New Zealand has had a long and impressive relationship with cinema. While internationally, New Zealand is most famous for Hollywood productions that predominantly used New Zealand as a location, there's more to New Zealand cinema than that.
In this article, we'll quickly look at the history of cinema in New Zealand before exploring some of the country's greatest cinematic productions and a few that, for one reason or another, don't make it into the top 10!
A Quick History of Cinema in New Zealand
Firstly, New Zealand's relationship with moving pictures started towards the end of the 19th century. The very first film screening took place in 1896 and for many years, New Zealanders watched short films, newsreels, and documentaries.
Even during the silent era of film, New Zealand was used as a filming location, something that would continue for over a century. However, there were also silent movies produced in New Zealand.
Since the New Zealand Film Commission Act in 1978 and the founding of the New Zealand Film Commission in 1982, hundreds of films have been supported through financing and grants, including some of the productions we'll see in this article.
Films like Goodbye Pork Pie in 1981 and The Piano in 1993 showcased New Zealand cinema to international audiences, but Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was a huge international success and filmed in New Zealand.
Since then, many more films have been shot and co-produced in New Zealand like the Chronicles of Narnia and Avatar. Many aspiring actors in New Zealand find acting work through working as extras on some of these huge Hollywood productions.
Domestically, New Zealand has a history of multiculturalism and diversity in its cinema and, in particular, has helped showcase Maori culture around the world.
New Zealand's Top Movies
Here are just some of New Zealand's best films and while this list is far from exclusive, it's definitely a good place to start to enjoy some of the country's best cinema.
This list is based on the highest-grossing New Zealand films so if you're thinking a few obvious choices are missing, there are a few reasons for that.
Boy (2010)
Boy is a 2010 comedy-drama film that was directed and written by Taika Waititi.
The plot revolves around a young boy growing up in rural New Zealand in the 1980s. The boy, who also happens to be named “Boy”, realises that his absent father isn't the man he imagined him to be.
The film was very commercially successful when it was released and broke records for its opening day performance, beating any other New Zealand film.
Its first week was also a huge success, outperforming films like Alice in Wonderland, Whale Rider, and The World's Fastest Indian.
It won awards at AFI Fest, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Melbourne International Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival, and the New Zealand Film and TV Awards.
Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale (1986)
Footrot Flats is a comic strip that ran from 1976 to 1994. In 1986, an animated movie based on the comic strip was made.
When the film was released it was one of the most successful films of the time and also performed very well in Australia.
It was the most successful New Zealand film at the New Zealand box office until The Piano in 1993.
In Australia, it was the most successful animated film of all time until Disney's The Lion King in 1994.
It won 3 New Zealand Film and TV Awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Score, and Best Contribution to a Film Soundtrack.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is another Taika Waititi film. It stars some great New Zealand actors such as Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, and Rachel House.
The film is adapted from the book Wild Pork and Watercress and is about a child in New Zealand's foster care system.
When the film was released, it had the highest-grossing opening weekend for a New Zealand film, beating 1999's What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
It's very highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes and on Metacritic.
Once Were Warriors (1994)
The 1994 New Zealand film Once Were Warriors stars Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Cliff Curtis, Julian Arahanga, and Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell.
It was directed by Lee Tamahori and based on the Alan Duff book of the same name.
It deals with themes of poverty, alcoholism, and domestic violence in a Māori family living in South Auckland.
Its sequel is What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, another of New Zealand's best films.
Sione's Wedding (2006)
Sione's Wedding is a 2006 comedy film starring Oscar Knightley, Shimpal Leslisi, Robbie Magasiva, and Pua Magasiva.
The plot revolves around four Samoan boys in Auckland who, after several “mishaps”, are banned from attending one of the boy's brother's weddings, which is set to take place in a month.
Outside of New Zealand, the movie was titled Samoan Wedding.
The Dark Horse (2014)
The Dark Horse is a drama film directed by James Napier Robertson. It stars Cliff Curtis and James Rolleston and is about the story of Genesis Potini, a New Zealand chess player who suffered from bipolar disorder.
It's highly rated on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic and won many awards both in New Zealand and internationally.
There was also a documentary film called Dark Horse about Genesis Potini.
The World’s Fastest Indian (2005)
The World's Fastest Indian is a film based on the life of Burt Munro, a New Zealand motorcycle racer who set several land speed records.
It stars Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd, Paul Rodriguez, and Aaron Murphy and was hugely successful at the box office.
The “Indian” in the title refers to the type of bike that Munro used, an Indian Scout, which was made by the Indian Motorcycle Company from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Whale Rider (2002)
The 2002 film Whale Rider is based on a 1987 book of the same name.
It was directed by Niki Caro and stars Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, and Cliff Curtis.
The plot focuses on a Maori girl called Paikea, the granddaughter of Koro Apirana, the tribe's chief and covers themes of gender and tradition within her cultural heritage.
Critically acclaimed and hugely successful at the box office, Whale Rider is a film that anyone interested in New Zealand cinema should watch.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999)
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? is the sequel to 1994's Once Were Warriors. It was based on the book of the same name and again stars Temuera Morrison in the role of Jake "the Muss" Heke.
It won many awards at the New Zealand Film Awards including Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Original Music.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
What We Do in the Shadows is a New Zealand comedy film written and directed by both Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.
The film is a mockumentary following the lives of vampires living in Wellington. Both Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi also have acting roles in the movie, too.
Alongside Clement and Waititi, the film also stars Jonathan Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stu Rutherford and Rhys Darby.
Initially based on a 2005 short film from Waititi and Clement, the film also spawned an American TV series, What We Do in the Shadows, and a New Zealand spin-off series called Wellington Paranormal.
Honourable Mentions
The films featured in our list were amongst the highest-grossing films in New Zealand. However, we could have also mentioned the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was filmed in New Zealand, included many New Zealand actors, and was directed by Peter Jackson.
However, the trilogy was an international production with Hollywood Studios like New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures providing the funding, which makes it technically not a New Zealand production.
Many other domestic productions just missed out on inclusion in our top 10 that we believe are also worth watching. These include The Piano, Goodbye Pork Pie, Heavenly Creatures (another Peter Jackson film), Out of the Blue, The Quiet Earth, An Angel at My Table, In My Father's Den, and The Orator.
Some of these films even launched the careers of some of New Zealand's most famous actors, though several actors got their start on some of New Zealand's biggest TV shows.
Again, New Zealand has such a long and storied history with cinema that we'll never be able to do it justice in just one article, but if you're looking for a film to watch from New Zealand, any of these films would be a good starting point.
From there, you're bound to discover more and more movies, especially once you start delving into the filmographies of various directors and actors, many of whom tend to regularly work with some of the same people.
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