Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival is on its way! The Christchurch leg of the festival includes screenings at the Isaac Theatre Royal and Lumiere.
Christchurch showings are on from Friday 5 November to Sunday 21 November.
Literary Connections / Based on Books
Have a delve into movies and documentaries playing at the Film Festival based on books or with literary connections.
Literary Connections - Christchurch 2021 [1MB PDF]
Summer of 85 (Été 85)
Call Me By Your Name meets God’s Own Country in the north of France in Summer of 85, Ozon’s adaptation of Aidan Chamber’s classic 1982 novel, Dance on My Grave.
Read Dance on My Grave by Aidan Chambers.
The Power of the Dog
Working at the height of her powers, NZ powerhouse Dame Jane Campion turns her laser-like gaze on the complex characters inhabiting the world of the 1967 Thomas Savage novel, The Power of the Dog.
Read The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage.
The Painted Bird
Listen to the eAudiobook or read the Polish language book of The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski.
My Salinger Year
Read My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff.
A Mild Touch of Cancer
Successful businessperson, comedian and author David Downs had just months to live when he entered a clinical trial of an innovative cancer treatment in the U.S.
Within weeks, he was in complete remission, and two years later he is deemed cured.
Read A mild touch of the cancer by David William Downs.
The Reason I Jump
Read or listen to The Reason I jump by Naoki Higashida.
Flowers of Shanghai
Based on the 1892 novel "The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai" by Han Bangqing.
The Lost Daughter
Read The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante.
Happening (L’événement)
“Happening documents one woman’s efforts to arrange a termination and thereby continue with her studies. Adapted from Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel, the film plays its private trauma as a harrowing thriller ..."
Based on the book of the same name by Annie Ernaux.
Drive My Car (Doraibu mai kā)
Read the short story of the same name in Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami.
Roadrunner: A Film about Anthony Bourdain
The life of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was about so much more than just food, as affectionate documentary Roadrunner illustrates in interviews with those whose lives were touched by the curious, convivial rover.
Read books by Anthony Bourdain.
Read books about Anthony Bourdain.
The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson
Based on the play of the same name by Leah Purcell, which was a reimagining of Henry Lawson’s short story.
Read or listen to The Drover's Wife by Leah Purcell
Compartment No. 6 (Hytti nro 6)
Two strangers connect in the intimate confines of a train compartment in Juho Kuosmanen’s arresting sophomore feature.
Read Compartment no. 6 by Rosa Liksom.
Beau Travail
French filmmaker Claire Denis is the striking exception to the rule that women rarely make movies that fix their gaze upon the tantalising otherness of men. Her mesmerising Beau Travail transposes Melville’s Billy Buddto a French Foreign Legion troop stationed in a harsh and beautiful port town of Djibouti.
Inspired by the 1888 novel Billy Budd by Herman Melville.
Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Stories
Film Fest displays
View our set of library displays.
NZIFF eBooks and eAudiobooks
Check out our curated selection of OverDrive titles from the films in this year's festival.
NZIFF-related Books and Movies
Here are some books and movies on the topics and people featured in movies and documentaries at this Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival 2021:
The Gosden Years
The collected writings of long-time festival director Bill Gosden
Bergman Island
Find books and movies by and about Ingmar Bergman
Fiona Clark: Unafraid
Find books by photographer Fiona Clark
The Hand of God
Find books and movies by Paolo Sorrentino
Mark Hunt - The Fight of his Life
Read Born to Fight by Mark Hunt
Mothers of the Revolution
Read about the women protestors of Greenham Common
Patu!
Watch Hotere, documentary by Merata Mita
Rohe Kōreporepo - The Swamp, the Sacred Place
Books and documentaries by Kathleen Gallagher
Signed, Theo Schoon
Read about Theo Schoon
Whetū Mārama - Bright Star
Read about Hekenukumai Busby
Written on the Wind
Watch movies by Douglas Sirk
Beamafilm, Kanopy, and DVDs
Beamafilm and Kanopy are online video streaming services with great collections of award-winning independent, international, classic films, and documentaries. Both are free with your library card number and password / PIN.
The DVD collection includes classic and contemporary films, comedy, musicals, art house movies and television shows. Children’s DVDs are also available at all of our libraries. Non-fiction DVDs such as documentary films and series, and learning resources are shelved alongside the books on those topics, or sometimes in a separate sequence (Tūranga).
- Charges and loan periods for DVDs.
- Find DVDs in our collection.
- Find Children’s DVDs in our collection.
Follow the Festival
- Times and dates for Christchurch screenings
- Visit the Festival website
- View the NZIFF YouTube channel
- Follow @NZFF on Twitter
- Like Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival on Facebook
- Follow NZIFF on Instagram
Visit our page about Movies and TV for movie resources and information.
Win a double pass to a "Based on Books" movie
Thanks to the team at the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival, we had one double pass to give away to a movie that's "Based on Books. The winner was Michael who won tickets to Roadrunner: A film about Anthony Bourdain.
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