The Strength of Water – Canterbury Film Society

To Film Enthusiasts city-wide.

AOTEAROA FILM FESTIVAL 4–7 JULY

It is our great pleasure to invite you to our second mini film festival in the 2021 programme, which presents seven films from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday evening. This has been more than a year in the planning and is a free event, open to the public; Society members may bring friends and family for free.

Our partners-in-film, Alice and Lumiere, will each screen a film. Book with Alice (alice.co.nz) online. Book with Lumiere by telephone (03 365 0615) and pick up tickets at least 20 minutes before the screening. All other screenings are at the Christchurch Art Gallery (koha/donations always appreciated) on a first-to-arrive basis.

As we heard from Will Watson last year when we screened “Soldiers Without Guns”, it's hard for New Zealand directors to get financial support to both make and promote indigenous film. Bringing them to festival – which many deserved – and then to local theatres is often impossible unless they’re of blockbuster size and fame. Many have their quick moment in the sun, then fade into near oblivion. As a conscious decision to celebrate the home-grown talent of directors such as Gaylene Preston, Tearepa Kahi, Himiona Grace, Rebecca Tansley, Armagan Ballantyne, Sam Neill and Geoff Murphy, we've chosen some of Aotearoa's cinematic best – seven films to warm your winter Matariki nights!

We encourage you to come along and support this fabulous event. Please note: we've brought forward the time on these cooler nights, so 6.30pm is the starting time at the Gallery on Monday and Wednesday, the latter a double feature, with doors opening at 6pm. Me ngāhāu tātou! Let's celebrate.

This screening is director Armagan Ballantyne's ‘The Strength of Water’.

Ten-year-old twins Kimi and Melody live by the rugged Hokianga coast. When they befriend a teen drifter, tragedy strikes and Kimi must find a way to let go of what he loves most.

A New Zealand/Germany production, 2009, 86 minutes, M.

The Canterbury Film Society usually meets on Monday nights at 7.30pm in the 178-seat Phillip Carter Auditorium at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, with breaks for public holidays and the International Film Festival. We’ve made joining easy and there are membership prices to suit every pocket: choose one of our 12-month memberships or a $30 Flexi-Pass that gives access to any three films of choice, may be shared amongst friends and has no expiry date. New members are warmly welcome and asked to come earlier than 7.30pm to speak to our membership team. (Downloading a membership form from our website and filling it in before you come is helpful.) Doors open at 7pm for socialising and for sales of food ($2) and drink ($2–$5). Please assist us by bringing in no outside food or drink. Thank you :) (For special screenings at other times, door open half an hour early.)

For more information about our 2021 programme and membership options, or to request text or email reminders about our weekly or special events, go to our website – link above.

CFS brochures may be uplifted from the Christchurch Art Gallery, city libraries, WEA, Lumière and Alice Cinemas, and Addington Coffee Co-op.

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Let us take you further into film!
Kā mihi
Canterbury Film Society Team
021-405-039