Movie and music fans spoilt for choice NPDC’s Len Lye Cinema

Movie and music fans spoilt for choice NPDC’s Len Lye Cinema

If you love movies and are a fan of grunge rockers Nirvana, NPDC’s Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre the place to be this month.

Kicking off this week is the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) 2022 with 22 films across 34 screenings.

This is the eighth year the gallery has hosted the festival, and the second time it has been the sole Taranaki venue. The Gallery has also hosted the successful Italian and French film festivals in recent months.

“The cinema at the Len Lye Centre is a hidden gem waiting to be revealed, with a rich and diverse programme aimed at showcasing the best films from around the world,” says the Gallery’s cinema programmer Alastair Ross.

“We have a full art house cinema programme and have become a destination for international film festivals which really expands our programme to a wider audience.”

The NZIFF programme offers a range of genres straight from the international festival circuit to the big screen in New Plymouth with the line-up including top titles selected from the best of renowned festivals including Cannes, Toronto and Sundance.

Festival highlights include New Zealand film Punch, as well as short film collection screenings We Are Still Here and Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts 2022 and the Palme d’Or 2022 winner Triangle of Sadness.

Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2022 is on until 28 August.

Come as you are to Pitchblack Playback

Nirvana fans are in for a treat on 30 August when the cinema hosts another installment of its Pitchblack Playback programme, this time sharing a recording of its MTV:Unplugged in New York show.

Pitchback Playback involves playing classic albums in their entirety, in total darkness with audience wearing an eye mask so they can focus solely on the music.

“Pitchblack Playback is designed to take audiences back to the pleasures of engaging in the full album experience, to allow the music to wash you away from daily life,” Alastair says.

Previous shows have included albums by Tame Impala and Nick Cave.

Tickets are $20 and include a free eye mask. The show starts at 7pm.

Go to our website for more information. Tickets to all screenings and events can be booked online or in person at the Govett-Brewster Shop.

Fast Facts:

• Govett-Brewster Art Gallery opened in 1970, funded by a bequest from local woman Monica Brewster (nee Govett) and attracts over 60,000 visitors a year.
• The Len Lye Centre Cinema opened within the Len Lye Centre in 2015 and offers a range of films, workshops and festivals throughout the year.
• The 62-seat cinema is a state-of-the-art space designed to provide a welcoming environment to experience the wider world of cinema.
• Full Art House cinema programme 364 days of the year.
• The cinema is also available for private hire.

Caption: Govett-Brewster Art Gallery cinema programmer Alastair Ross.