The 18th edition of Show Me Shorts Film Festival is set to launch in cinemas nationwide this October. 86 short films will be presented during the festival.
Opening Night celebrations will take place in Auckland on 6 October, Christchurch on 11 October, and Wellington on 12 October.
Highlight films include 7 Minutes directed by Ricky Gervais with his trademark awkwardness; the powerful directorial debut of British actor Simon Woods (Pride & Prejudice) with Such a Lovely Day; and the directorial debut of New Zealand actor Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows) with a quirky story about aging and faith – Proof.
Eleven world premieres will take place during the festival, where many local and international filmmakers will be present to introduce their films for the first time. The themed sections include Whānau Friendly, Crime Spree, Women Rock the World, Turning Up the Heat, and Love Unconditional. There’s something for everyone!
The Whānau Friendly collections of short films are fast becoming one of the most popular sections of the programme. This year there are two collections, that have been curated with the help of tamariki.
The Filmmaker Talks offer an incredible opportunity for aspiring filmmakers wanting to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes in making movies to talk with industry professionals. This year the talks will take place in Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington.
Auckland film lovers have the opportunity to attend interactive professional development workshops, panel discussions, networking, and screenings of short films as part of Industry Day. Industry Day will take place at The Hollywood on 8 October. Guest filmmakers, programmers, and festival strategists will be attending from Indonesia, Australia, the UK, and Norway.
To make the festival even more accessible Show Me Shorts is providing collections of short films with Audio Descriptions and Closed Captions as part of the Show Me Shorts On Demand offering.
Show Me Shorts Film Festival will take place in the following locations during 6-30 October 2023: Whangārei, Auckland (Avondale / Central / Devonport / Northcote / Great Barrier Island / Matakana / Titirangi / Waiheke Island), Thames, Hamilton, Katikati, Tauranga, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Napier, Ōtaki, Wellington, Picton, Nelson, Tākaka, Christchurch, Akaroa, Selwyn, Alexandra, Arrowtown, Dunedin and Invercargill.
