Film buffs happy festival to return to Hamilton

Like a long-lost lover in a wartime foreign tear-jerker, Waikato movie lovers have embraced the return to Hamilton of the New Zealand International Film Festival.

After missing out in 2009, the region's cinema fans have turned out in droves for the New Zealand International Film Festival currently running at Hamilton's Lido Cinema.

The Hamilton leg of the festival, which began on August 12, is "tracking ahead of budget targets" for ticket sales and audiences, said New Zealand International Film Festival publicist Rebecca McMillan.

The festival did not come to Hamilton last year because an appropriate venue could not be arranged.

"We're wondering if Hamilton people had been motivated to get behind it after that break," she said.

The region's enthusiasm for the 2010 festival, including numerous sold-out screenings, had surpassed that of Auckland and Wellington.

Ms McMillan said there had been 4500 "admissions" to film festival offerings, and with more than 6000 expected before it finishes, it will surpass 2008 attendances.

The most popular films so far have been I Am Love (an Italian family drama), Exit Through The Gift Shop (a documentary on British street artist Banksy) andPredicament (a New Zealand murder black comedy).

Ms McMillan said The Insatiable Moon – written, produced and directed by Cambridge couple Mike and Rosemary Riddell – had "also done extremely well".

"It's great to see that support for New Zealand films in the festival," she said.

Ms McMillan said the support of Lido Cinema was crucial to the popularity of the festival.

The turnouts for screenings indicated it would be viable to bring the event to the Waikato for the next few years. "It's definitely looking good for future festivals in Hamilton," she said.

Lido proprietor Richard Dalton said the success of festival screenings had boosted his confidence in the Hamilton market.

Mr Dalton said demand for the "day-to-day product" offered by the Lido, which specialises in art house and foreign film, remained "lukewarm" but he was "feeling upbeat about the future".

"I'm hoping the festival has turned a corner for us. It's a relief, and it's exciting."

While there was considerable expense in bringing the New Zealand International Film Festival to Hamilton, Mr Dalton said it was part of the cinema chain's ethic to present audiences with films outside the Hollywood blockbuster norm.

Amid future options for the Lido were bringing back The Italian Film Festival, Mr Dalton added.

Hamilton-based Andrea Haines, president of the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies, said she had been to about 20 films screening at the festival, and was encouraged by reports people from across the region had attended.

"I think people really were quite distressed it did not come here last year, and looked forward eagerly to it.

"We have said to people `it will stay in Hamilton if people support it', and that was the message on opening night from (festival) director Bill Gosden when he spoke to the capacity crowd," she said.

Patrons were booking tickets for screenings "in numbers" and were not content with just seeing one film, she said.

"They seem to be showing, with bums on seats, they are prepared to put their money where their mouth is."

Hamilton screenings for the festival finish this Sunday.

- © Fairfax NZ News