COVID-19 strikes again, with Auckland missing out on Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2021.
Deeply disappointing (if inevitable) news has come today for Tāmaki Makaurau—the Auckland edition of Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2021 has been cancelled.
Originally scheduled to kick off on October 28th, with an array of fantastic titles announced and more to come, COVID-19 alert levels have made Auckland’s festival an impossibility.
NZIFF 2021 will now open in Christchurch on Friday 29 October, with Wellington, Dunedin, and nine regional centres to come.
Flicks’ message from Auckland-based staff to the rest of Aotearoa: Make the most of your fest this year (but no spoilers, dammit!)
We’ll still be pointing you to programme highlights, interviewing key filmmakers and much more—but for now, we’ll leave you with more information from the NZIFF media release…
Following the Government’s announcement on Monday 4 October that Auckland will continue to be in a form of Alert Level 3, the Auckland leg of Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2021 has been cancelled.
New Zealand Film Festival Trust Chair Catherine Fitzgerald said the board and management have worked tirelessly to assess all possible options. “It is with very heavy hearts that we make this announcement today.”
Ms Fitzgerald said the festival would require indoor capacities to be uncapped for NZIFF 2021 to be able to go ahead in Auckland venues and cinemas, and this includes the recently announced Matakana Cinemas which were added to the festival for this year.
“With Auckland in a form of Level 3 for some weeks to come, and uncertainty around when capacity limits will be lifted, it is no longer possible for us to go ahead with the Auckland edition of this year’s festival.
“The team, led by Director – Kaiwhakatere Marten Rabarts and General Manager Sally Woodfield, has worked under extraordinary circumstances to do everything possible to present this year’s festival in all 13 towns and cities, and our programme confirmed for 2021, featuring an outstanding line-up of award-winning films from around the globe, is one that we are extremely proud of.”
Ms Fitzgerald said the timing of the cancellation of the Auckland leg of the festival was to mitigate significant costs incurred in promoting and presenting the festival in the city, “We have held out as long as possible but had to make this decision today to be fiscally responsible.”
Ms Fitzgerald confirmed that NZFFT is working towards presenting the festival in the rest of the country with the current Level 2 restrictions and working with venues to ensure audience safety is paramount. NZIFF 2021 now opening in Christchurch on Friday 29 October, Wellington opening on Thursday 4 November, and Dunedin on Friday 5 November, followed by the nine regional centres.
“We are working with venues and cinemas on the logistics of presenting under the Level 2 restrictions with the removal of the cap on capacities, but with various continuing Level 2 requirements including physical distancing.
“We recognise this decision is a disappointment to our Auckland audiences and we now look to our dedicated audiences in the rest of the country to rally behind the film festival and show their support by coming to the screenings we will present in 12 towns and cities nationwide.”
The full programme for the festival will be announced in coming days.
