Running from September 22 to 27, the week-long activation will transform the beloved Auckland bookstore into a celebration of all things The Love Hypothesis, complete with interactive experiences, daily activities, giveaways and plenty of opportunities for fans to capture their own BookTok-worthy moments.

And with The Love Hypothesis launching globally on Prime Video on September 23, the timing couldn’t be more perfect!

Step Into The World Of The Love Hypothesis

Based on Hazelwood’s New York Times best-selling novel, The Love Hypothesis follows brilliant PhD candidate Olive (Lili Reinhart), whose carefully planned academic future takes an unexpected romantic detour after she impulsively kisses intimidating professor Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman).

What begins as a desperate attempt to convince her best friend Ahn (Rachel Marsh) that she has moved on from her crush Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay) soon develops into a fake relationship between Olive and Adam.

But as their carefully established rules and boundaries begin to blur, Olive is forced to confront her most daunting hypothesis yet: perhaps love really is worth the risk.

Now, Prime Video is bringing that world directly to Auckland.

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Coffee, Donuts, Tarot And Bedazzled Books

Fans visiting Enamoured Books at 346 Remuera Road can expect an assortment of free activities throughout the week, including coffee and donuts from The Cartery, tarot readings, book bedazzling, heat-press tote bag printing and interactive photo moments.

The full activation schedule includes:

• Tuesday, September 22: The Cartery Coffee Cart, 11am–3pm
• Wednesday, September 23: Tarot Card Readings, 1pm–4pm
• Thursday, September 24: The Cartery Donut Cart, 11am–2pm
• Friday, September 25: The Cartery Coffee Cart, 11am–3pm
• Saturday, September 26: Heat Press Tote Bag Printing, 11am–3pm
• Sunday, September 27: Book Bedazzling, 11am–3pm

Activities are free for fans who follow @PrimeVideoAUNZ on Instagram or TikTok, with availability on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last. Limited merchandise will also be available for select first-in customers each day.

Obsession Is In Session

The Auckland activation forms part of Prime Video’s wider Obsession Is In Session initiative, connecting the streaming service’s YA stories with the passionate communities that have grown around them.

For The Love Hypothesis fans, that means the romance isn’t staying on screen.

So grab your favourite book-loving besties and head to Remuera — because the hypothesis is officially being put to the test.

The Love Hypothesis launches globally on Prime Video September 23.

Image: Prime Video

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The Show Me Shorts Film Festival has announced the Kingdom of Norway as its 2026 Country of Honour, with eight Norwegian films set to feature across this year’s programme, alongside four filmmakers and industry representatives travelling to New Zealand to take part in screenings, educational events and networking opportunities.

It’s a fitting cinematic exchange. Both Norway and Aotearoa are countries defined by dramatic landscapes, ancient mythology and a healthy fascination with the strange and supernatural. Where New Zealand has taniwha and Māori legends, Norway has trolls and Vikings. The result is a short-film showcase that promises to be as atmospheric as it is eclectic.

Norwegian Stories, From Trolls to the Future

The Norwegian Short Film Focus collection brings together seven films exploring everything from animation and satire to family, friendship and dystopian science fiction.

Among the highlights is Det Siste Norske Trollet (The Last Norwegian Troll), an animated tale directed by Pjotr Sapegin, while André Øvredal, best known internationally for his work in genre cinema, turns his attention to an overcrowded future in the science-fiction short Tunnelen (The Tunnel).

Odveig Klyve’s Vind (Wind) takes a documentary approach, examining wind turbines, while Smulene (The Crumbs) from Michael Mellemløkken Renjo explores the complicated dynamics of a step-parent.

There’s also plenty of Norwegian wit on display. Vegard Dahle’s Ego delivers satire through the increasingly awkward territory of a double date, while Trio, directed by Fridtjof Stensæth Josefsen and Morten Borgestad, explores friendship and the universal struggle to fit in.

Johannes Vang’s På Grensa (Borderline) rounds out the collection with a comedy about communication set on the border between two homelands.

For younger audiences, Natalia Malykhina Bratli’s animated Bug’s Story will screen as part of the festival’s Whānau Friendly collection.

A Cinematic Exchange

The festival will welcome filmmakers Odveig Klyve, Bjorn Gulbrandsen and Natalia Malykhina Bratli, alongside Arna Marie Bersaas from the Norwegian Film Institute.

Their presence will give Kiwi filmmakers and audiences the opportunity to engage directly with the Norwegian creative community, offering a glimpse into the filmmaking culture of a country whose cinematic voice has increasingly made an impact on the international stage.

Show Me Shorts Festival Director Gina Dellabarca says the similarities between Norway and New Zealand made the partnership a natural fit.

“Aotearoa and Norway have much in common,” says Dellabarca. “Both are lands famous for majestic mountains, rivers and fjords. While we have legends of taniwha and Māori warriors, they have tales of trolls and Vikings.”

She adds that the selected films combine “dark humour and drama with thoughtful satire and dreamy landscapes” and says she is excited to share the collection with Kiwi audiences.

Arna Marie Bersaas of the Norwegian Film Institute describes the Country of Honour selection as a “great honour”, highlighting the similarities between the two countries while noting the considerable distance that separates them.

Norwegian Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Erik Svedahl says the programme offers New Zealand audiences the chance to discover new perspectives on Norwegian society and culture, while exploring the universal experiences that connect us all.

Tickets are already on sale for the Norwegian Short Film Focus, with screenings taking place across three New Zealand cities:

• Auckland — 9 October, 7:00pm at Capitol Cinema
• Wellington — 12 October, 6:00pm at Light House Cuba
• Christchurch — 15 October, 6:20pm at Alice Cinemas

The full Show Me Shorts Film Festival 2026 programme will be unveiled on Monday, 14 September, with tickets expected to move quickly.

For anyone who likes their cinema short, sharp and just a little bit strange, Norway’s arrival at Show Me Shorts looks like one of the festival’s most intriguing excursions yet; a cinematic journey from fjords to Aotearoa, and from trolls to taniwha.

Images: Show Me Shorts

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Direct from the USA, the latest spectacular from the creators behind Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple, The Illusionists and Le Noir transforms Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice in Wonderland into a kaleidoscopic celebration of circus, magic, music and imagination. The result is a show that feels less like watching a performance and more like tumbling headfirst down the rabbit hole.

From the moment the spectacle begins, Cirque Alice captures that intoxicating sense of childhood wonder: that feeling that anything might be possible if you simply allow your imagination to run wild. It is colourful, playful and gloriously whimsical, but beneath the fantasy is an extraordinary display of physical skill.

The international cast is nothing short of phenomenal. Opera, violin, dance, magic, aerial artistry and traditional circus disciplines collide across the stage, with performers demonstrating astonishing levels of strength, flexibility, precision and bravery. Gravity appears to become merely a suggestion as bodies soar, twist and contort in feats that routinely provoke gasps from the audience.

Yet what makes the spectacle particularly effective is the storytelling. Rather than simply presenting a succession of impressive circus acts, Cirque Alice understands the strange, dreamlike possibilities at the heart of Carroll’s world. Each performance feels woven into the larger tapestry of Wonderland, creating a theatrical experience that surrounds its audience and continually invites us further into the fantasy.

And there could hardly be a more fitting home for such a production than Auckland’s magnificent Civic Theatre. Its grand architecture and ornate surroundings become part of the enchantment, elevating the sense that audiences have stepped into another world for the evening.

There are laughs, surprises and a healthy dose of cheeky audience participation, ensuring that Cirque Alice never takes itself too seriously. It is an experience equally suited to a family night out, a memorable date night or simply anyone who wants to escape the grey realities of winter for a couple of hours.

Visually, it is sumptuous. The costumes, production design and dazzling array of performers create a pop-infused dreamscape that feels both contemporary and timeless. It is pure theatrical escapism — a reminder that wonder is something we should never entirely outgrow.

So, follow the White Rabbit.

Fall down the rabbit hole.

And surrender yourself to Wonderland.

Cirque Alice is a spellbinding night of imagination, spectacle and sheer entertainment; the kind of theatrical magic that leaves you staring at the stage in genuine awe, and perhaps believing, just for a little while longer, that anything is possible.

Cirque Alice is currently playing at The Civic Theatre until Sunday 6 October. Get your tickets here.

Image: 818 Entertainment

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Less than two years after launching, online bookseller Book Hero is turning the page on its next chapter with the arrival of Toy Hero — a dedicated online destination for toys, games and puzzles, backed by the same distinctly Kiwi service that has already seen Book Hero win over more than 100,000 customers.

And if the numbers are anything to go by, the appetite is there.

Since launching, Book Hero has sold more than 345,000 books to customers across New Zealand. Along the way, toys, puzzles and games began appearing alongside the books in customers’ baskets, eventually accounting for around 20 per cent of sales.

Rather than treating toys as a supporting act, the team decided to give them their own stage.

Enter Toy Hero.

With 20,000 products already available, the new online retailer has been built around a simple proposition: competitive prices, fast delivery and, importantly, actual humans behind the business.

For co-founder Tim Wackrow, the move is less a departure from Book Hero than a natural evolution of what the business has already learned about its customers.

“We’ve learnt that what customers value most is certainty. Whether it’s a birthday this weekend, a family road trip or just keeping the kids entertained, people want to know they can order from a Kiwi business and have it arrive overnight. That’s exactly what we’ve built Toy Hero to do.”

That sense of immediacy is increasingly important in a retail world where convenience has become currency.
“Families were already shopping for toys alongside books, so creating a dedicated destination with the same fast delivery, fair pricing and personal service that people know us for was the natural next step,” Wackrow says.

A New Hero for Playtime

Launching with a curated selection of some of the world’s biggest and most recognisable toy brands, Toy Hero’s opening line-up includes Barbie, Hot Wheels, Bluey, Wasgij and Paw Patrol, with thousands more products and brands set to join the range over the coming months.

The ambition is clear: take the trust Book Hero has built with Kiwi families and extend it into another category where speed, price and reliability matter.

Retail consultant and RX Group founder Juanita Neville-Te Rito says that strategy reflects a broader shift in the way successful online retailers are building loyalty.

“Almost one in every four retail dollars is now spent online, but the businesses seeing sustained growth aren’t necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones giving customers a reason to come back through proper service, competitive pricing, fast fulfilment and a strong local identity.”

For Neville-Te Rito, the expansion into toys also makes commercial sense.

“Expanding into adjacent categories is also a natural progression for successful retailers. When you’ve built trust with customers, extending that relationship into complementary products is often far more effective than trying to acquire entirely new shoppers.”

And that may ultimately be the most interesting thing about Toy Hero.

This isn’t simply a bookseller deciding to sell toys.

It’s an independent Kiwi retailer recognising where its customers are already going — and getting there first.
In an era when many retailers are shrinking their ambitions, Book Hero is expanding its universe.

Toy Hero is now live at www.toyhero.co.nz.

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Running through till 10 August, the Oscar-qualifying festival has unveiled its full 2026 programme, presenting an impressive collection of 49 feature documentaries, 26 short films and 12 immersive storytelling experiences that shine a light on some of the world’s most urgent issues while celebrating resilience, creativity and the human spirit.

With screenings taking place in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, alongside the nationwide Virtual Cinema, Doc Edge once again cements itself as one of New Zealand’s premier cultural events for lovers of documentary storytelling.

An Incredible Showcase Of World Premieres

One of the festival’s biggest draws this year is its remarkable collection of 28 world premieres spanning film and immersive media.

One of the this year’s most intriguing offerings was Feather Strength, directed by Jon Earle. More than a decade in the making, the deeply personal documentary chronicles Earle’s family’s journey raising his daughter with profound developmental disabilities, offering an intimate portrait of love, resilience and the realities of caregiving.

Another standout is Ranginui: Call of the Ice, where Māori astronomer Rangi Matamua and language expert Mataia Keepa venture into Antarctica, blending modern science with mātauranga Māori in one of Earth’s most unforgiving environments, and which makes for a perfect and timely Matariki watch.

Meanwhile, First Cuts Are The Deepest follows three young students across Thailand over six years, capturing the friendships, challenges and defining moments that shape their lives through vastly different educational experiences.

Stories That Matter

True to Doc Edge’s reputation, the 2026 programme refuses to shy away from the issues shaping our world.

Audiences can expect documentaries exploring family, Indigenous knowledge, environmental collapse, conflict, activism, music, creativity and survival, with filmmakers from around the globe bringing fresh perspectives to stories that resonate on both local and international levels.

A special French showcase, presented with support from Institut Français and the Embassy of France in New Zealand, adds another exciting dimension to this year’s programme, featuring acclaimed documentaries including Inside Gaza, Collapse, Cagnat, Drawing or Nothing and If You Don’t Like It, Look Away.

The programme also celebrates homegrown filmmaking with screenings including The War Below: Restoring Hope in the Solomon Islands and a special presentation of NZ Wars: Stories of Waerenga a Hika.

A New Festival Hub For Auckland

One of the biggest additions to this year’s festival is the transformation of Auckland’s iconic Smith & Caughey building into the new home of Doc Edge, and which is an awe-inspiring sensory experience that is just waiting to be seen.

The World Press Photo & Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition combines award-winning international photojournalism with cutting-edge immersive experiences under one roof for the very first time in New Zealand.

This raw and unflinching look at the world around makes for an utterly gripping and sobering experience as we audiences share in the events that have shaped our world, and the very experience of what makes us human on this planet.

Serving as both exhibition space and festival hub, this venue is the beating heart of Doc Edge throughout the festival, welcoming audiences, filmmakers and industry guests for a unique celebration of documentary storytelling.

Don’t Miss Doc Edge Festival 2026

Whether you’re passionate about global affairs, fascinated by remarkable true stories, or simply looking for unforgettable cinema, Doc Edge Festival 2026 promises one of its strongest programmes yet.

With dozens of world premieres, immersive experiences and documentaries that entertain, educate and inspire in equal measure, audiences across New Zealand have an incredible opportunity to experience the very best in contemporary documentary filmmaking.

Doc Edge Festival runs 24 June – 10 August 2026, with screenings taking place in Auckland until July 12, with screenings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and nationwide via the Virtual Cinema. Learn more here.

Image: Doc Edge Festival 2026

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A Work of Deep Emotion and Empathy

As the first-ever production of a play by a Niuean playwright, Sons of Vao marks a significant cultural milestone. Drawing deeply from his own life, Manusaute reflects on his upbringing, his relationship with his father, and the experiences that shaped him into the man he is today. Now, at fifty years of age, he confronts those memories through the lens of theatre, transforming deeply personal experiences into a moving act of reflection, healing, and acceptance. The result is nothing short of remarkable.

The production is elevated further through the co-direction of Anapela Polata’ivao, whose extraordinary work on Tinā demonstrated her remarkable gift for balancing emotional intimacy with cinematic scale. That same empathy is present throughout Sons of Vao, as she and Manusaute carefully unpack themes of love, grief, inherited trauma, forgiveness, and the enduring hope that time can bring healing. Together, they have crafted a production that constantly surprises its audience through inventive staging, evocative lighting, expressive choreography, and music that naturally intertwines with the drama to create a rich theatrical tapestry.

A Cast of Exceptional Performances

At the centre of the production stands Beulah Koale as the imposing patriarch Vao. Koale delivers an astonishing transformation, embodying a man who has crowned himself king of his household and rules with unwavering authority. There is undeniable charisma beneath Vao’s hardened exterior, but it exists alongside explosive anger, emotional repression, and an inability to express love in the way his family desperately needs. Koale wisely avoids portraying Vao as either hero or villain. Instead, he simply inhabits the contradictions of a deeply flawed man, creating a performance that is nuanced, uncomfortable, and utterly compelling.

Opposite him, Haanz Fa’avae-Jackson, Epine Bob Savea, and Brett Taefu deliver beautifully balanced performances as Vao’s sons, each carrying the emotional scars left by their father’s presence in different ways.

Fa’avae-Jackson’s To is the dreamer of the family—creative, emotionally open, and perhaps the son most profoundly affected by his father’s actions. Bob Savea’s Seki lives firmly within Vao’s shadow, internalising his father’s stoicism and volatility, while Brett Taefu’s Sau provides the family’s unpredictable spark, reacting instinctively to the pressures surrounding him. Together, the trio share a wonderful chemistry that effortlessly shifts between moments of laugh-out-loud comedy and deeply affecting emotional drama.

A Moving Celebration of Storytelling

Sons of Vao is theatre at its most intimate and human. It creates a space for an artist to examine his own life with honesty and vulnerability while inviting audiences to reflect on their own relationships, their own families, and the ways in which love is expressed—or withheld—across generations.

Rich with emotion, cultural identity, humour, and compassion, this is a production that lingers long after the curtain falls.

Sons of Vao is now playing at Auckland Theatre Company until 5 July, and stands as one of the company’s most affecting productions of the year.

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A staple of Auckland’s entertainment calendar, the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival is a place to let loose, unwind, and surrender to the fabulous. With the sparkling, shimmering, walking disco ball of brilliance that is Luke Bird serving as our guide for the evening, audiences were welcomed into the opulent Wintergarden at The Civic Theatre, where a carnival of curiosities awaited.

Dressed in head-to-toe sparkle and shining brighter than a Catherine wheel at full spin, Bird introduced a selection of bold, loud, and luminous acts as part of the festival’s opening gala, All That Glitters.

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Among the highlights was Tomáš Kantor, who delivered a tantalising preview of his award-winning production Sugar — a radically beautiful story of a gender-fluid twink caught up in their own personal Pretty Woman fantasy. Grinding, teasing, and inciting an almost orgasmically enthusiastic musical response from the audience, Kantor effortlessly pulled the crowd into the performance, even designating yours truly as an otter — an honour I gladly accepted. The result is a theatrical, outrageous, and undeniably sexy exploration of love, Grindr, and the importance of trusting yourself. Sugar plays Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June in the Wintergarden.

Next came a decadently delicious serving of boudoir burlesque courtesy of The Velvet Lounge and its ravishing goddesses, Michelle Kasey and Kiki Kisses. Their celebration of glamour, feathers, and scintillating sexuality was enough to turn even Luke Bird straight — for approximately thirty seconds, at least. Sitting front and centre once again proved dangerous, as Kiki made it her mission to make this redheaded reviewer blush with an unforgettable lap dance and a healthy dose of playful mischief. The Velvet Lounge plays Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 July in the Wintergarden.

The festival’s resident tarot-reading songbird Amanda Grace-Lee then took to the stage, transporting audiences with her soaring vocals and magnetic stage presence. Delivering joy, heartfelt storytelling, and powerhouse musicality, Grace-Lee offered a stirring taste of Karaoke Heaven!, a performance that quite literally threatens to raise the roof. Karaoke Heaven! plays Thursday 2 and Saturday 4 July in the Wintergarden.

Of course, no Cabaret Festival would be complete without the drag superstars of Karangahape Road institution Caluzzi Cabaret. The fabulous Anita Wigl’it (Drag Wars, House of Drag, RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under) exploded onto the stage with an all-singing, all-dancing celebration that was bigger, bolder, and more fabulous than ever. With men literally raining from the heavens and a healthy dose of outrageous humour, this special 30th Anniversary event promises to be a standout attraction. Caluzzi Cabaret plays Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 June in the Wintergarden.

Bringing All That Glitters to a triumphant close was Simply Brill, featuring three of Australia’s most accomplished cabaret performers — Amelia Ryan, Michaela Burger, and Michael Griffiths. Delivering a vibrant, funny, and deeply moving musical journey through the legendary Brill Building songbook, the trio filled the room with pure 1960s charm, infectious energy, and timeless class. Simply Brill plays Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June.

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Following this sparkling opening showcase, audiences made their way into The Civic’s inner sanctum for Cheeky Cabaret — a riotous, genre-bending celebration of pure debaucherous decadence. Part vaudeville, part circus, part comedy, part burlesque, and very much R18, this deliciously naughty production delights in pushing boundaries. Equal parts shocking and spellbinding, it leaves audiences grinning from ear to ear while marvelling at the extraordinary talent on display.

Running from Wednesday 24 to Saturday 28 June, Cheeky Cabaret is about as far from a vanilla experience as you can possibly get, and this maxed-out spectacle is something you’ll definitely want to experience for yourself.

Delivering a cocktail of absolute splendour straight up, garnished with extravagant energy and a healthy serving of glitter, the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival 2026 is a bawdy, rambunctious, colourful, and utterly sparkling night out. Whether you’re seeking laughter, music, burlesque, drag, or something delightfully unexpected, this year’s festival has it all. And trust me — you won’t want to miss it.

Image: Auckland Live/818

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Written by celebrated playwright Suzie Miller, directed by Priscilla Jackman, and anchored by a sensational solo performance from Heather Mitchell, RBG: Of Many, One chronicles the life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the most influential legal minds of the modern era. The result is a smart, funny, deeply moving piece of theatre that proves both entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure.

The Story Of A Trailblazer

For many, Ruth Bader Ginsburg became known as the “Notorious RBG” — a pop culture icon whose face launched a thousand memes. But before becoming a cultural phenomenon, Ginsburg was a pioneering lawyer and jurist who spent her life fighting for equality, fairness, and justice under the law.

Miller’s script explores Ginsburg’s extraordinary journey through three defining periods of her later life: her appointment to the United States Supreme Court in 1993, a reflective lunch with President Barack Obama in 2014, and her final years in 2018 as she considers her legacy and the future of the nation she served.

Moving seamlessly between these moments, the production charts the triumphs, challenges, and defining cases that shaped Ginsburg’s career. More importantly, it reveals the woman behind the public image, presenting an intimate portrait filled with intelligence, humour, determination, and heart.

Suzie Miller Brings The Law To Life

Having built an international reputation with productions such as Prima Facie, Miller once again demonstrates her remarkable ability to make legal themes engaging and emotionally resonant.

Rather than simply delivering a theatrical biography, RBG: Of Many, One examines how Ginsburg’s personal experiences informed her legal philosophy. Landmark cases such as Reed v. Reed, Frontiero v. Richardson, and Ledbetter v. Goodyear are woven throughout the narrative, allowing audiences to understand the significance of Ginsburg’s work and the impact it had on generations of women.

The production also tackles Ginsburg’s complex relationship with politics, exploring how a woman who fiercely believed in judicial independence found herself increasingly drawn into America’s political battleground. Throughout it all, Miller balances weighty subject matter with warmth, wit, and humanity, ensuring the play remains accessible and engaging.

Heather Mitchell Delivers A Masterclass

At the centre of the production stands Heather Mitchell, and her performance is simply extraordinary.

Carrying the entire production on her shoulders for 90 uninterrupted minutes, Mitchell commands the stage from the moment she appears. Her portrayal captures every facet of Ginsburg’s character, from ambitious young lawyer to revered Supreme Court Justice, while never losing sight of the humanity that made her such a beloved figure.

Mitchell moves effortlessly between drama and comedy, often drawing big laughs from the audience before pivoting into moments of genuine emotional power. Her physical transformation across the decades is especially impressive, with subtle changes in movement, posture, and voice creating a believable portrait of Ginsburg at different stages of her life.

Adding to the show’s charm is Mitchell’s direct engagement with the audience. Breaking the fourth wall on multiple occasions, she invites viewers into Ginsburg’s story, creating an atmosphere that feels both intimate and immersive.

A Must-See Theatrical Experience

Blending intelligence, humour, and heartfelt reflection, RBG: Of Many, One succeeds as both an entertaining evening of theatre and a thoughtful examination of one of history’s most influential legal figures.

Suzie Miller’s sharp script and Heather Mitchell’s remarkable performance combine to create a production that is insightful, inspiring, and thoroughly absorbing. Whether you’re familiar with Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s story or discovering it for the first time, this is a theatrical experience that leaves a lasting impression.

Thoughtful, engaging, and powered by a truly exceptional central performance, RBG: Of Many, One stands as one of Auckland Theatre Company’s most rewarding productions of the year.

RBG: Of Many, One is on for a limited season NOW at Auckland Waterfront Theatre.

Image: Auckland Theatre Company

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This year’s programme engages both a mix of local and international works spanning architecture, design, art, photography, and landscape. With each film being an invitation to experience creativity not as something distant, but as a tactile, immediate, and deeply human experience.

Beginning as a boutique offering in 2012 in partnership with Auckland’s Rialto Cinema, the Architecture and Design Film Festival has now grown into a nationwide creative event, and this year’s 15th season is a very special release. Now screening across 13 regions and 14 cinemas, the festival has cemented its place as a cornerstone of New Zealand’s design calendar and has also earned recognition as one of the largest architecture and design film festivals globally.

This year’s festival has been shaped around a thematic focus of innovation, sustainability, and artistic expression, explored through curated strands such as Building for the Community, The Domestic Experience, Light as Form, and Hand-Crafted Worlds.

Some of the standouts of this year’s festival include:

The Great Arch

A lavish feature presentation that examines the journey of infamous architect Johan Otto von Spreckelsen (Claes Bang), and the construction of Paris’ Grande Arche, this intimate French production is a narrative of ambition and artistic integrity, and it will wash over you with a feeling of utter beauty and the heavy dramatic swings that entangle creative passions. Director Stéphane Demoustier and noted Danish actor Claes Bang bring an incredible introspection to the form and workings of the creative mind, and in the character of Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, we find a genius creative forced to work within the limitations of others, and how this affects his very soul.

Deeply moving, and with an incredible layer of cinematic flair, not to mention some of the most gorgeous cinematography and imagery you’re likely to see all year, The Great Arch is a brilliant story of what the creative mind has to endure within the modern world, and how the cost of ambition must sometimes be paid in full.

The Time Traveller’s Guide to Hamilton Gardens

Painting a moving story of Hamilton’s world-renowned Gardens, The Time Traveller’s Guide to Hamilton Gardens is a moving tribute to artistry, nature, and the soul of what a garden should be. Audiences are given a rare insight into how this incredible place and its lavish, awe-inspiring gardens have been created and how they continue to develop, with new concepts and ideas coming to light day by day. Moving and enchanting, The Time Traveller’s Guide to Hamilton Gardens is a documentary that will have you mesmerised by its dream-like imagery and the beautiful gardens revealed before you.

The Harvard 5: A Story of Love, Architecture, and a Design Revolution

Offering a glimpse into a truly one of a kind creative movement, and the birth of American Modernist Architecture, The Harvard 5: A Story of Love, Architecture, and a Design Revolution is an informative and invigorationg documentary that takes audiences into the achievements of a rarified group of architects who choose to break the rules and follow their bliss in the most unlikely place, colonial New Canaan, Connecticut, with the results being utterly world changing. A story of both the creative mind and the passing of time, The Harvard 5 is a celebration of the voice of artistry and the movement it inspired, and this very hip, innovative watch will pull audiences right in.

Curated by Yasmine Ganley and Sara Black in partnership with Rialto Cinemas, the festival maintains a strong commitment to both international excellence and homegrown storytelling. As Ganley notes, this year’s programme blends dynamic feature films with a rich selection of documentaries and shorts, while continuing to champion New Zealand filmmakers.

Delivering inspiration and curiosity, the Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival is a unique cinematic experience, something to be savoured by audiences across its season from April 30 to June 3.

Image: Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival

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Landing nationwide from April 27, the flame-grilled heavyweight is rolling out a limited-time menu inspired by The Mandalorian and everyone’s favourite Force-wielding foundling, Grogu — all in the lead-up to the duo’s big-screen debut this May.

This isn’t just a cheeky tie-in. It’s a full-blown, sauce-dripping, collectable-stacked event.

Built around bold flavours and big-screen energy, the Mandalorian-inspired lineup is pure fast-food escapism. The headline act? The Mandalorian WHOPPER Meal — because of course it is — alongside a Mandalorian Chicken Burger Meal, both packing enough punch to satisfy even the most battle-hardened bounty hunter.

But here’s where it gets dangerous for your wallet (and your shelf space): each adult meal comes with a limited-edition ceramic mug featuring Mando and Grogu. Yes — collectable. Yes — while stocks last. Yes — people will absolutely be hunting these down.

For the next generation of Jedi (or chaos agents, depending on sugar intake), the Mandalorian King Jr. Meal drops with eight collectable figurines — one per meal. It’s classic fast-food toy madness, now dipped in Beskar steel aesthetics.

And naturally, everything arrives wrapped in themed packaging designed to crank the immersion up to eleven. Think less “quick lunch stop,” more “pit stop on a smuggler’s run.”

This campaign isn’t playing small. It’s part of a global push tied to the cinematic rollout of The Mandalorian and Grogu, blending exclusive content, in-store takeovers, and a merch lineup that knows exactly what fans want.

There’s a clear play here: turn your local BK into a mini Star Wars outpost — minus the sand, plus fries.

Burger King isn’t just cashing in on nostalgia — it’s leaning all the way into the spectacle. Big flavours, collectable gear, and just enough theatrical flair to make your next drive-thru feel like a scene out of a galaxy far, far away.

Whether you’re in it for the burgers, the mugs, or the pure novelty of it all, one thing’s clear: This is the way.

Image: Burger King

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