New Zealand Film
Welcome to the New Zealand Film archive. Most New Zealand films have been made by small independent film-makers, often on a low budget and sometimes with sponsorship from the private sector or the NZ Film Commission. Only recently have international film companies used the New Zealand film industry as a source of feature films. However, the independent tradition of filmmaking in New Zealand dates back to the end of the 19th century, when film was first shot in New Zealand. The first feature film made in Godzone was "Hinemoa". It premiered on August 1, 1914 at the Lyric Theatre, Auckland.
The documentary film Cinema of Unease, by Sam Neill, presents an accessible history of film in New Zealand.
Most films are able to be accessed below, however some Films have been seperated into sub-categories, ie "New Zealand Documentaries", "Short Films" and "Peter Jackson Directs". The mother-lode can be prospected below.
Right: An artists rendition of Geoff Murphy's "Goodbye Pork Pie".
Magik and Rose (1999)
5.6/10
Director: Vanessa Alexander
Starring: Alison Bruce, Nicola Murphy, Oliver Driver, Simon Ferry, Florence Hartigan
The Annual Wild Food Festival in Hokitika is the setting for this delightful tale of fertility, maternity and female solidarity. When Magik (approachi... Read more
Mahana (2016)
Director: Lee Tamahori
Starring: Nancy Brunning, Temuera Morrison, Jim Moriarty, Akuhata Keefe
In the 1960s on the east coast of New Zealand, two Maori sheep-shearing families the Mahanas and the Poatas are longstanding enemies and commercia... Read more
Mataku: Volume 1 (2002)
8.7/10
Starring: Temuera Morrison
Take a journey into the unique and mysterious world of the supernatural with 6 short dramas (13 in all over 2 volumes), presented by actor Temuera Mor... Read more
Mataku: Volume 2 (2002)
8.7/10
Starring: Temuera Morrison
Take a journey into the unique and mysterious world of the supernatural with these 7 short dramas presented by actor Temuera Morrison. Set in New Zeal... Read more
Matariki (2010)
6.8/10
Director: Michael Bennett
Starring: Sarah Wiseman, Iaheto Ah Hi, Jason Wu, Susana Tang
A random act of violence leaves eight people in crisis, searching for hope and new beginnings, as the Matariki constellation (Maori New Year) rises in... Read more
Mauri (1989)
5.7/10
Director: Merata Mita
Starring: Anzac Wallace, Eva Rickard
'Mauri' is the story of a man, Rewi, who reclaims his spirituality. Rewi is haunted by a past which threatens to engulf his future. However, his relat... Read more
Meet the Feebles (1990)
6.7/10
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Harry, Bletch, Heidi
From that gross but sensational director of 'Bad Taste' comes this 'Sluppet' movie. The film revolves around the famous 'Feebles Variety Massacre' - t... Read more
Mega Time Squad (2018)
Director: Tim van Dammen
Starring: Anton Tennet, Jonny Brugh, Milo Cawthorne, Milo Cawthorne
A small-town crook finds an ancient Chinese time-traveling device that can help him pull off a heist and start a new life, but he may not survive the... Read more
Memories of Tomorrow (2005)
5.8/10
Director: Amit Tripuraneni
Starring: Richard Thompson, Rachel Gilchrist, Ray Trickitt
The slick look of this debut outing from film student Amit Tripuraneni belies its wing and a prayer NZ$15,000 budget. Cast and crew donated their tim... Read more
Memory and Desire (1998)
Director: Niki Caro
Starring: Yuri Kinugawa, Eugene Nomura
Niki Caro's haunting tale is based on a story from Peter Wells' 'Dangerous Desires' - originally inspired by a news item about a Japanese woman found... Read more