Monday
26
Jul
2021
A special WIFT NZ screening of The Justice of Bunny King

A special WIFT NZ screening of The Justice of Bunny King

Posted Monday 21 Jun 2021

Don't miss this very special WIFT NZ preview screening - before the official premiere!

Written by Sophie Henderson (Baby Done, Human Traces), produced by Emma Slade (Rage, Come To Daddy, The Changeover), and directed by Gaysorn Thavat, The Justice of Bunny King is a gritty tale of triumph over adversity about women fighting their way back from the bottom of society.

Bunny King (Essie Davis) is a mother of two, a woman best described as a rough diamond with a sketchy past. Attempting to leave this past behind, she works intersections as a squeegee bandit using her quick wit to charm money from motorists. However, Bunny finds her frustrations difficult to contain, leading her to clash with the public and police.
Bunny is only able to see her children during supervised meetings. Convinced that everything will fall into place if they can all be together as a family, she continually makes reckless promises she can’t keep and then a spur-of-the-moment decision with huge consequences … Click here to watch the trailer

“Davis brings a rough-edged authenticity to this spirited portrait of a mother in crisis … the actor is as compellingly watchable as a car crash” – Screendaily.com

Enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles before the screening and, afterwards, Newshub Entertainment Editor and Film Reviewer Kate Rodger will host WIFT NZ members Sophie and Emma onstage for a discussion about making the film.

Click here to buy your tickets

Let’s celebrate the work of the many hugely talented WIFT NZ members who worked so hard on The Justice of Bunny King!

Date: Monday 26 Jul 2021
Location: Capitol Cinema, 610 Dominion Rd, Balmoral, Auckland
Time: 6pm drinks, screening starts at 6.30pm sharp

Monday
26
Jul
2021

Upcoming events...

Wednesday 22 Apr 2026

Boost Your Work: Running A Successful Boosted Campaign (Wellington)

Crowdfunding a film is one thing. Keeping a campaign alive, building momentum, finding your audience, and turning strangers into supporters is something else entirely. This panel brings together filmmakers for an honest conversation about what it actually takes to run a successful creative crowdfunding campaign in Aotearoa.

We will have Flynn Robson from Boosted, New Zealand's dedicated arts crowdfunding platform discuss how the platform works. He will be joined by Gwen Isaac (Ms. Information) and Maddy Hakaraia de Young (Māoriland).

This session goes beyond the basics. Expect practical insights on platform optimisation, lateral thinking around outreach, and a frank discussion about what nobody tells you before you launch.

Whether you're mid-campaign, planning your first, or just crowdfunding-curious, this panel is your chance to learn from the people who've been through it, and come away with ideas you can use straight away.

We thank The Arts Foundation for collaborating with us on this event, as well as Kōawa Studios for hosting it. We are excited to be the first event held at the new theatre!

Drinks and nibbles from 6pm, workshop from 6:30pm-8:00pm

Free for WIFT members, $20 for non-members, $10 for non-member students.

 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET VIA HUMANITIX

Wednesday 22 Apr 2026

Cosy Crime (Auckland)

Some of the most successful TV shows in New Zealand over the last 5 years have been procedural/cosy-adjacent crime shows. What makes a cosy crime series thrive in the New Zealand screen landscape?

This panel brings together WIFT members Kate McDermott (co-creator and writer, Blue Murder Motel, and script producer and writer, My Life is Murder), Kathleen Anderson (Head of Drama GSTV, Blue Murder Motel), and Rachel Antony (Chief Executive Greenstone TV, My Life is Murder) to unpack the creative and commercial mechanics of the genre.

From defining the core elements of successful cosy crime and crafting distinctive protagonists that sustain multiple seasons, to positioning locally made series for both domestic broadcasters and international markets, the discussion will examine how tone, character, audience, and market intersect. 


This session will be moderated by Marina Alofagia McCartney.

WIFT Members free, non-members $20. Drinks & nibbles from 6pm, panel from 6:30 - 8pm

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET VIA HUMANITIX

Monday 11 May 2026

WIFT Special Screening: Caterpillar

We are delighted to host a special WIFT Screening of Chelsie Preson Crayford's debut feature film Caterpillar. We will have the bubbles flowing to celebrate! There will also be a Q&A with Chelsie Preston Crayford (Director) Georgina Condor (Producer) Lisa Harrow & Anais Shand (Lead Actors) and Maria Ines Manchego (DOP).

In an early-2000s Wellington household, three generations of women navigate love, ambition and change. Single mother Maxine (Marta Dusseldorp) struggles to fund her filmmaking dreams, and teenage daughter Cassie (Anais Shand) faces the pressures of growing up. All while grandmother Huia (Lisa Harrow) quietly confronts a dementia diagnosis, retreating into her fascination with monarch butterflies as her mind begins to falter. When the family’s needs clash, they must learn to adapt together.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A TICKET VIA HUMANITIX

$20 for WIFT members, $25 for non-members

See film trailer here:

Programme is brought to you with generous support from the NZ Film Commission and Foundation North.