The first 12 films of this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) have been revealed.
“It’s the news you’ve all been waiting for,” organisers wrote in a statement. “And true to form, this dynamic and diverse bunch of must-see titles includes horror, heartbreak, history and a healthy dose of the utterly unhinged.”
The first films confirmed for the 2026 programme include Comédie-Française, a French farce film; Father Mother Sister Brother, the latest comedy-drama from independent film icon Jim Jarmusch; Do You Love Me, a powerful documentary about Lebanon; a 4K re-mastered version of queer classic Mysterious Skin.
Organisers previously revealed on socials that this year’s Centrepiece film is Lomu, a captivating portrait of legendary All Black Jonah Lomu.
Lomu debuts at The Civic in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on August 1st, before heading to other NZIFF venues.
“We are excited to share this first batch of titles from NZIFF 2026,” says Artistic Director Paolo Bertolin. “They reflect the diverse, free and adventurous nature of a line up that promises to be high on cinematic quality but also on emotional impact, fun and topicality.
“We can’t wait to share more titles and really look forward to the moment our audiences will discover them on the big screen.”
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Check out the first 12 films below:
Lomu – Centrepiece film for 2026 (directed by Vea Mafile’o and Gavin Fitzgerald New Zealand)
Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant (directed by Jordan Mark Windsor and Sean Wallace of THUNDERLIPS, New Zealand)
Elephants in the Fog (directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, Nepal)
Comédie-Française (directed by
Landmarks (directed by Lucrecia Martel, Argentina)
Iván & Hadoum (directed by Ian de la Rosa, Spain)
Ghost in the Cell (directed by Joko Anwar, Indonesia)
Everybody Digs Bill Evans (directed by Grant Gee, Ireland)
Father Mother Sister Brother (directed by Jim Jarmusch, USA)
Do You Love Me (directed by Lana Daher, Lebanon)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, Tunisia)
Mysterious Skin 4K (directed by Gregg Araki, USA)
NZIFF 2026 opens in Tāmaki Makaurau on July 29th, before closing in the city on August 9th.
The festival then heads to 10 other centres around Aotearoa through August and September: Ōtautahi Christchurch (August 6th-23rd); Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (August 12th-23rd); Ōtepoti Dunedin (August 14th-30th); Matakana (August 27th-September 6th); Kirikiriroa Hamilton (August 29th-September 6th); Whakatū Nelson (August 29th-September 6th); Ahuriri Napier (August 29th-September 7th); Ngāmotu New Plymouth (August 29th-September 6th); Tauranga-moana Tauranga (August 29th-September 6th); Whakaoriori Masterton (August 29th-September 6th).
Find out more about NZIFF 2026 here.
