Where you can see the sci-fi film everyone's talking about

If you're a science-fiction film fan, you're probably wondering why one of this year's hottest sci-fi film hasn't yet landed in local cinemas.

Wonder no more: Ex Machina, a critical hit that was released in the UK in January and the US in April, will screen here as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival.

It's a big get for the festival, with no current plans for Ex Machina to screen more widely than that.

A positive reaction at the festival could see it get a theatrical release, as happened with last year's film fest horror hit It Follows, which just completed its theatrical run.

Ex Machina stars Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac, is directed by writer Alex Garland and features music by Portishead's Geoff Barrow. It features just four talking characters, two of whom are robots, and follows a man who wins a competition to help a scientist trying to perfect AI.

Today the festival is announcing many of the New Zealand features in next month's programme.

Though it doesn't look like there's anything among the dramatic features to rival last year's opening night film The Dark Horse, there is at least one candidate to possibly rival last year's local festival comedy horror hit Housebound.

That's Deathgasm, the debut directing feature by Weta effects guy Jason Lei Howden about a teenage metalhead (Milo Cawthorne) who accidentally summons up an apocalyptic demon.

The splatter-happy film also stars Kimberley Crossman, yes, as she's never been seen before.

The NZIFF starts in Auckland on July 16. For more information, go to www.nziff.co.nz.

- TimeOut