Eight Uneasy Pieces (NZIFF Shorts Programme)

Collection of curated New Zealand short films with a sharpened focus on the 'Cinema of Unease'.

Cul de Sac

A father brings stress home from work. An intriguing and seriously amusing morsel from US-transplant Jake Mahaffy.

The Crying Wind

Tenderness undercuts the tension in Niamh Peren’s movingly resolved tale of love, loss and orphaned lambs set in Central Otago.

Bats

Hard-partying twenty-somethings crash through a soupy Wellington night out. Michelle Savill delivers a stylish ensemble piece about sex, freedom, friendship and chicken kebabs.

PaPa

Two grown daughters reflect on memories of their indigenous father. A beautiful, meditative documentary from cinematographer Ryan Alexander Lloyd.

The Night That Holds You

A young woman is obsessed by memories of her vanished lover. Steven Chow’s poetic and elliptical narrative short is set on Auckland’s rugged west coast.

The Brother

A prodigal son hunts atonement in the rugged wilderness. The imposing landscapes of the Southern Alps form the backdrop for this tense tale of murder and redemption.

Trap

A young girl fights for a sense of belonging. Paul James brings his mother’s story to life with animation inspired by the work of local artists Michael Smithers and Rita Angus.

Under the Bridge

A runaway boy meets a homeless man under a bridge. Lauren Porteus premieres an extended cut of her 48 Hours prizewinning short.

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