New Zealand Mountain Film Festival.
Catch the best NZ made ski films live in Wanaka & Queenstown.
The 22nd edition of the NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival is running in Wānaka from 21 – 25 June and in Queenstown from 27 – 28 June.
The International Adventure Film Competition attracted a record 241 entries (up from 177 entries in 2023) and of the 64 films that have made the final programme, 20 are NZ-made. New Zealand filmmakers also feature strongly amongst the award winners, collecting seven of the 14 top prizes, with two others earning runner-up awards and a further two receiving special jury awards.
As New Zealand’s only adventure film competition, the NZMFF is proud to be providing a platform for Kiwi creatives to showcase their talents.
Terra Incognita, took home the prestigious Hiddleston/ MacQueen Award and $2500 prizemoney for the Best NZ-made Film.
Directed by the talented Finlay Woods, the film follows a crew of world-class skiers led by Freeride World Tour competitor Craig Murray as they attempt to ski new lines in the Southern Alps. Although their high-flying objectives don’t always go to plan, the film explores the process and realities of pushing into some of the most remote places in Aotearoa. The crew experiments with pack horses to access zones and pull together to ride the rollercoaster of the trials and tribulations of high end freeride in a typically capricious NZ winter. Beautifully shot this is a must see on the big screen.
Terra Incognita, Director: Finlay Woods. World-class skiing right here in Aotearoa.
Wanaka – Session 3 – Pure NZ Tahi. Saturday 22 June. 3-6pm.
Also showing at Cinema Paradiso 3.30pm.
Queenstown session 2 – Pure NZ – Friday 28 June. 3-6pm
The War on Style.
15 mins, Director: Chris Maunsell, NZ, World Premiere.
This short film is an odyssey into the mind & life of its protagonist, Hank Bilous. The film focuses on exploring the difference between Technical Skills & Self Expression by applying these concepts to his familiar & unfamiliar worlds of skiing, surfing, nursing, chess, skateboarding and more. There is a process to learning any technical skill and once it has been mastered we have the choice to add our unique style to it, this film is a celebration of that uniqueness.
Original soundtrack by Sam Wave.
Wanaka – Session 6 – Pure NZ Rua. Sunday 23 June. 3-6pm.
https://mountainfilm.nz/sessions/session-6/
Also showing at Cinema Paradiso 3.30pm.
Queenstown session 2 – Pure NZ – Friday 28 June. 3-6pm
The Snow Show.
A festival favourite, this year’s Snow Show certainly won’t disappoint! We’re off on an epic mission to Greenland, Norway, Antarctica and the Kyrgyzstan mountains in search of the best lines.
We have the world premier of JUGAAD.
Filmed & Directed by Cameron McDermid starring locals Bianca Bratton, Rupert Patterson, Mike Handford & Sauce Aubrey, whose unravelled Indian ski vacation plans creates an all together different and poignant experience skiing in Kashmir.
Read Bianca’s insightful feature from ISSUE 105 here https://www.nzskier.com/jugaad-skiing-kashmir/
While Sam Favret & Nikolai Schirmer teaming up in Norway is sure to get the juices flowing.
Monday 24 June. 7.30pm to 10.30pm
(doors open and live music from 7.00pm)
(Not) Making an Impact Award Winner: Up the Cass, No Gas,
Director: Anna Frances Pearson.
A ski trip up the Cass Valley, soley powered by renewable and human power,
Wanaka – Session 3 – Pure NZ Tahi. Saturday 22 June. 3-6pm.
UPDATE: WANAKA SOLD OUT: But the same show is playing at Cinema Paradiso at 3.30pm.
Queenstown session 2 – Pure NZ – Friday 28 June. 3-6pm
https://mountainfilm.nz/sessions/session-3-pure-nz-films/
For those who can’t make the live shows, or maybe were a little slow on the draw and missed out on sold out shows don’t panic! As fun as that is, all the shows will be available from July 1st via the online festival platform.
The Online Festival will start July 1 and run until late on July 31, 2024.
- If you used the Uscreen site last year, you will still need to set up a new account.
- Online shows will only work if you are within New Zealand or Australia.
https://mountainfilm.nz/online-festival/
So go one, drag yourself away from the fire and get on out there & get fired up for the winter.
Whenever it may actually arrive.
