The Film Festival came to a close last Saturday. It wasn’t as full of ‘high profile’ films as it has been in the past but in a way this was its main strength.
Films like Dear Zachary and Apron Strings weren’t headliners, but they are two favourites of the year and have stayed with me long after the festival’s close (especially Dear Zachary which I will remember as much for its heart wrenching power as I will for the experience of sitting next to an extremely animated Salient Editor throughout it).
Be Kind Rewind was one of those headliners and didn’t fail to impress, it had that Michel Gondry sweetness but backed it up with some fun film references. It’s not perfect but it was a nice light film that warmed the heart.
The triumphant return of The Incredibly Strange Film Festival brought some real gems like Pop Skull but defacto headliners Teeth and Sukiyaki Western Django were disappointing, hopefully this will be fixed by next year and with cult genres you have to take the good with the not quite as good.
The animation section was bare but Evangelion brought a smile to my face and a heated debate to Capitol after its screening.
Documentaries were the winner on the day, the aforementioned Dear Zachary is my current favourite film of the year, add that with the mind bending festival opener Man on a Wire and the late addition of Werner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World.
Ilaughed, I cried, I spent too much money but I don’t regret a minute of it. Bravo New Zealand Film Festival.