Cinema—especially theatrical cinema—remains in a concerning state of flux. And even within that context, New Zealand cinema has always felt somewhat fragile. But there were reasons to be hopeful in 2025—principally the broad success of Miki Magasiva’s Tinā. There are some notable offerings on the slate for 2026, but as with last year’s preview, some of these could potentially slip down the calendar into 2027.

The first New Zealand film out of the gate in 2026 was Shirley Horrocks’ Anchor Me: The Don McGlashan Story, which unpacks the career of the beloved eponymous songwriter. After that, the Sundance Film Festival—which kicks off on January 22—will feature two New Zealand premieres. Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant managed to get a slot in the hotly contested Midnight section, which is about as good a launching platform for an indie genre film as one could wish for. Just getting in there is an achievement in itself.

The body-horror comedy is an expansion of the lively 2024 short of the same name, from co-directors Sean Wallace and Jordan Mark Windsor. Together these guys credit themselves as “Thunderlips”, which I really really hope is taken from Hulk Hogan’s character’s name in Rocky III (that kind of deep-cut will get you at least three films’ worth of goodwill from me). The feature version brings along the stars of the short: Hannah Lynch and the increasingly ubiquitous Arlo Green.

The other Kiwi Sundance premiere is Paloma Schneideman’s Big Girls Don’t Cry, which is playing in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section. It’s a coming-of-age drama following a 14-year-old girl named Sid (Ani Palmer) over a summer in 2006. Veteran Aussie actor Noah Taylor also features. The film is the first feature to result from Jane Campion’s A Wave in the Ocean development/mentorship programme.

In February, Tearepa Kahi’s Sgt. Haane will arrive in New Zealand theatres. It’s a documentary about Māori World War II hero Haane Manahi, featuring recreations in which busy Kiwi actor Alex Tarrant (currently starring in American sitcom DMV) plays Manahi. Having proven himself as a major contemporary New Zealand filmmaker with films such as Mt. Zion and Muru, the commercial instincts Kahi demonstrated in those films bode well for this one.

Another significant release will be Mārama, a “Māori gothic revenge horror” set in Victorian England, directed by Taratoa Stappard and starring Ariana Osborne. That genre description alone was enough to get me onboard, but the trailer is positively chills-inducing.

There’s also Nat Bolt’s road trip comedy Holy Days, adapted from legendary Kiwi author Joy Cowley’s 2000 book and starring Miriam Margolyes, Jacki Weaver and Judy Davis as nuns on the run with a Māori kid. And there’s Lisa Burd’s doco No Tears on the Field, exploring the world of provincial women’s rugby. I’m in.

But wait, there’s still more. Kiwi director James Ashcroft released one of the most memorable New Zealand films of 2025: The Rule of Jenny Pen. He’s following that up with a Netflix Original film called The Whisper Man, a serial killer drama starring Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, Michael Keaton and Michelle Monaghan.

I mentioned Andrew Niccol’s I, Object in last year’s preview, though it still hasn’t been released; surely we’ll see it sometime this year. There are a couple of overseas productions shooting here at the moment, most notably The Legend of Zelda, though it won’t arrive until 2027. And that, dear reader, is about all of the New Zealand films I can discern on the horizon. I’m sure a few more will pop up; return to Flicks for the low-down.