REVIEW | ISSUE TWELVE | NOSTALGIA Written by Liam Hansen (they/them) | @liamhanse.n | Associate Editor Any admission of what my childhood was really like will probably only result in resigned, unsurprised nods, but I can remain embarrassed as the realities of technological advancement and neurological development for youth become warped in culture wars and social media bans. I’m not saying my experience was ideal, but it doesn't hold the same connotations as it does today. I

RECCOMENDATIONS | ISSUE TWELVE | NOSTALGIA Created by Sophia He | Graphic Designer

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. The following exchange is between Ricky, Trevor, and Madeline on Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's latest film, All of a Sudden. All of a Sudden (2026) dir. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi France/Japan, 196 mins Trevor: Another

REVIEW | NZIFF | ISSUE TEN | ISOLATION This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. The following exchange is between Trevor, Madeline and Caeden on Gregg Araki's latest film, I Want Your Sex. I Want Your Sex (2026) dir. Gregg Araki USA, 90 mins Trevor: Gregg really is a fil

REVIEW | NZIFF | ISSUE TEN | ISOLATION This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. The following exchange is between Ricky and Caeden on Cristian Mungiu's latest film, Fjord. Fjord (2026) dir. Cristian Mungiu Norway, 146 mins Ricky: Early on in Mungiu's 4 Months, 3 Weeks &

REVIEW | NZIFF | ISSUE TEN | ISOLATION This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. The following exchange is between Ricky, Trevor, and Madeline on Jane Schoenbrun's latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) dir. Jane Sch

EDITORIAL | ISSUE ELEVEN | MAHIMAHI / SEX Written by Tashi Donnelly (she/her) | @tashi_rd | Editor In 1959, a New Zealand writer published a novel about gay love. Two years later, that novel was banned in New Zealand for being indecent. Now, 67 years after its original publication, A Way of Love is being republished, and its story is an important piece of Aotearoa’s queer literary history. Written by James Courage (1903–1963), A Way of Love was first published by Jonathan Cap

RECCOMENDATIONS | ISSUE TEN | ISOLATION Written by Sophia He (she/her) | Graphic Designer

COLUMN | ISSUE TEN | ISOLATION Written by Isaac Tenzing | Drugs Columnist Theoretically endless. The answer to both how long a piece of string is and how many videos you can find of Joe Rogan talking about isolation tanks on YouTube. The wellness influencer community seemingly has a new topic for their self-help manuals every other week. Podcasts recorded en masse aim to sell your soccer mum neighbour on the idea of cortisol management. Humorously enough, infatuations with th

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. Minotaur (2026) dir. Andzrej Zvyagintsev France/Latvia/Germany, 135 mins The following exchange is between Ricky and Madeline on Andzrej Zvyagintsev's latest film, Minotaur. Ricky: Early on in Minota

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. The History of Concrete (2026) dir. John Wilson USA, 101 mins The following exchange is between Ricky and Madeline on John Wilson's latest film, The History of Concrete. Ricky: Overheard from an audi

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF Written by Trevor Pronoso | Letterboxd: @CleverGurl | Instagram: @trev.pro | Contributing Writer Kiri and Lou Go Raaa! (2026) dir. Harry Sinclair, Antony Elworthy Aotearoa New Zealand, 61 mins I think back to the previous animated film screening I attended, Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail Tale, and wonder if such a dedicatedly nostalgic (older) audience for that film will be the case for Kiri and Lou 40 years from now. Though Footrot Flats is ma

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF This is part of a series of roundtable discussions and extended dialogues conducted by Ricky Lai (@rickthelai), Trevor Pronoso (@CleverGurl), Madeline Smith (@prime4illusion), and Caeden Tipler (@ctipler) on films that have premiered at NZIFF 2026. The Ice Tower (2025) dir. Lucile Hadžihalilović France, 117 mins The following exchange is between Ricky and Trevor on Lucile Hadžihalilović's latest film, The Ice Tower. Ricky: Bear with me here. In

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF Written by Trevor Pronoso | Letterboxd: @CleverGurl | Instagram: @trev.pro | Contributing Writer Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail Tale (1986) dir. Murray Ball Aotearoa New Zealand / Australia, 68 mins Aggressively kiwi. I began to realise, at least since last year's NZIFF, that 4K restorations of old movies are much rarer and more special than catching the latest coming-of-age film (the latter are also more likely to hit streaming services than r

WEB EXCLUSIVE | REVIEW | NZIFF Written by Trevor Pronoso | Letterboxd: @CleverGurl | Instagram: @trev.pro | Contributing Writer Phantom Beirut (1998) dir. Ghassan Salhab France / Lebanon, 117 mins Possibly my favourite film I've seen in the festival thus far. I can't help but identify with every single sentiment Beirut Phantom represents: the exasperated love and conjugal dissatisfaction with the place you were born in and grew up. My parents asked me on my birthday a few w