Day One Film Fest 2026: Events Across the Motu

Main Event: Awards and Screenings

Sunday 29 November · Academy Cinemas, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)

Our main event takes over Academy Cinemas for the day. We start in the morning with Kawhe and Kōrero, where we celebrate the winning films across this year's award categories. Then the screenings begin, so you can see this year's films on the big screen.

This year's film curations are:

• For the Whānau (45 min): Family-friendly films about a better tomorrow
• Real Talk (65 min): Fresh voices with sharp social commentary on real issues
• Hope for a Generation (55 min): Warm fuzzies guaranteed, the future is in good hands

The full list of films and their makers for each curation is on Humanitix.

Tickets for Kawhe and Kōrero and each screening are available on Humanitix: get your tickets here.

Real Talk Screening

Tuesday 1 December, 7.00pm · WAA! Club, Whakatū (Nelson)

Kick off the festival week with a screening of Day One's Real Talk curation, hosted by Jo and Alan at WAA! Club. It's an intimate session for up to around 20 people.

Real Talk (65 min) brings fresh voices with sharp social commentary on real issues. The lineup:

• Forget It (Drama, 4m, NZ): A beautifully shot portrait of Alzheimer's, showing how the disease reshapes the life of a loved one and those around them. Dir: Ashley Pye · Prod: Ethan Morais
• Everything You Want (Drama, 5m, NZ): In a local music scene scarred by harassment, a man confronts his behaviour and the consequences it brings, facing shame and self-awareness. Dir: JJ Farry · Prod: Jave Lafuente
• He Ao Whakatikatika (Documentary, 7m, NZ): Reflecting on the enduring effects of colonisation, this film explores the resilience of Māori culture and the importance of cultural restoration. Dir/Prod/Writ: Maddison Meredith, Mariah Tamihere-Johnston
• Tōfā (Drama, 7m, NZ): As a long-awaited move overseas draws near, Wayne is confronted by guilt and the personal cost of leaving his family behind. Dir/Prod/Writ: Shanna Paese
• Mr. Ninety Nine (Drama, 9m, NZ): At a self-improvement seminar built around harmful ideas of masculinity, a young man is exposed to a world of manipulation, performance and toxic male culture. Dir/Writ: Daniel Clarke · Prod: Aidan Coll
• Singularity: Relaunched (Sci-Fi, 5m, NZ): When an ambitious space mission veers off course, a crew must navigate the unknown in a visually inventive adventure beyond the stars. Dir: Felix Elliott · Prod: Luke Grierson
• Active Imagination (Drama, 8m, NZ): A young artist takes a "neurological enhancement" pill to finish a crucial painting, only to discover the disturbing cost of art without soul. Dir/Writ: Olive Cato · Prod: Unique Florence Viernes
• Silver Lining (Documentary, 15m, NZ): Approaching 25 years with a chronic illness, Harriett Maire explores how it feels to live with type 1 diabetes. Dir: Harriett Maire · Prod: Leah Burson

Can't make it to Whakatū? The same Real Talk lineup also screens at Academy Cinemas in Tāmaki Makaurau on Sunday 29 November.

From Pitch to Screen: Funding Your Short Film

Wednesday 2 December, 7.00pm · Yoobee College, 573 Colombo Street, Ōtautahi (Christchurch)

Got a short film idea but not sure how to pay for it? PlanetFoxFilms will walk you through the journey from pitch to screen, sharing what it really takes to get a short film funded. Stick around afterwards for a Q&A and bring your burning questions.

The session has room for 20 to 50 people.

Girls in Film Script Club

Thursday 3 December, 6.30pm · Coco's Cantina, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)

Pizza and writing, what more could you want? Girls in Film Aotearoa is hosting a relaxed script club session where you can get words on the page in good company. Just bring a pen, paper and good vibes.

It's a small, friendly group of under 20 people, so it's the perfect chance to meet fellow writers or catch up with old ones.

Since Day One Screening

Friday 4 December, 5.30–6.30pm · Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Central Library, Pōneke (Wellington)

Catch a screening of film short films that Day One Shorts alumni went on to make after Day One, followed by a filmmaker Q&A. Since Day One at Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui, Wellington's Central Library.

The line up:

• Alice By The Sea (Mystery/Thriller, 14 min, NZ) Alice lives with her dog Moss in an isolated coastal house. When inexplicable and terrifying events unfold, Alice must grapple with her own memories to find answers. Dir: Miryam Jacobi · Prod: Madeleine Askwith
• The Push (Thriller, 15min, NZ) While hiking in remote New Zealand wilderness, Dan’s girlfriend thinks she sees someone pushed off a distant cliff, but Dan doubts her claims. Will they end up sharing a hut with a killer? Dir: Kyan Krumdieck · Prod: Jo Raj & Jessica Todd
• The Flat (Horror Comedy, 14min, NZ) As two roommates quarrel over petty domestic chores, a third roommate battles for his life against the flat ghost. Dir: Conor Bowden

Film Talk with Mark Ordesky

Friday 4 December, 6.30pm · Arrow FM, Wairarapa/Wellington

Film Talks on Air sits down with Mark Ordesky, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, in a podcast episode releasing online. It's a rare chance to hear from someone who helped bring one of the biggest productions ever made in Aotearoa to the screen, and you can listen from wherever you are.

Write In

Tuesday 8 December, 6.30–8.30pm · The Black Studio, Wellington Writers' Studio, Pōneke (Wellington)

Need a little writing accountability? Wellington Writers' Studio is opening its doors for one of its regular Write Ins. Meet some fellow writers, settle in for an hour of focused, silent writing, then hang out afterwards. Bring whatever you're working on, from a first draft to a final polish.

Write Ins usually bring together 10 to 12 writers, with space for up to 20.

See you there! Mark your calendars, grab your mates and come along to whichever events are near you. Keep an eye on our socials for more Day One Film Fest 2026 updates.

Ngā mihi nui to our supporters: Foundation North, Te Māngai Pāho, NextGen, Waitematā Local Board, Four Winds Foundation, The Trusts Community Foundation and the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO.