DOCNZ E-Newsletter

#24 - March 2009

Kia Ora. DOCNZ 2009 has ended in Auckland and Wellington is next. The festival will run 12-22 March at Regent on Manners. Join us for a FREE open air screening at The Dell, Botanic Gardens tomorrow, Wed 11th March at 8pm. In this e-newsletter you will find the latest information about DOCNZ.

The DOCNZ Team

In this issue

DOCNZ SPECIAL EVENT - FREE OPEN AIR SCREENING – WED 11 MARCH AT 8PM
DOCNZ Festival – DOCS ROCKS starts in Wellington on Thursday
DOCNZ Focus – Next screening on 15 April
NZ On Air - Documenting New Zealand Life

1. DOCNZ SPECIAL EVENT – FREE OPEN AIR SCREENING – WED 11 MARCH AT 8PM

To kick off DOCNZ Festival at the capital city, we are inviting everyone to a free open air cinema screening on Wednesday, 11 March at 8pm at The Dell, Botanic Garden in Wellington.

The first film is JUMP! - About kids who push physical and psychological limits to compete in the World Jump Rope Competition. Rivalry and collaboration have dramatic, unexpected results.

The second film is Enta Omri - the greatest Arabic song of all time, originally sung by Egyptian songstress Umm Kulthoum, is revisited in this cinematic audiovisual journey.

Bring the family and friends for a great night out and see why documentaries are so hot and why Docs Rock!

As we all know, the weather in Wellington can be tricky, so please check out the Programme Update section for last minutes updates about the event. We do hope it will be a fab night at The Dell.

Thank you to the Trust House and Wellington City Council for their support of this event.

2. DOCNZ Festival – DOCS ROCKS starts in Wellington on Thursday

DOCNZ will rock Wellington from 11am Thursday 12 March.

After a successful season in Auckland with over 4,000 people attending the festival this year, it is now Wellington’s turn to enjoy the best of documentary films from New Zealand and around the world. Feedback about the films has been tremendous with some saying its our best line-up yet.

DOCNZ 2009 will run at Regent on Manners from 12-22 March so book you tickets today at www.hoyts.co.nz. The opening night film is the Beatles-Cirque du Soleil documentary All Together Now which played to packed houses in Auckland.

With over 50 films this year, there is something for everyone. Don’t miss this year’s DOCNZ winners, the Country Focus on Germany and the Spotlight in Humour. The director of Rock N Roll Nerd, Rhian Skirving, will attend the screening on Friday the 13th at 9:00pm.

On a local note, Architect of Dreams is about Wellingtonian Ian Athfield who will attend the screening on the Wednesday the 18th at 6:45pm. Other local Q&As will be held for Assume Nothing on Sunday the 15th at 6:30pm, Shustak on Monday the 16th at 8:00pm, and the Last Western Heretic on Thursday the 19th at 6:45pm. Come and support the local filmmakers.

3. DOCNZ Focus – Next screening is on 15 April

The next DOCNZ Focus screening will be held on 15 April at 6:30pm at the Academy Cinemas (44 Lorne Street, Auckland CBD).

The Boot Cake

Dir. Kathryn Millard/ Australia/ 2008/ 75mins

A small desert town on the edge of western India’s famous salt plains is the unlikely home of the world’s largest population of Charlie Chaplin impersonators. The Charlie Circle of Adipur embraces businessmen, shopkeepers, a doctor who prescribes Chaplin movies for medicinal purposes, teachers, engineers, students and a three-year-old pre-schooler. They all share a passion for the silent film star of the early 1900s, with his twirling cane, wobbly walk and agitated eyebrows.

DOCNZ Focus screenings are open to the public. You may join as a member or attend single sessions. A group discount (10 or more) is available too. Bookings and tickets are available on our website www.docnz.org.nz

4. NZ On Air - Documenting New Zealand Life

New high quality TV documentaries are being supported with a recent allocation of over $3 million by NZ On Air.

A new strand of TV One documentaries will deliver 20 hours of unique programmes, telling a diverse range of local stories. In previous strands audiences have discovered the tough realities of life as an undercover police officer in Undercover and followed the journey of at risk Maori youth as they are offered a new chance in The Outsiders.

Our advisor, internationally renowned documentary maker, Annie Goldson, is one of the first recipients for a one hour documentary, Brother Number One, to be screened on TV3. This ambitious film follows rowing champion Rob Hamill through Cambodia to seek the truth about his brother Kerry, murdered by the Khmer Rouge 30 years ago.

Award-winning series Artsville will be returning to TV One for a fourth series. A showcase for home grown art and artists, Artsville offers a unique range of documentaries from the country's best producers, directors and writers.