Every year, we are lucky to have an International Film Festival with films from all around the world including some New Zealand films. This year, films come from 33 countries and are in 39 different languages. Any films which are not in English, have English sub-titles so you need to be a fast reader of English.
The Auckland International Film Festival started July 17th and runs until August 6th. Most films are shown two or three times only, maybe once in the morning on a weekday and once or twice in an evening session or at the weekend. You have to book for popular evening or weekend sessions.
Wellington’s festival began July 25th and finishes August 10th. Dunedin’s festival starts later this week then it moves to Christchurch. This year, the festival will show in 13 towns, the last towns being New Plymouth and Palmerston North from September 4th until September 21st. The programme in smaller towns offers fewer films.
Ticket prices are more than the usual movie prices but the International Film Festival does not make a profit. In fact, volunteers do lot of the office work to keep the ticket prices as low as possible.
You can usually pick up a programme from your local library, movie theatre or video rental shop or go the International Film Festival website.
Vocabulary notes:
• you need to be a fast reader – don’t use should
• (it) runs until August 6th – this is a useful idiom
• pick up a programme – get (often means it’s free)
Grammar note:
• fewer, fewest – comparative and superlative of few, used for countable items
Kia Kaha, Aotearoa! 3.15 Christchurch shooting