Tricks n' Treats Opening Exhibition

The New Zealand Film Archive presents Tricks n’ Treats, the third moving image exhibition by their 2014 Curator-at-Large, Gareth Watkins. As societal attitudes change, how do we frame activities like gambling, drinking, smoking, sex work and drug use in New Zealand? This third exhibition looks at a variety of “tricks n’ treats” and how they are represented in moving images. Much of the early footage, beginning in the 1900s, comes from home movies – events filmed and documented by those involved. News items, shorts, feature-films and documentaries follow. Many contain strong personal testimonies, while others offer titillation and voyeurism (a peep show is included in the exhibition).

Tricks n’ Treats will open on the 19th June at 6pm. Will include a screening of The White Shadow (1924), the earliest surviving feature credited to Alfred Hitchcock, with live piano accompaniment by Susan Alexander. Followed by drinks and nibbles and the opening of the exhibition. The Tricks n’ Treats exhibition will run from 20 June through 23 August 2014.