What if you could open a doorway and walk through it to re-live a defining moment from your past? Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell) are single strangers who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and soon, through a surprising twist of fate, find themselves on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey – a funny, fantastical, sweeping adventure together where they get to re-live important moments from their respective pasts, illuminating how they got to where they are in the present…and possibly getting a chance to alter their futures.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, the cinematic return of the global phenomenon, follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter the 1930s. As the beloved cast of characters navigates how to lead Downton Abbey into the future, they must embrace change and welcome a new chapter.

Eleanor the Great features a bravura performance from June Squibb in the title role of the spirited 94-year-old who tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own. Eleanor Morgenstein has always stayed engaged and connected to the people around her. So, after a devastating loss, she relocates from Florida to New York City to live with her daughter and grandson, hoping to reconnect with her family. Instead, she feels even more adrift and invisible. One day she unknowingly wanders into a support group where she doesn’t quite belong, only to reveal a story that unwittingly brings her a level of attention she did not intend. Eleanor finds herself caught up in the enlivening consequences as a young journalism student pursues her as a friend and mentor. When things go too far, Eleanor must confront the truth. In her directorial debut, Scarlett Johansson brings together themes of aging, family, loss and what constitutes deceit, as this story of friendship and history turns into a profound tale of complicated humanity.

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.

KANGAROO is a heart-warming family comedy about ex TV personality, Chris Masterman, who becomes stranded in an Outback town outside Alice Springs. There, he teams up with 12-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie. The pair form an unlikely friendship and work together to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys in the remote but stunning Outback community - an endeavour that proves to be life-changing for them both.

From Éric Besnard (director of the previous Festival hits Delicious and A Great Friend), this historical drama offers an intimate look at rural life in the beautiful Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. In 1889, Parisian teacher Louise Violet (Alexandra Lamy), is sent to a small village to impose the free, compulsory and secular schooling of the French Republic. Miss Violet is met with a hostile reception from the locals and their stern mayor Pierre Lecomte (Grégory Gadebois), fearful of change and apprehensive of anything that might distract their children from farm work. If Louise is to win the villagers over, she’ll have to speak their language... As tensions rise, confronting the villagers also means confronting herself. Louise may be the teacher, but maybe the village has something to teach her... With rich period costuming and breathtaking vistas on display, Miss Violet is a compelling exploration of how tradition and progress can collide. A must-see for anyone who believes in the transformative power of education.

This immersive portrait of the time John and Yoko spent living in Greenwich Village is a vivid time capsule of America in the early 70s. A time of extreme political polarisation which may seem uncannily familiar.

In August 2017, in the lead-up to national elections, Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly became New Zealand’s opposition party leader. She had just turned 37. Two frenetic months later, she was Prime Minister. Just before the final vote was in, she discovered she was pregnant. She would become only the second head of state in history to give birth while in office. Ardern quickly became one of the most recognizable leaders in the world. She drew global attention from people craving a sensitive and compassionate approach to the critical issues of our time. In private, she struggled with being a mother and proving herself to a public skeptical of women’s leadership. A series of crises - the Christchurch massacre, pandemic lockdowns, and disinformation-fueled protests outside Parliament - would test that leadership and the feminine touch she brought to it. She resigned from office in January 2023, shocking her supporters and critics alike. Going behind the scenes of her administration and her private life, PRIME MINISTER follows Jacinda for seven years as she is catapulted to the top of New Zealand politics, becomes a feminist political icon, resigns suddenly from office and continues to champion the fight against isolationism, fear, and the distortion of truth. Intimate home footage shot by her husband and audio interviews that Jacinda did while in office give us unparalleled access. Along with in-depth contemporaneous interviews, these form the emotional backbone of the story, giving viewers an unfiltered window into her years in power. The world is at a perilous political crossroads. Trust in institutions, expertise, and liberal democracy itself are under dire strain. Which direction will we go? PRIME MINISTER leaves viewers wondering what the world might be like with more Jacindas at the helm.

Highlight short films from the festival are collected in this tasty package. Inspiring and thoughtful stories include a boxing nun, an AI robot, a dedicated teacher and a Palestinian man trying to return home. Much loved stars Hugh Bonneville, Marlon Williams, Thomas Sainsbury and Alison Bruce make an appearance. We have some fun with an out-of-his-depth dad at a twirling competition and a maniacal ice-cream seller on the beach.

Everyone’s favorite felons are back, and this time, they’ve got company. In the new chapter from DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed 2022 action-comedy hit about a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws, The Bad Guys are struggling to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys, when they are pulled out of retirement and forced to do “one last job” by an all-female squad of criminals. Based on the New York Times best-selling book series by Australian author Aaron Blabey, The Bad Guys 2 reunites the film’s all-star cast and filmmakers. Returning to their roles as The Bad Guys are Academy Award® winner Sam Rockwell as dashing reformed pickpocket Mr. Wolf; Marc Maron as safe-cracker Mr. Snake, Craig Robinson as master-of-disguise Mr. Shark, Grammy winner Anthony Ramos as the short-fused Mr. Piranha and Golden Globe winner Awkwafina as expert hacker Ms. Tarantula, aka “Webs”. The A-list comedic cast includes the return of Zazie Beetz as Diana Foxington, BAFTA winner Richard Ayoade as Professor Marmalade, Emmy winner Alex Borstein as police chief Misty Luggins and Lilly Singh as Tiffany Fluffit. The Bad Guys 2 is directed by returning filmmaker Pierre Perifel and produced by returning producer Damon Ross. The co-director is JP Sans, who served as head of character animation on The Bad Guys, and the music is by Oscar®-nominated returning composer Daniel Pemberton.

What would you do if you won the lottery? Charles answers the age-old question by inviting his favourite former folk duo to his remote island, where the estranged band members prove that some flames never die...

Annual Fundraiser for the Village Theatre, a fun filled Variety Show night with a range of local talent including singers & musical acts, comedians, poets, storytellers, dramatic presentations & much more. Tickets only $20/$10 for a great night!

Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Ivy (Olivia Colman) and Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch): successful careers, a loving marriage, great kids. But beneath the façade of their supposed ideal life, a storm is brewing – as Theo’s career nosedives while Ivy’s own ambitions take off, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentment ignites. The Roses is a reimagining of the 1989 classic film The War of the Roses, based on the novel by Warren Adler.

This film follows Mark & Joanna Wallace (Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn) and their tumultuous 12-year relationship, from courtship and marriage to parenthood and infidelity. Filmed on location in the sun-drenched surrounds of Italy and France.