Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival opened last week in Te Whanganui-a-Tara on the 31st of July, before touring nine other centres across the country until the 4th September.
Held annually across Aotearoa, the festival line up this year will feature 86 films and 19 shorts.
The programme this year brings together diverse film screenings at 15 cinemas and venues nationwide, while also providing opportunities to enhance the film-going experience with Q&As, masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions and special events including costume parties and a gig.
Sofia spoke to the festival’s Artistic Director, Paolo Bertolin, about the programme this year and what he’s most excited for.
Indiscreet Tourist is an exhibition by Rupert Travis opening at Föenander gallery.
All works painted during Travis’ time spent overseas in the South of France, Indiscreet Tourist is a response to what catches our attention as we travel and observations that might go unnoticed by locals otherwise.
Through the eyes of the tourist, it explores ideas of the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Sofia spoke to Rupert about his practice, what inspires his work, and the themes of Indiscreet Tourist.
The New Zealand police association are calling for ACT MP, Nicole McKee, to be stripped of her responsibility in the firearms reform.
The police union’s president, Chris Cahill, in an open letter to Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, says McKee had included 17 firearms interest groups in a targeted consultation process for the review, with only 8 of the groups who many differ in views.
The police association was not included in the groups discussing the review.
For our weekly catch up I spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about Nicole Mckee, these calls for her to step down, and what this will mean for gun reform in Aotearoa.
This week Jujulipps gave us the update on What's Cooking and talked about her brand new single Good Guys. Juju's selections included Church & AP's AKL Girls, Knocked For Six In BHX by Babe Martin, and Money by Leikeli47. Thanks so much to Juju for joining Tuva'a in the studio right after returning from a European tour, what a legend! Whakarongo mai nei ~
Tāmaki Makarau singer-songwriter Nganeko joins bFM to discuss their latest sirenic single 'Simple Illusions' produced by Brandon Haru and Brent Parks.
Born from a trasitional period of life of "finding my feet", Simple Illusions explores vunerability and the creation of walls and boundaries that are, ultimately, just an illusion. As Nganeko puts it: "we keep ourselves in a rut sometimes and just gotta do something... go outside!"
Listen to Nganeko chat with Sofía about sonic inspirations, Casio watches, and hit chemical manufacturing film Dark Waters.
Renowned Aotearoa artist Michael Shepherd’s latest series, The Disasters of War, is currently being exhibited at Two Rooms Gallery.
Two Rooms explains that ‘these latest works show the silent reality faced by New Zealand’s threatened flora. Many endangered species, like Olearia adenocarpa, Carmichaelia muritai, Myosotis brevis and Poa spania endure in small, often highly modified fragments that sit firmly outside the public view (and imagination)’.
The artistic ethos of Romantic painter Goya is a constant throughout The Disasters of War. Each of Shepherd’s works are framed by black and feature the words, ‘Deaf like Goya’.
Beth spoke with Shepherd about the exhibition, which opened today at Two Rooms Gallery.
Earlier this week, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown released his draft mayoral proposal for Auckland Council’s annual plan for the year 2025-26.
Within this, a major part of the proposal is a council controlled organisation reform which could see Auckland Transport stripped of its planning, strategy and policy roles, council’s urban regeneration agency Eke Panuku Development abolished, and the roles of the council’s economic development and regional facilities agency Tātaki Development Auckland reduced.
Additionally, a new space for homeless support in Auckland’s city centre, Manaaki Tangata, has opened up as a collaboration between Māori wardens, Auckland Council and Eke Panuku Development Auckland.
Producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics.
Playlist is also available here for streaming on spotify and updates weekly. (But if you listen and like, please consider supporting on bandcamp / otherwise <3)
See you beautiful creatures next week (or at drive island!), thank you always for supporting bFM 💚
95bFM