The director of many iconic NZIFF moments has selected the shorts in this year’s NZ’s Best lineup – and Flicks has come on board to sponsor and be part of the jury.
Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival’s short film competition always lives up to its title—NZ’s Best. 2022 looks to be no different, with five shorts selected by Aotearoa great Florian Habicht.
Having floored us over the years at NZIFF with films including Kaikohe Demolition, Love Story, Pulp: a Film about Life, Death & Supermarkets and Woodenhead (playing Auckland in a newly-colourised version this year), Habicht had this to say of his short film selection process:
“I had a shower, shaved, put on my favourite suit, and then watched the pre-selection at home by myself, imagining I was under the stars in the Civic. Five films took my breath away, and they are all so different from each other.”
“I loved the time travelling in these works. I loved discovering new talents. ‘Waiting for Godot’ like characters in 1820 Aotearoa, Mannequin love in Saint Kevin’s Arcade, a lamb tale, a supermarket worker I fell in love with, and a vision of the future that hauntingly doesn’t feel too different to the last couple of years! Enjoy.”
Like ourselves, you should be looking forward to seeing what’s excited Habicht and elicited these descriptions…
The five finalists are Saviour (dir: Alistair MacDonald), Manny and Quinn (dir: Siobhan Marshall), Perianayaki (dir: Bala Murali Shingade), Rustling (dir: Tom Furniss), and Trees (dir: Tom Scott).
These finalists will be competing for a total prize pool of $15,000, with a jury of three (including Flicks editor Steve Newall) awarding three prizes at the premiere screening of New Zealand’s Best on Saturday 6 July.
These include the Flicks Award for Best Short Film ($7500), the Creative New Zealand Emerging Talent Award ($4000) recognising a fresh voice: filmmaking that gives life to stories of those less often represented in film, or that speaks to new or existing audiences in different ways; and the Auckland Live Spirit of The Civic Award ($4000).
The closing night of the festival in Wellington on Sunday 14 August will also see the winner of the public-voted Audience Award announced, with the prize calculated as 25 percent of the box office from New Zealand’s Best screenings in the four main centres.
More info from Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival about the New Zealand’s Best Finalists 2022:
Saviour
Director/Producer: Alistair MacDonald Producer: Simone Ashton
A troubled missionary, led by a rough Pākehā guide, treks through the forest of 1820s Aotearoa.
Manny and Quinn
Director/Screenplay: Siobhan Marshall Producers: Florence Hartigan, Millen Baird
An introverted shopkeeper forges a new friendship with the mystery man next door through a playful yet competitive game of dress-ups with their shop mannequins.
Perianayaki
Director: Bala Murali Shingade Producer/Screenplay: Shreya Gejji
A recent Sri Lankan immigrant begins another day at her job stacking shelves at the local supermarket. With her limited grasp of English, she struggles to understand or be understood by colleagues and customers alike.
Rustling
Director/Screenplay: Tom Furniss Producer: Morgan Waru
In a family of sheep rustlers, a 15-year-old boy must go up against his domineering father in order to help his younger brother keep the baby lamb left orphaned by their latest slaughter.
Trees
Directors: Tom Scott, Ben Bryan Producer: Mark Duncan
In a dystopian world where all trees are outlawed, one council worker chooses to rebel.
