Celebrate the best
of contemporary cinema from Britain and Ireland with an inspiring line-up of premieres, award winners, and audience favourites. From moving dramas and gripping thrillers to witty comedies and powerful documentaries, this year’s festival showcases the depth and diversity of storytelling across the UK and Ireland.
12 DAYS 19 FILMS 24 SESSIONS
Join us at Waiheke Cinema from 1–12 November for an exceptional two weeks of film — featuring outstanding performances, acclaimed directors, and stories that entertain, challenge, and move us.
All tickets $17
•
(no complimentary passes or vouchers)
LOLLIPOP
Fri 7 Nov 5:15pm
After serving four months in prison, Molly (Posy Sterling) struggles to reunite with her children, caught between housing challenges and the foster care system. With the support of her best friend, Amina, she fights to reclaim her family and reshape her future.
A passionate and moving tale of perseverance, friendship, and hope.
Official Selection: Edinburgh International Film Festival 2024
SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES
Fri 7 Nov 8:00pm
Wed 12 Nov 7:30pm
The long-awaited sequel to This Is Spinal Tap reunites the estranged bandmates for a final concert, under the watchful eye of documentarian Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner).
Featuring music royalty Paul McCartney and Elton John, the film is a hilarious, meta look at mortality, friendship, and rock ’n’ roll.
DEAD OF WINTER
Sat 8 Nov 5:00pm
Emma Thompson delivers a career-best turn in this tense, icy thriller from Irish director Brian Kirk (My Boy Jack).
Grief-stricken and lost in a Minnesotan blizzard, Barb (Thompson) stumbles across a remote cabin where a kidnapped young woman (Laurel Marsden) is being held by a desperate couple (Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca). With no phone service and no escape, Barb must summon all her strength to outwit the killers and save the woman’s life.
Dead of Winter is a gritty, pulse-pounding survival story guaranteed to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Official Selection: Locarno Film Festival 2025
THE HISTORY OF SOUND
Sat 8 Nov 8:00pm
Based on Ben Shattuck’s acclaimed book, The History of Sound is a tender, sweeping romance from Oliver Hermanus (Living). In 1917, Lionel (Mescal), a gifted music student, meets David (O’Connor) at the Boston Conservatory. Years later, a letter reunites them on a journey through the backwoods of Maine to collect folk songs. Their love, discovered and tested along the way, will shape Lionel’s life forever. Mescal and O’Connor deliver luminous performances in this moving exploration of music, memory, and desire—hailed at Cannes as one of the year’s most powerful dramas.
RE-CREATION
Sun 9 Nov 5:00pm
A hybrid of courtroom drama and true crime, Re-Creation examines the 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier in West Cork.
Directors Sheridan and Merriman explore “what if” scenarios, blending fact and fiction, while Krieps delivers a riveting lead performance.
Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2025
THE GOLDEN SPURTLE
Sun 9 Nov 7:30pm
In the Scottish village of Carrbridge, competitors vie for the prestigious World Porridge Making Championship. Amid whimsical humour and breathtaking landscapes, ageing champion Charlie Miller fights to preserve the competition’s legacy while facing his own mortality.
Official Selection: Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025
Official Selection: Telluride Film Festival 2025
BEAT THE LOTTO
Mon 10 Nov 5:15pm
Beat the Lotto recounts the incredible true story of mathematician Stefan Klincewicz, who attempted to beat Ireland’s National Lottery with a syndicate in 1992.
Combining archival footage and interviews, this thrilling documentary captures the tension, risk, and ingenuity behind a plan that captivated the nation.
Official Selection: Dublin International Film Festival 2025
THE CHORAL
Mon 10 Nov 7:30pm
From BAFTA and Tony-winning writer Alan Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys, The Lady in the Van), The Choral is a moving, often funny portrait of a Yorkshire community during WWI. With most of their men at the front, Ramsden’s Choral Society recruits local boys and hires a new chorus master, Dr. Henry Guthrie (Fiennes)—brilliant, uncompromising, and carrying secrets from his past in Germany. As conscription looms, the town discovers that music may be their strongest answer to the devastation of war.
WORDS OF WAR
Tue 11 Nov 4:30pm
Words of War tells the courageous story of journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya. Maxine Peake portrays Politkovskaya’s fight to report the truth on the war in Chechnya, risking her life against intimidation and violence, while Jason Isaacs and Ciarán Hinds support the narrative as her husband and editor.
A gripping drama on courage, integrity, and the vital role of journalism.
GERRY ADAMS: A BALLYMURPHY MAN
Tue 11 Nov 7:30pm
This documentary provides an intimate portrait of Irish republican leader Gerry Adams. From his leadership during Northern Ireland’s conflict to his role in peace negotiations, Adams shares his story for the first time, revealing a private side of one of the most controversial figures in modern history.
Winner: Best International Documentary, Galway Film Fleadh
MOSS & FREUD
Wed 12 Nov 4:30pm
Set in 2002, Moss & Freud explores the relationship between Kate Moss and painter Lucian Freud. Ellie Bamber and Derek Jacobi deliver captivating performances as the two icons, revealing a tender and transformative friendship behind the scenes of fame and artistry.
Official Selection: BFI London Film Festival 2025