dangerous encounter), and the unimaginable chance to get rich “guessing” the correct outcomes of all the games! It turns out this strange journey into the past might just be the perfect opportunity for redemption ... or is it? Bruno and his star-studded cast take the audience on a wild and nostalgic adventure into the past, and all the way back to the future in this witty and entertaining comedy. Acting, writing, directing, films, plays, television... Massimiliano Bruno semmingly does it all. Bruno is best known for his pop-culture comedies Nessuno mi Puo’ Giudicare (2011), Viva l'Italia (2012) and Notte Prima Degli Esami (2006), which earned him a nomination for the prestigious David di Donatello Award for New Director. Bruno also stars in this film.

High school boy Machida is a loner who is not particularly good at his studies or extracurricular activities. He does seem to have his heart in the right place however. When he is injured at school instead of the school nurse at the infirmary a school-mate tends to him. He develops a crush for her and soon enough the feelings are returned.

A fascinating journey in history and time, unveiling the mysteries behind the greatest genius the world has ever known. An outstanding art movie about the life of the astonishing painter, visionary scientist, brilliant inventor and extraordinary man. Amazing Leonardo boldly moves beyond the common stereotypes about the gifted artist, visionary scientist and brilliant inventor, to unveil the intriguing mysteries about da Vinci’s life. The audience is taken on a fascinating journey in history and time, spanning locations that include da Vinci’s native Tuscan town of Vinci and the region’s countryside as well as Florence, Milan, Rome, and several sites in France. Informed by the research of art historian Pietro C. Marano, who is a member of Italy’s national panel of da Vinci experts, this film is an outstanding art movie about the life of the astonishing painter, and extraordinary man.

Two very different families spend their holidays in the same house by the seaside: the aristocratic Castelvecchios are open-minded and eccentric, whereas the working-class Petagnas are tight-knit southerners united around their firm family values. Only the two middle-aged heads of the families know what has brought such distant worlds together on this summer holiday. When an unexpected engagement is announced, the lives of all are turned upside down. With the wedding already set for three weeks, chaos and catastrophe reign on this seemingly ordinary summer. By playfully poking fun at Italian stereotypes, director Simone Godano presents the rivalry between loud southerners and their uppity northern counterparts with raw wit and sensitivity. Gorgeous Mediterranean scenery and a stunning cast including Alessandro Gassmann and Jasmine Trinca make this comedy a pure delight.

What might have been a disaster for the Finlay family leads to letting go and finding grace in the glorious chaos of life. When seriously ill teenager Milla (Eliza Scanlon – HBO’s Sharp Objects, the upcoming Little Women) falls madly in love with a smalltime drug dealer, Moses (Toby Wallace – Romper Stomper), it’s her protective parents’ (Ben Mendelsohn – Captain Marvel / Essie Davis – The Babadook) worst nightmare. Things get messy and morals go out the window as the lives of those around the family: a sensitive music teacher, a budding child violinist, a disarmingly honest pregnant neighbour become intertwined and Milla shows those in her orbit how to live like you have nothing to lose. In a story about life, grief and the chaos of family, Babyteeth joyously explores how far we will go for love and how good it is to be alive.

The tension is palpable, the excitement is mounting and the heady scent of competition is in the air as hundreds of eager contestants from across America prepare to take part in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest events of their lives -- the Mayflower Dog Show. The canine contestants and their owners are as wondrously diverse as the great country that has bred them. 2000 | US | 90 min | Dir. Christopher Guest

CUNNINGHAM traces Merce’s artistic evolution over three decades of risk and discovery (1944–1972), from his early years as a struggling dancer in postwar New York to his emergence as one of the world’s most visionary choreographers. The 3D technology weaves together Merce's philosophies and stories, creating a visceral journey into his innovative work. A breathtaking explosion of dance, music, and never-before-seen archival material, CUNNINGHAM is a timely tribute to one of the world’s greatest modern dance artists.

Marbles, a hapless stoner, can see ghosts. Tagg, a recently dead wannabe super-cop, needs to find a serial killer. Can a critical ghost cop and a directionless stoner get over their prejudices and work together to save lives - and deaths?

A Broken Earth: (35 min) All over the world fossil fuel industries have undermined communities and impacted the health of people and the planet. Even remote areas of New Zealand have been under pressure from companies on the hunt for easy oil and gas. This story is from the benign rural pastures that surround the base of Mt Taranaki, where people have carved out a quiet living, in a land that is riddled with the scars of fossil fuel extraction. Sarah Roberts and David Morrison are environmental award-winning farmers who have worked the land for generations. When an oil company moves in next door to their family farm, they are forced to deal with the effects of fracking and oil drilling along their quiet country road. What started out as resistance against the desecration of the local countryside becomes a revelation of a system designed to protect profit before people. Rise: (16 min) The seas are rising and so are we… Rise is a short film that dives deep into the motivations, fears and hopes for a passionate group of young climate activists in Wellington, Aotearoa. On September 27th, during the largest climate protest in the world, we went behind the scenes with the group who were charged with bringing as many people to the streets of Aotearoa as possible. Following their journey over the day provides the backdrop for coming to know an exceptional and diverse group of young people. Combined with studio interviews we come to understand what it is that has made them take on this mahi as their top priority and how it’s affecting them, their whānau and their sense of the future. These rangatahi are reflections of a global movement and they are working like never before to make change. As time runs out, this is a quest of epic proportions, taken on by young people with heart, emotional strength and commitment to the cause. We Rock!: (13 min) A celebratory and empowering documentary look at young Kiwi musicians banding together as they attend Girls Rock Camp Aotearoa, a yearly girls, trans, and non-binary only rock & roll themed camp where music is the medium to empower our young people. Created and run by female, trans, and non-binary industry professionals who want to change the power balance in the industry, we follow the mentors, interns, and campers throughout the week witnessing the triumphs & tribulations of taking part. As we lead up to the final showcase, we get an insight into the profound effect this incredibly groundbreaking and powerful kaupapa can have on our rangatahi.

After the enormous success of Like a Cat on a Highway, actor Paola Cortellesi and her director husband Riccardo Milani team up for the fifth time to deliver this entertaining spy comedy. Giovanna (Cortellesi) is a mother, who divides her time between her boring accounting job and her daughter’s school commitments, ever the responsible parent with a humdrum life. But underneath this dull façade Giovanna is, in fact, a secret agent involved in a dangerous international mission. When a reunion with her former high school classmates, the “Fantastic Five,” reveals that all of them are suffering from the daily grind, she makes a drastic decision: her next mission will be helping the people she loves. Among extravagant disguises, hilarious situations and action set from Marrakesh to Moscow, Giovanna sets out to overturn this situation and do justice to her friends.

“This challenging look at food security and sustainability is also an intimate study of a family in the midst of a tough but rewarding experiment.” — Aisha Jamal, Hot Docs In Yukon, northern Canada, just 300 km south of the Arctic Circle, 97% of the food eaten is trucked in. If you thought a month in Level 4 with no McDonalds was challenging, try this. In 2017 retired family doctor Suzanne Crocker removed absolutely all grocery store food from her house and proclaimed her family would eat nothing that wasn’t grown or produced locally. For a year. Her objective was to create a public conversation about food self-sufficiency. With three skeptical teenagers, one reluctant coffee-loving husband, no salt, caffeine or sugar, and minus 40 temperatures, Suzanne’s plan was a brave one. The Crockers hunted, foraged, fished, grew and raised their own food, struggling along the way to create meal plans with variety and flavour. Would the family thrive, survive, or turn on one another?

Millions know the iconic logo and ubiquitous signature but few know the man behind the larger than life label. Ultimately we seek to answer the question: Who is Pierre Cardin? What is the story behind this legendary icon? House of Cardin is a rare peek into the mind of a genius, an authorized feature documentary chronicling the life and design of Cardin. A true original, Mr. Cardin has granted the directors exclusive access to his archives and his empire, and unprecedented interviews at the sunset of a glorious career.

“A devastating exposure of greed, complicity and the outright theft of a nation’s resources.” You are a flea market shoe salesmen in Uttar Pradesh. You want to become extremely rich, and influential with it. But how? And where? Find a country with immense natural resources, but with huge social and political turmoil, preferably with a corrupt, and gullible, president. Immigrate, ingratiate yourselves with aforesaid president, and take it from there. South Africa. One day, two young men working in an IT company find the evidence that lays bare the entire modus operandi behind the trillion-rand plunder of the South African state by these private individuals and the politicians in their pockets. “It is the whistle-blowers who are the real, and largely unsung, heroes.” — Filmmakers Kaplan and Desai Three brothers ensconce themselves with President Jacob Zuma, allowing them within 10 years of arriving from India to become multi-millionaires, primarily through lucrative state contracts. They then buy a uranium mine, attracting the attention of British and US intelligence agencies. Next, the finance minister is fired, because of his refusal to sign an irregular nuclear deal with Russia. Several leading political figures go public, describing how the Guptas are directing critical government affairs. There’s a flurry of fake news, dodgy intelligence reports and attacks on journalists, in defence of ‘radical economic transformation’. Aspects of this fake news campaign form part of the story of another Doc Edge 2020 selection, Diana Neille and Richard Poplak’s Influence. When a second ‘uncooperative’ finance minister is fired, his speech on the steps of the Treasury is the first time a senior member of the governing African National Congress appeals to the public to defend South Africa’s hard won democracy. Then come the #GuptaLeaks, a trove of over 300,000 emails and documents laying bare the modus operandi of the Guptas and their associates, more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. As both Kaplan and Desai admit: “It is the whistle-blowers who are the real, and largely unsung, heroes.” Without them — and at least one has died in questionable circumstances — the details of this sordid mass of corruption may never have come to light. Miners Shot Down, Rehad Desai’s earlier film, won the Best International Documentary Feature prize at Doc Edge 2016.

Mussolini reappears in Rome 72 years after his death, finding a Country still full of problems like racism and hate for politicians. Misguised for an actor, he sides with a young filmmaker and starts traveling along Italy to reconquer it.

Idiot Prayer - Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace sees Nick Cave play his songs at the piano in a rarely seen stripped back form, from early Bad Seeds and Grinderman, right through to the most recent Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album, Ghosteen. The film features tracks including Into My Arms, The Mercy Seat, Higgs Boson Blues and Girl In Amber. Recorded in June 2020 and initially imagined as an online only event, fans will now be able to watch the film in cinemas as an extended cut featuring four unseen performances. Recorded as the UK slowly emerged from lockdown and conceived as a reaction to the confinement and isolation of the preceding months, Idiot Prayer is a souvenir from a strange and precarious moment in history. The performance was filmed by award winning Cinematographer Robbie Ryan (The Favourite, Marriage Story, American Honey) in Alexandra Palace’s stunning West Hall. It was edited by Nick Emerson (Lady Macbeth, Emma, Greta) and the music was recorded by Dom Monks.

“The rise and fall of the world’s most dangerous PR company.” Diana Neille & Richard Poplak’s story of weaponised communication focuses on the infamous Lord Tim Bell and his associates, known for their controversial geopolitical spin-doctoring. Bell started his career in advertising with Saatchi and Saatchi, and had an affinity for difficult briefs and “people with problems”, as he liked to call them. He crafted campaigns for unpopular politicians, dictators, disgraced companies and celebrities, in the same way he created product branding – by being concise and brutal. Those old enough to remember Margaret Thatcher winning the 1979 election in Britain will also recall Bell’s campaign slogan: Labour Isn’t Working. At the time Britain had a million people without work. Two years after Thatcher’s win, seven million people were unemployed. Bell also ran campaigns for Chilean leader Augusto Pinochet, an ally of Thatcher’s and murderer of over 40,000 of his own citizens. In 1987 Bell cofounded Bell Pottinger, which quickly became the most influential reputation-management company in the world. That’s not a compliment. Not all of Bell’s campaigns were successful: he was unable to secure the South African election for incumbent F.W. de Clerk when he ran against Nelson Mandela in 1994. “Tim Bell was a man whose moral compass lacked a needle.” 20 years later, Bell’s return to South Africa to help another corrupt leader led to the downfall of Bell Pottinger. Its campaign for the benefit of former president Jacob Zuma, to draw attention away from South African governmental corruption with race-baiting fake news, was exposed. The fallout plunged BP’s reputation past the point where even their own spin-doctoring could retrieve it. The company was forced to close its doors. That campaign in South Africa is the central focus of another Doc Edge 2020 selection, Rehad Desai’s How to Steal a Country. Using a fascinating blend of archival footage and interviews with Bell and the people who worked with, for, or against him, filmmakers Diana Neille and Richard Poplak conduct an impressively thorough investigation into the politicization of modern communication. Bell’s methods gave rise to the cavalier irresponsibility of the current fake news era. Bell Pottinger developed many of the digital tools to wage propaganda wars and become fundamental in undermining democracy – tools which are now regularly used to interfere in democratic elections. Described as “a glib, slippery customer to the last”, Bell died while the film was in post – not that he’d likely have been on the guest list for its premiere at Sundance in January. Previous festival selections include: Sundance International Film Festival Hot Docs

Iwane Sakazaki returns to his homeland and gets caught in the middle of an incident that results in the tragic death of two of his best friends from childhood. He decides to leave his domain, parting with his fiancée Nao, and becomes a vagrant masterless samurai with nothing more to lose. Iwane drifts to Edo, filleting eels during the day and working as a bodyguard at night for Imazuya, a reputable money exchanger. He gradually wins the trust of the people around him because of his mellow nature, the chivalrous way he treats everyone with courtesy, and his skills of swords. One day, he learns that Imazuya is being targeted in a conspiracy to sabotage a new monetary system implemented by the government, and Iwane decides to protect the people who have given him support. 2019 | JP | 121 min | Dir. Katsuhide Motoki

Germany, 1958: nobody wants to look back to the time of the Nazi regime, so when young prosecuting attorney Johann Radmann comes across sensitive documents that would bring members of the SS who served in Auschwitz to trial, he is told to bury the past. However, against the will of his superiors, he begins to examine the case and lands in a web of repression and denial. He is sucked deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of lies and guilt in his search for the truth, but what he ultimately brings to light will change the country forever.

Gabriele (Fabio De Luigi) is a divorced dad who owns a music store and is completely focused on taking care of his 10-year-old daughter Sofia who spends time with both parents. One day he bumps into his old friend Mara (the gorgeous Micaela Ramazzotti, Like Crazy, IFFNZ18) who - for the first time since his separation - reignites his desire to be in a relationship. There is only one problem, Mara hates children! Blinded by desire, Gabriele decides to hide the existence of Sofia, but not without hilarious consequences. One awkward charade follows another as Gabriele desperately fumbles to conceal one female from the other and uphold his plan. Suddenly, an unexpected turn of events forces Gabriele to review his entire approach. Comedy veteran De Luigi is an expert in playing the fool, and this is no exception with the laughs coming in thick and fast, as the frazzled father moves ever further into hot water.

Seduction, glamour, corruption, drugs and raucous poolside parties: the life and times of scandal-plagued Silvio Berlusconi have long-demanded a screen depiction, and who else to deliver it than Paolo Sorrentino, the Academy Award-winning director of The Great Beauty and The Young Pope, who returns to cinema in spectacular fashion with this dazzling, topical and no-holds-barred look at life in Italy under the glistening eye of modern Europe’s most infamous politician.

In the heart of Chinatown, an ornery, chain-smoking, newly widowed 80-year-old grandma (Tsai Chin) is eager to live life as an independent woman, despite the worry of her family. When a local fortune teller (Wai Ching Ho) predicts a most auspicious day in her future, Grandma decides to head to the casino and goes all in, only to land herself on the wrong side of luck... suddenly attracting the attention of some local gangsters. Desperate to protect herself, Grandma employs the services of a bodyguard from a rival gang. (Corey Ha) and soon finds herself right in the middle of a Chinatown gang war. Director Sasie Sealy brings to life a dark comedy about immigrant life, the vulnerabilities of aging and an unexpected friendship. Set in alleyways and underground mahjong parlours with a cast of richly drawn characters, Lucky Grandma is a love letter to Chinatown and an homage to all the badass elderly women who inhabit it.

A graduate history student is unwittingly caught in the middle of an international conspiracy involving stolen diamonds, an exiled Nazi war criminal, and a rogue government agent. 1976 | US | 125 min | Dir. John Schlesinger

Henri is a middle-aged writer in crisis. Just at a time when he assesses of his life, an enormous grey dog, impolite and smelly, sneaks into Henri's house.

Oliver Sacks: His Own Life explores the life and work of the legendary neurologist and storyteller, as he shares intimate details of his battles with drug addiction, homophobia, and a medical establishment that accepted his work only decades after the fact. Sacks was a fearless explorer of unknown mental worlds who helped redefine our understanding of the brain and mind, the diversity of human experience, and our shared humanity.

A young mother who reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.

After a deadly accident, Paolo comes back on Earth just 92 minutes more, thanks to a calculation error made in a paradise office.

Laid-back baby boomer Yuichi (Ryo Iwamatsu) is a middle-aged manga artist and singer-songwriter when he isn't at his salaryman day job or watching out for his elderly mother. Suffering from increasing dementia since her husband's death, Mitsue (Harue Akagi) is a constant source of comic energy or annoyance for Yuichi, and he and his son must soon decide if they should put her in a home for the elderly. Jumping back in time, we see how Mitsue (played by Kiwako Harada) tracked the tumult of the latter half of the 20th century, being raised as one of 10 brothers and sisters, surviving the war, and having to push her alcoholic husband (Ryo Kase) along in life. Pecoross is directed by the oldest active film director in Japan, Azuma Morisaki, who creates an emotionally complex work that is only the more profound and life-affirming for its cartoonish portrayal.

Pluck 12 years ago Jean learned to weave korowai, traditional Māori feather cloaks. Her source of feathers varies from unravelled feather dusters to roadkill. To date, Jean has made 15 cloaks for her community. But now she faces her own mortality, with the realisation that she hasn’t made one for her daughter. For this korowai, Jean takes us on a weka hunt to the windswept and barren Chatham Islands, Rekohu – 600 kilometres off the coast of Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s a tough time, given that Jean is now on her third round of chemotherapy, but she is adamantly determined to make one last trip. Jean’s openness and honesty is refreshing, as she tells her story with humour and frankness. 2020 | NZ | 27 min | Dir. Kirsty Griffin, Viv Kernick Elementa Deep in Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest lives a rare, unique and seldom seen creature, a black bear with white fur, known locally as Moksgm’ol (the ghost bear). According to local mythology, the creator Raven asked the black bear to make one in ten cubs white, as a reminder of the Great White Time, when the world was covered in ice. Elementa completes Richard’s Speechless trilogy, which began a decade ago with Landscapes at the World’s Ends (Doc Edge 2011) and continued with Speechless: The Polar Realm (Doc Edge 2015). Filmed over five years on seven continents, Elementa is Sidey’s second collaboration with musician Boreal Taiga (Landscapes at the World’s Ends). Ice, fire, earth, air and æther collide in this artistic, environmental feature, visually guided by compelling cinematography from Earth’s most remote lands. Experience the vast wilderness of the white continent and ancient rainforests, to the revered power of the world’s oceans and erupting volcanoes. The film is a black-and-white visual meditation of all that is wild — an escape, and a chance to reconnect with the wilderness. Prepare yourself for full immersion. Explore, Uplift, Reconnect. 2020 | NZ | 43 min | Dir, Richard Sidey

From the makers of Florence and the Uffizi Gallery 3D and St Peter's and the Papal Basilicas of Rome 3D, “Raphael – the Lord of the Arts – in 3D”, is the first ever film adaptation of Renaissance master Raphael Sanzio and his art. This visually stunning new film combines in-depth explorations of Raphael’s astonishing art, and immersive historical reconstructions featuring acclaimed actor and director Flavio Parenti (To Rome With Love, Io sono l’amore), inspired by 18th Century paintings depicting fragments of the Raphael’s life.

“A powerful portrait of a seminal figure in Australian architecture.” The 81-year-old Melbourne-born architect “… is the architect’s architect, refusing to become a ‘star-chitect’. And while he designs beautifully crafted houses for his clients, his own lifestyle is closer to camping,” says the documentary’s creator. “Shunning the limelight, he tucks himself away in his one-room home in a remote estuary north of Sydney, only reached by boat.” Framing the View follows Leplastrier from his house in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney to the construction of other homes in the city. It includes animated sequences of Leplastrier’s house plans and drawings, and dedicates significant time to Bilgola House. Acknowledged as one of Australia’s most beautiful houses, Leplastrier says he was ‘hard-wired into aesthetics being the only thing’ when he developed Bilgola’s radical design. Bilgola House has no glass and no windows, principles that Leplastrier also incorporated into his own “bush camp” home, which provides a contrast to the properties he usually designs for clients. “That’s a lesson learnt not only from Japan,” says Leplastrier of his home, where he and his family eat and sleep on the floor. “Most Pacific Islanders live like that. You can do with a house half the size.” The notoriously reclusive architect agreed to be filmed for the documentary to create a legacy for his three children, who were 8, 12 and 15 years old when Cater began 15 years of filming in 2000. All the people the director interviewed for the film were close friends of Richard’s. “It soon became evident,” Anna said, “that everyone in his orbit becomes part of his bigger family, sharing his passion for site-responsive architecture.”

Masterless Samurai Kyutaro Madarame is hired by a dog-loving gang to get rid of their rival gang's beloved pet, an adorable white cat. Upon raising his sword, however, he cannot bring himself to go through with the act and the cat melts his heart.

SECRET IMPRESSIONISTS tells the story of the art revolution at the core of the Impressionist movement, through an exploration of fifty legendary paintings - hidden treasures previously inaccessible to the general public, now on display in Rome for the very first time. How did the Impressionists view the world? How was their work received? How did they go from being rejected by critics and the public to becoming, in just a few short years, some of the best loved works of art in the world? Featuring the Rome exhibition’s head curators, and compelling analyses made by experts, historians and artists SECRET IMPRESSIONISTS will illuminate the Impressionist movement and uncover hidden gems of Monet, Degas, Renoir, Manet, Cézanne, and many other genius artists whose work has lived on long after their deaths.

Italian photographer Letizia Battaglia spends her career documenting the life and crimes of the Mafia.

“A bitter-sweet romp through the stellar, 67-year career of a remarkable artist.” Opening as the artist celebrates his 85th birthday, director Sally Williams celebrates James Stevenson, one of The New Yorker Magazine’s most prolific cartoonists – and arguably the most beloved. Revered for its weighty commentary on world affairs, The New Yorker found its sweet side in the wit, whimsy and sheer joie de vivre of Stevenson’s illustrations and articles. Williams, whose TV work includes Orangutan Island for NHNZ and Jurassic C.S.I. for National Geographic, has unearthed a truly dazzling volume of work, a whimsical and yet incisive chronicle of its time. ”…a beautifully imagined portrait of the inimitable and beloved Jim Stevenson.” – Molly Haskell, film critic It’s clear that director Sally Jean Williams wants this documentary to be a love letter to Stevenson. Poet, children’s book author, op-ed contributor, father of nine children, and quintessential oddball, Stevenson is battling dementia. “Man is like a ladder,” he says, “strong in the middle and missing a few rungs towards the end.” Sally Williams’ Ken Dewey: This is a Test played Doc Edge Festival 2017.

Bernadette (or Benni, as she wants to be called) is considered aggressive and unpredictable. Due to traumatic experiences in her early childhood, no one can touch her face. She has been permanently suspended from the special needs school, and no foster or group home that takes her in is capable of dealing with her for very long. She is a "system crasher". That's what children are called that consistently break all rules and refuse to follow all structures – and slowly but surely fall through the cracks of the German child protection services. Wherever the nine-year-old is taken in, she gets kicked out again after a short time. And that's exactly what Benni wants, for her only desire is to be returned to her mother, a woman thoroughly incapable of dealing with the unpredictability of her own daughter.

A touching documentary that follows a group of Taranaki children on a bus trip to visit the places their ancestors were imprisoned and forced to labour in the 1880s.

Set in the glossy world of professional, millionaire footballers in Italy, an extremely talented, unpredictable football player is given a personal tutor to help him in controlling his behaviour.

Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.

When slick and successful businessman Adriano (Riccardo Scamarcio, Loro) wakes up next to his dead mistress in a resort hotel room, he becomes the obvious suspect. He selects Virginia Ferrara (Maria Paiato, An Almost Perfect Town IFFNZ18), a veteran criminal attorney who has never lost a case to defend him. The two only have three hours to prepare the case, discredit a key witness, and find the evidence confirming Adriano’s innocence. The Invisible Witness builds intrigue and exhilarating tension up to its astonishing finale.

The band of musketeers: D’Artagnan, Porthos Aramis and Athos, portrayed in a purely self-ironic and disenchanted key, in a series of adventures in order to save King Louis XIV. Moschettieri Del Re is a sequel of sorts to Dumas’ second novel on the notorious Musketeers - Twenty Years After – and was inspired by some of the period drama greats which have set the standards for Italian-style comedy, including Mario Monicelli’s masterpiece, For Love and Gold, and the cult film Nothing Left to do but Cry by the Roberto Benigni - Massimo Troisi duo. It doesn’t concern itself with replicating the farcical and sophisticated rereading of History offered by the former, nor the pure anarchist comedy of the latter, and the romanticism at the heart of Veronesi’s Moschettieri dissolves at times into a coarse and satirical form of comedy, which the veteran Tuscan director just can’t seem to get away from. But audiences of all kinds will find themselves swept away in the fun that was so very clearly had by the excellent cast of Moschettieri del Re in the making of this film, and it even manages to strike the nostalgic chord sought by the director on the passing of time and the bonds of friendship.

Six primary school students suspect their missing teacher is the Befana, a Christmas witch that delivers presents to children.

A rare film that takes aim at the frenzy of the McCarthy era while also being suffused with its Cold War paranoia, The Manchurian Candidate remains potent, shocking American moviemaking.

Johnny is a successful banker who lives happily in a San Francisco townhouse with his fiancée, Lisa. One day, inexplicably, she gets bored with him and decides to seduce his best friend, Mark. From there, nothing will be the same again. US, 2003, 99 min., Dir. Tommy Wiseau

En route to visit their grandfather's grave (which has apparently been ritualistically desecrated), five teenagers drive past a slaughterhouse, pick up (and quickly drop) a sinister hitch-hiker, eat some delicious home-cured meat at a roadside gas station, before ending up at the old family home... where they're plunged into a never-ending nightmare as they meet a family of cannibals who more than make up in power tools what they lack in social skills...

To support her family, Maria works as a trafficker of surrogate mothers, transporting them from place to place along a river - but when one disappears, Maria is left with the task of finding her and must enter deeper into a world she wishes to escape.

The groundbreaking and often game-changing reporting of legendary foreign correspondent and author Robert Fisk is profiled in the latest from acclaimed documentarian Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze).

With the enchanting narrative voice of Helena Bonham Carter, a new exciting cinema production celebrates the 500th anniversary of the birth of the last great artist of the Italian Renaissance. It will explore the rivalry among the most important Venetian artists of the 16th century: Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese in Venice. We’ll discover Venice through Tintoretto’s life and canvases. As the narrative unfolds we’ll begin to understand how the plague deeply affected the city and the Venetian art. Venice. 1576. The plague spreads rapidly. Those with money and property fled. But one man remains faithful to his city. He is Venice’s most devoted painter –Tintoretto. Tintoretto, A Rebel in Venice tells the story of the painter Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto, from the early years of his artistic career until his death in 1594 in the city that inspired and challenged him. This visually spectacular new art film explores Tintoretto as the true mirror of Venice. A one of a kind genius, open-minded, restless, brave and with a strong love for freedom, unstable and elusive, he reflected the true spirit of the lagoon city. Now the artist dubbed “a proto rockstar” by David Bowie and “the first film director in history” by Jean-Paul Sartre can finally be experienced up close in a stunning state-of-the-art cinema experience, featuring special guest Peter Greenaway and narrated by Academy Award nominee Helena Bonham Carter.

Giuliano and Tommaso have been friends for more than thirty years, but the next four days will be the hardest they’ve ever known. Giuliano, a vivacious actor who loves life, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. After a year-long fight, he’s decided to forgo his treatment. Tommaso, who is a teacher living in Canada, returns to Rome to help his friend tie up all the loose ends, including who will take care of Giuliano’s dearest companion, the wide-eyed Bernese mountain dog, Pato.

When the town of Blaine, Mo., approaches its sesquicentennial, there's only one way to celebrate: with a musical revue called "Red, White and Blaine." Hoping the show will be his ticket back to Broadway, impresario Corky St. Clair (Christopher Guest) rounds up a cast of enthusiastic but untalented locals (Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara) to perform his masterwork. But, when Corky reveals that theater agent Mort Guffman will attend the opening, things really kick into high gear.

A provincial librarian is called on to abandon the tranquility of his life in the mountains and return to Rome where he will help get the country back on its feet.