What’s On: A Sparkling Film Festival, Winetopia & More Good Things For The Weekend

The annual film smorgasbord Whānau Marama: New Zealand International Film Festival returns with gems from Celine Song and Wes Anderson. Elsewhere, celebrate the doll of the moment (nay year) and see awe-inspiring photography.

Head to a city-wide festival

The Elemental AKL festival kicks off tonight, bringing beats, feasts and the arts to the streets of Tāmaki Makaurau. The city will see performances from musicians including Swedish pop star Tove Lo, English rapper Loyle Carner (sold out), grungy singer/songwriter Fazerdaze, NZ dream pop band Pheobe Rings, British rock band Idles, and a showcase of some of our most talented local musicians at Tuawahine (with Anika Moa, Georgia Lines, Boh Runga and Ria Hall among the performers). Among the art events, there will be an Agatha Christie whodunnit pop-up at The Pumphouse Theatre and various light installations in the CBD. There will also be self-guided hikoi through the North Shore and inner-city, to explore Māori art, identity and history. Elemental AKL also encompasses the New Zealand International Film Festival, which will have its first packed weekend, and Winetopia, which will see over 50 wineries arrive on Auckland’s Waterfront for wine-related festivities. The festival runs until August 6. You can find all the events and tickets here.

Attend a dance showcase

Basement Theatre is in the thick of the winter/Matariki theatre season and is currently showcasing a dance performance in the main theatre. Kafa, which interweaves krump with traditional Tongan movement to explore identity, consciousness and culture, opened on Tuesday and will run until this Saturday evening. Earlier this winter season, Viva chatted to the executive director of Basement, Cat Ruka (Ngāpuhi, Waitaha), who shared her excitement for the upcoming show. “I’m super-pumped for Kafa, a street-style dance show by Mosiana Webster which will be NZSL interpreted. Mosiana is one of Aotearoa’s top krumpers and was recently one of the top 16 named to compete in the world-renowned Red Bull Dance Your Style competition.” Tickets are available at Basementtheatre.co.nz

See world-class photojournalism

The World Press Photo Exhibition will return to Auckland for the first time since 2019 this week, showcasing some of the most moving and influential images from photojournalists and documentary photographers all over the globe, chosen from over 60,000 submissions. One of the featured collections comes from Ashley Peña, a photographer who has captured some of the young artists working within the New York drill music scene — Peña’s work profiles the young artists in their own private spaces, subverting the more hostile representations and treatments that the artists face. The World Press Photo Exhibition opens this Saturday and closes on August 20, and tickets start from $15. The pieces will be on display at Level 5 of Smith and Caughey’s, at its gallery space.

As the movie of the season (year? decade?) finally arrives in New Zealand, there are plenty of suggestions set for how to enjoy the film. You could go along for a meme-ish double screening with Oppenheimer (known affectionately as Barbenheimer), dress up in your best bright pinks or put your movie ticket money towards a good cause. Dove Hospice & Wellness is set to screen the bubblegum pink flick on August 5, with all proceeds from the event going towards the care provided by the charitable trust. Prior to the screening, there will be actual Barbies and secondhand clothing with Barbie vibes available to browse. At the event, there is also a costume competition set to take place — the attendee who is the best-dressed Barbie will take home a prize. The screening of Barbie starts at 1pm at the Berkeley Cinema in Mission Bay and tickets are $26.

Go to a gig

Musician Don McGlashan is set to take off on the Take It To The Bridge Tour next week, with the Mutton Birds frontman and revered soloist bringing his extensive discography to parts of the country he has not played before (20 dates are scheduled around the country). From Waiheke Island to Glenorchy, the tour will see McGlashan playing major tracks, including some from his last album Bright November Album, in intimate venues around the country. Anita Clark will also accompany McGlashan on tour, and open each show with instrumentally rich tracks as Motte. The Take It To The Bridge Tour starts on August 26 and closes on October 7. Tickets are available from DonmcGlashan.com (with some shows already sold out).

Explore an exhibition

Te Roopu Kotuku Rerenga Rangi New Directions will open at The Poi Room this weekend, featuring the works of 14 weavers. Among the pieces at the exhibition will be woven panels, kete, piupiu and sculptural pieces. The collection is another of the gallery’s annual Māori weavers showcase, with exquisitely crafted goods making a gallery wander filled with awe. The opening event for the exhibition will take place on July 21 from 5:30pm at 17 Osbourne St Newmarket. It will close on July 30.

Book ahead

Wander nature-inspired paintings

Work from abstract painter Melanie Field, whose pieces are often inspired by the natural world and carry a sense of mysticism, is set to be shown at The Frame Workshop and Gallery next week, in an exhibition titled Orchestra of Light. The exhibition will also feature some of the pieces that have resulted from a textile collaboration with Thread Design, which translated some of the artist’s works onto linen and velvet homeware. The gallery director says it’s exciting to show the range of applications, as it is an opportunity to show “how art can be incorporated in everyday life.” Orchestra of Light will see a special opening on July 27 from 5pm to 7pm and be on display at The Frame Workshop and Gallery until August 12.

Immerse yourself in art by First Nations Australian artists

The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is set to open Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia, an exhibition featuring over 160 artists. The collection features pieces from artists working from 1890 until today, with works from influential First Australian figures including interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew, new media artist Bindi Cole, installation artist Karla Dickens, painter Mabel Juli and landscape artist Dorothy Napangardi, among many others. Gallery director Kirsten Lacy says that the exhibition “is the largest overview of art by First Nations Australian artists to be presented in Aotearoa. [It] highlights the diverse peoples and artistic practices across Australia, drawing to the fore enduring connection to country spanning a time immemorial.” Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia opens on July 29 and closes on October 29.