Raetihi To Join The Ranks Of Cannes And Sundance
Town to Present Winter Film Festival in Southern Hemisphere¹s Oldest Movie Theater RAETIHI -- Taking advantage of its
status as the town with the oldest movie theater in the southern hemisphere, Raetihi is staging a film festival.
From 29 31 July, Raetihi will turn itself into the Cannes of Aotearoa, showing such New Zealand classics as Smash
Palace (1981) and The Silent One (1984) and director Gaylene Preston¹s latest, Perfect Strangers (2003). The festival
will also screen more than 50 new works by filmmakers from NZ and overseas.
³We wanted to offer a forum for new filmmakers to show their work as well as give the people of Raetihi a chance to view
some great New Zealand films, one of which was shot locally (Smash Palace)² said film festival co-ordinator, Marius
Luessi.
The town is involved in an ongoing project to refurbish the Theatre Royal, built in 1915. ³It¹s a fantastic venue that
seats 250, said Luessi. ³We¹re fortunate to have it available for the festival. It gives the event a real sense of
history.² Another drawing point is the festival¹s proximity to the Mt Ruapehu ski fields. ³Those attending can slip off
for some skiing and still make it back in time to go to the movies.²