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WATCHING: CINEMA

TELEVISION STREAMING ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS JUNE 2021

VIEWPOINT

FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL

SOPRANO

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Lapsis; Spirit Untamed; The Warrior Queen of Jhansi; In the Heights; Percy Vs Goliath; Dream Horse; Fast & Furious 9; The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, plus more 8 Minamata global warning 15 Film Festival Special Cinema Italiano Festival, French Film Festival Aotearoa, Doc Edge Festival, AVintage Cabaret Cinema, Architecture & Design Film Festival ENTERTAINMENT 37 Surrealist Art surreal for real 38 Matariki 2021 special WATCHING IN SKY HIGHLIGHTS Sky Movies Premiere, Sky Movies Extra, Sky Arts, BBC UKTV, Vibe, SoHo, Rialto Channel 25 Small Axe power to the people 26 Rialto Channel Unlocked much more than before FREE TO AIR 28 Patrick Gower: On P STREAMING 31 Sweet Tooth homes of the brave WATCHING NOW VIEWPOINT 16 Paolo Rotondo Italian Film Festival director, buona visione 21 Alex Lee Doc Edge Festival director, that’s life 34 Emma Pearson the voice Fergus Grady French Film Festival director what are you watching? 42 Directory cinemas nationwide WATCHING SOON

The Warrior Queen of Jhansi Cinema page 9

The Marriage of Figaro Entertainment page 36

Pigeon Kings Streaming page 32

Tina Doc Edge Festival page 15

Lisey’s Story Streaming page 30

WATCH

LOOK VIEW ISSUE 8 JUNE 2021

POINT OF

Kia Ora! Ciao! Bonjour! Doc Edge Festival, Cinema Italiano Festival and French Film Festival Aotearoa all begin this month, and all your highlights, info, plus interviews with all the film festival directors are here in VIEW. VIEW also gives you the chance to get in touch with your inner Italian in June, with our VESPA Sprint giveaway, and we salute NZ Opera’s production of The Marriage of Figaro – on the cover and with our exclusive interview with Soprano Emma Pearson. So, take a European vacation, and experience

STREAMING TELEVISION CINEMA WATCHING:

HIGHLIGHTS JUNE 2021 ENTERTAINMENT

OINT VIEWP

FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL

SOPRANO

all the inspiring stories in this month’s issue – VIEW is your map to the very best of

Is this the key to fancy free?

GIVEAWAYS entertainment in New Zealand, both out and about, and closer to home. Andiamo!

NZ OPERA TICKETS WIN

DOUBLE CINEMA PASSES TO + THE FRENCH & ITALIAN FILM FESIVALS

WIN A NIGHT AT THE OPERA TWO TICKETS TO NZ OPERA’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO  in the city of your choice: Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch

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CINEMA ITALIANO FESTIVAL

WIN A DOUBLE PASS TWO TO GIVE AWAY to the festival opening night at The Capitol Cinema.  Read more on page15 + Paolo Rotondo, festival director, interview page16

A DOUBLE PASS to a French Film Festival film anywhere the Festival is screening.  Read more on page 15 + interview with festival director Fergus Grady page 40

Editorial & Creative, Danyel Simich VIEW is published each month by View Magazine Limited.

The content of VIEW is copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced in anyway without permission. VIEW aims for accuracy and cannot be held liable for any mistakes that do occur. The opinions, statements and text in VIEWmay not necessarily be the opinions of the editors and publishers.

The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It

Surrealist Art Entertainment page 37

The Dark Side of Renaissance

A Man Called Ove Streaming page 30

Cinema page 12

Sky & TV page 24

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GLOBAL WARNING

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WATCHING OUT CINEMA

FILM & CINEMA

HIGHLIGHTS

SPIRIT UNTAMED Follow-up to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron , about a headstrong city girl forced to move to a small frontier town where she discovers a kindred spirit after her life intersects with a wild mustang named Spirit . When Spirit ’s herd is rounded up by hustling rustlers, she bands together with friends to save the horses – and Spirit , who has given her a new-found sense of belonging, identity and purpose. Computer animated Western adventure fantasy. PREMIERES 12TH  SEE MORE THE WARRIOR QUEEN OF JHANSI True story of the legendary Rani Lakshmibai, Queen of Jhansi, fearless freedom fighter and Indian icon. In 1857, the era of Empire and “The Great Game” – with global political powers vying for control of the Indian subcontinent – this 24-year-old shifted the balance of power by leading her people into battle against the British Empire; her insurrection and the ‘mutiny’ against the explotative and oppressive British East India Company set in motion its demise. Biographical drama. Devika Bhise, Rupert Everett, Derek Jacobi. PREMIERES 17TH  SEE MORE IN THE HEIGHTS Crowd-pleasing, colorful musical epic based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway show, following a variety of characters over a few days in the Latino neighbourhood of Washington Heights, New York City. Packed with catchy songs, and elaborate dance sequences, it’s full of pagentry, and is an idealised vision of diversity, but if you go with the flow, it’s a joyful celebration of the American immigrant story, family, community, hopes and dreams, and following your heart. Directed by Jon M. Chu ( Crazy Rich Asians ). Anthony Ramos, Stephanie Beatriz, Lin-Manuel Miranda. PREMIERES 24TH  SEE MORE

NOT-SO-

ALTERNATIVE

REALITY LAPSIS

Set in a parallel New York, the quantum computing revolution has begun; naturally, investors are lining their pockets. A man struggling to get by takes on a bizarre job in the ruthless gig economy: competing against robots to build a new network, dragging cables through rough terrain to connect the giant magnetic cubes that make up the ‘quantum trading market’. Inevitibly he is confronted with a pivotal choice – to help his fellow workers, or to get rich and get out. A low- budget dig at corporate greed and worker expoitation – an ingenious social satire wrapped inside an intellegent sci-fi parable. PREMIERES 3RD  SEE MORE

Spririt Untamed Premieres 12th

The Warrior Queen of Jhansi Premieres 17th

In The Heights Premieres 24th

Lapsis Premieres 3rd

2021 JUNE View 9

WATCHING OUT CINEMA

SLICES OF LIVES

DREAM HORSE True story of race horse Dream Alliance , an unlikely champion bred by a small town Welsh bartender, with very little money – and no experience – who convinces her neighbours to chip in to help raise Dream and compete with the racing elite. Their investment pays off as Dream rises through the ranks, becoming a beacon of hope in their struggling community. Comedy drama. Toni Collette, Damian Lewis. PREMIERES 3RD  SEE MORE SIR ALEX FERGUSON: NEVER GIVE IN A documentary that’s not just about United, it’s a film for all football fans about the former Scotland, Aberdeen and Manchester United manager – his origins, values and beliefs PREMIERES 24TH  SEE MORE

PERCY VS. GOLIATH

Underdog tale based on events from a 1998 lawsuit, in which Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser defends himself against a major conglomerate when they sue him for allegedly using their genetically modified (GMO) seeds. He and his family risk everything against the giant corporation in a desperate war to protect farmers’ rights – and the world’s food supply – against corporate greed. Christopher Walken, Zach Braff, Christina Ricci. PREMIERES 10TH  SEE MORE DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER Funny, charming and wince-inducingly depiction of the wobbly relationship between a well-intentioned single librarian and her black-clad teenage son, who'd rather listen to Metallica than his mother, after his holiday in Florida visiting his dad is cancelled, and he is now stuck with at home for the summer. PREMIERES 10TH  SEE MORE HERSELF A young mother seeks to rebuild her life from scratch, and provide a safe home for her two young daughters, but to do so, she must escape the grip of a possessive ex-partner, circumnavigate a broken housing system, and bring together a community of friends who can support her and lend a helping hand. Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill. PREMIERES 17TH  SEE MORE

FOR FILMS SHOWING NEAR YOU SEE OUR NATIONWIDE CINEMA DIRECTORY PAGE 42

Days of the Bagnold Summer Premieres 10th

Herself Premieres 17th

A Vintage Cabaret Cinema 22nd–26th

Dream Horse Premieres 3rd

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++++ The Times

+++++ Film Ireland

+++++ Radio Nova

++++ Total Film

“Lloyd’s finest work to date”

“A timely empowering story”

CL ARE DUNNE

A FILM BY PHYLLIDA LLOYD ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR OF THE IRON LADY AND MAMMA MIA!

IN CINEMAS JUNE 17

WATCHING OUT CINEMA

THE QUICK & THE DEAD

SUPER FLY

FAST & FURIOUS 9 F9 : street racer turned master thief turned super spy, Dom Toretto, is forced to confront the sins of his past, as he and his crew try to foil a dastardly plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered – his annoying younger brother. There’s plenty of action absurdity – flying cars, fully-fledged orbital automobiles, giant truck-flips, car-mounted magnets. Vin Diesel, John Cena, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster. PREMIERES 17TH  SEE MORE THE CONJURING 3: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT Installment of the psychological horror franchise, based on a chilling true story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, culminating in the first legal case in U.S. history that a murder suspect claimed demonic possession as a defense. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. An elite assassin on his final mission takes a detour to rescue his kidnapped daughter, only to find himself being relentlessly pursued by a man who’s brother he killed during an earlier hit. Needless to say the body-count piles up in this South Korean action-thriller, written & directed by Won-Chan Hong. PREMIERES 10TH  SEE MORE PREMIERES 3RD  SEE MORE DELIVER US FROM EVIL

HIT ME BABY, ONE MORE TIME... THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD Sequel picks up from the The Hitman's Bodyguard with the protagonists forced to give up their mandated PTSD recovery ‘time-out’, and go on the run from some very bad men while trying to prevent a world-threatening cyber-attak in Europe. Blockbuster action-comedy. Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Frank Grillo, Richard E. Grant, Tom Hopper, Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman. PREMIERES 24TH  SEE MORE FOR FILMS SHOWING NEAR YOU SEE OUR NATIONWIDE CINEMA DIRECTORY PAGE 42

Fast & Furious 9 Premieres 17th

Deliver Us From Evil Premieres 3rd

The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It Premieres 3rd

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WATCHING NOW CINEMA

Doc Edge

FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL

CINEMA & FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL CINEMA ITALIANO FESTIVAL Journey to Italy with an exciting and eclectic mix of films: premieres, documentaries, and ageless classics. Highlights include Michael Radford’s ( Il Postino ) biopic of Andrea Bocelli The Music of Silence ; Pinocchio, the latest telling of the favourite Italian fairytale, starring Oscar Winner Roberto Benigni; as well as restored masters of Visconti’s The Leopard ; De Sica’s Two Women , with the iconic Sophia Loren in an Oscar winning performance, who also stars in Marriage Italian Style with the equally iconic Marcello Mastroianni. Screening in 20 cinemas nationwide. Buona visione a tutti voi!  SEE MORE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL AOTEAROA Rendezvous with a friend or two for a virtual visit to Paris and the South of France. The opening night film is Antoinette in the Cévennes , for which Laure Calamy won Best Actress at the 2021César Awards; Delicious , our centrepiece film for foodies – and everyone – to drool over; and The Man in the Hat , a virtually dialogue-free comedy that pays hommage to master filmmaker Jacques Tati. Regardless of your preferred flavour of French film there’s something for everyone in this year’s programme. A bientôt! Vive le cinéma.  SEE MORE DOC EDGE FESTIVAL The home for storytelling that changes your world: our kaupapa is to celebrate, support and showcase documentary: the best films from New Zealand and around the world. Highlights this year include the World Premiere of NZ film High Tide Don’t Hide (see interview page 21); Tina , an intimate portrait of superstar Tina Turner; Wuhan Wuhan , the intersection of a global pandemic with heart-wrenching stories from inside the city; and the breathtaking achievement of The Wonderful: Stories From The Space Station . Auckland, Wellington and nationwide online. Watch, learn and enjoy!  SEE MORE

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN FILM FESTIVAL Now one of the largest

architecture & design film festivals internationally, 2021 marks 10 years showcasing inspiring films. The festival screens nationwide, continuing in Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Havelock North, & New Plymouth.  SEE MORE A VINTAGE CABARET CINEMA Cabaret Season at The Civic featuring a mini-festival of classic cabaret & musical films including Funny Girl , Cabaret , All That Jazz , Dreamgirls – plus midnight screenings of cult-classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show . 22nd–26th  SEE MORE

Il Traditore /The Traitor Cinema Italiano Fesitival

Breathless French Film Festival Aotearoa

Workhorse Queen Doc Edge

The New Bauhaus: The Life and Legacy of Moholy Nagy Architecture & Design Film Festival

WATCHING NOW PEOPLE

FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL

BUONA VISIONE PAOLO ROTONDO CINEMA ITALIANO FESTIVAL DIRECTOR TALKS TO HÉLÈNE RAVLICH ABOUT THE UNIQUE AND ENDURING CHARM OF ITALIAN FILM.

The programme for the sixth Cinema Italiano Festival: Italian Film Festival was hot off the press, and Paolo Rotondo was keen to wax lyrical about this year’s stellar line up. As an actor and film director, Rotondo has been working in the film Industry for nearly twenty years, and his love for the craft of filmmaking and the art of cinema is evident. He and his wife, Renee Mark, are the dynamic duo behind Cinema Italiano Festival, which this year will be screening beautiful, challenging, and inspiring Italian movies across an impressive twenty different locations and venues around New Zealand. The films that appear on screen are the result of building upon great relationships with distributors in Italy and also Australia over the last few years, the latter being a huge audience for Italian material. Rotondo says it can be frustrating that many Italian film distributors lump New Zealand and Australia together as one market, as when it comes to what audiences like, the two are really quite different. “They have a massive Italian community in Australia,” says Rotondo, “and they really do demand quite different films from our audiences in New Zealand.” Due to the smaller nature of the Italian community here, the Cinema Italiano Festival is designed for everyone, and includes bigger budget films which can often be passed over on the festival circuit in favour of independent players. Before Covid-19 hit, Rotondo and Mark had planned a big trip back to Italy, to visit family and also attend festivals with their Cinema Italiano hats on. “We just don’t know when we are going to be able to go back,” he says, “especially as the death toll is still so high and the regions are constantly shifting in terms of how many cases they are dealing with. My family are in Campagna and we just wish we could see them so much.” When Rotondo was curating films for the festival earlier this year, he was in regular contact with Italian distributors on the ground who were gobsmacked watching the America’s Cup taking place in New Zealand. “They wanted to talk more about sailing than the films,” he laughs, “but I really felt for

THE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME... ATTENDING

A REAL EVENT IN A CINEMA.”

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them. They were in the peak of winter watching crowds of spectators in Auckland celebrating, it was tough.” Cinema Italiano was the only New Zealand film festival that actually took place in theatres during 2020, with Rotondo adamant that screenings would not be offered online. “I called the festival ‘Cinema Italiano’ for a reason,” he explains, “as being a filmmaker too means that the cinematic experience is very important to me. The idea of streaming films and TV shows online is great and I’m an avid consumer, but it’s not the same as attending a real event in a cinema.” Spurred on by Mark he took a gamble, shifting the 2020 festival by a few months to a date when they thought things might be looking up. “We were still in different levels of lockdown when the films started rolling out, starting in Auckland when we applied the rules of social distancing and mask wearing. This continued throughout the country until we slowly started coming out the other side, and we really ended on a high with completely normal screenings taking place.” In reality, Rotondo planned two festivals in 2020, due to the fact that just as the first line up was in the process of forming, he lost all of the films. “So many of the filmmakers just decided to release their movies online when the pandemic hit, making them unavailable to us. I was forced to redesign the whole thing which was a challenge, but we felt so fortunate that we were able to bring the festival to fruition.” He says that it demonstrated how committed the festival’s various partners were to cinema, which is a source of enormous pride. Being boutique, and thus nimble, proved to be a tremendous asset, and Italian film fans around the country were most definitely willing to wait. “We had such an amazing response from our audiences,” he adds, “as there was a feeling that we were coming out the other side and that we were really helping keep events alive. The spirit was amazing.” This year’s lineup will be showing in venues like The Capitol Cinema on Auckland’s Dominion Road, which Rotondo loves and calls “a real cinephiles cinema, it’s such a special place”. Other spots include The Silky Otter in O¯ ra¯kei and Takapuna’s Monterey, as well as the festival’s birthplace – The Bridgeway in Northcote Point. When it comes to his top picks for the festival, Rotondo is particularly proud of the micro-curation he has done on the work of Matteo Garrone, the director responsible for iconic outings such as Gomorrah and Dogman . “This year he released his take on Pinocchio with Roberto Benigni as Geppetto,” says Rotondo, “and it is such a masterful watch. It was up for two Oscars for its art direction and costumes and it’s a beautiful fable. I have put one of his older films, Reality on with Pinocchio , which won the Cannes Grand Prix in 2012 and is a great contrast. Garrone is truly one of the contemporary masters, and they are not to be missed.” CINEMA ITALIANO FESTIVAL: ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL  SEE MORE

Season opening night film La Dea Fortuna – The Goddess of Fortune

Subscribe to VIEW to be in to WIN ONE OF FOUR DOUBLE PASSES to the opening night of the festival at The Capitol Cinema, Auckland.

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17 13 No

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WATCHING NOW PEOPLE THAT’S LIFE ALEX LEE CO-FOUNDER FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL

Alex Lee is passionate about story- telling and using media to empower social change. When festival planning was thrown into disarray in 2020, he and his team emerged with a new model, and a renewed excitement about the possibilities of the filmmaking industry as a whole. “Doc Edge innovated last year be- cause of COVID-19,” he explains, “going online at first, then as a countrywide tour a while later as an added benefit for viewers around the country.” This year, the popular annual event has pivoted again, arriving in a form that Lee likes to call “a fusion festival”. Screenings will take place in cinemas in Auckland and Wellington, and a national online delivery of the programme will also roll out for documentary fans throughout the country. “As much as we would like to be, we can’t be in every city” he says with a laugh, “but we have always wanted our programme to be available to as many people as possible, and this is the perfect way.” & DIRECTOR OF THE DOC EDGE FESTIVAL ON WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE 2021 SEASON AND A FILMMAKING GENRE DEDICATED TO REFLECTING SOME OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT STORIES. By Hélène Ravlich

One wonders how quickly the events of the past twelve months have infiltrated this year’s Doc Edge line up, and if the films for 2021 were chosen with the pandemic in mind… “I think the documentary scene has definitely moved to find its place in the new world,” says Lee, “and we’ve seen a lot of submissions that have dealt with the issue of how community will thrive and continue to be sustainable in the face of various threats. These include the environment, the pandemic, and the struggle to find racial identity. A lot of the stories we are seeing being told are about how a new com- munity might be developing in the face of challenges, and at the same time exploring how it is meeting those challenges.” The pandemic was clearly a rich source of material for documentary makers and crea- tives of all kinds globally, and Lee believes this will continue. “I think it will continue to provide material for years to come, be it in the form of the stories of health workers or individuals who may have suffered with COVID-19, or examin- ing what comes after. The world we knew 16-18 months ago is definitely not the world we now live in, and by all accounts I don’t think we know what will follow. The world is changing at a rapid pace.” He comes back to the word ‘community’, which

he says is “an interesting concept that has be- come more important to everyone as we try to figure out what that now means. Is it a series of different bubbles, and with families dislocated due to travel restrictions, is it a means of finding new ways of connection and collaboration?” Lee is particularly excited about the prospect of new ways of engagement, saying that when the festival was forced to go online in 2020, he and his team never expected that their audience would grow by an astonishing 300 percent. “And then when we ran our in- dustry events which include lectures and work- shops on the likes of pitching, we found we were reaching industry leaders all around the world who in the past may have not thought about connecting with New Zealand,” says Lee proudly. The end result has been that some of the filmmakers that the festival team has been supporting over the years have been able to reach people internationally that have facilitated their work being seen around the world. “The documentary world calendar is usually filled with so many business meetings, summits and conferences,” says Lee, “that you can’t possibly attend all of the ones you’d like to due to timing clashes with travel or budget. Now with everything online, you can be in

High Tide Don’t Hide ,

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Delhi one week and New York the next, and then Berlin at the same time as Singapore. We still have to figure out how to really maximise that, but it’s exciting and new and I love that.” With a new feeling of positivity emerging in a changed world, does the festival director think we are going to be demanding that happier stories be told, to fit that mood? “I think we all want to be inspired, and inspiration comes from two sources,” he says. “One is a happy place where we can dream and aspire to being in the same kind of state as the subject or story, and the other is from looking at de- spair. When you’re presented with despair in a film that also comes with some commentary about how you can make change happen, you also feel inspired that you can somehow bring about a better outcome, too. We can’t all have rose-tinted glasses on all the time.” A documentary showing in the festival that does demonstrate howwe can all contribute to THE WORLD WE KNEW 16-18 MONTHS AGO IS DEFINITELY NOT THE WORLD WE NOW LIVE IN... THE WORLD IS CHANGING AT A RAPID PACE.”

change is New Zealand film, High Tide Don’t Hide which Lee describes as “truly awesome”. The film weaves the stories of five teenagers inspired by Greta Thunberg as they rally against anxiety, climate denial, and white privilege to pull together a record-setting strike in Aotearoa. With intimate access to students’ meetings, homes, and personal video diaries, filmmakers Niva Kay, Emily McDowell, Nia Phipps and Phil Stebbing (The Rebel Film Collective) created something very special and have dedicated the movie to Jeanette Fitzsimons, a remarkable leader who inspired so many people to stand up for the earth and to take on the challenge of climate campaigning. “It’s important to listen out for the words of those who might not have the resources or the position to be heard above the crowd,” says Lee, “and that includes indige- nous voices who are campaigning for climate change action and the like. One of the most inspiring voices to come from High Tide Don’t Hide is a young woman of Samoan descent who talks about actually watching her country disappearing. She says, ‘listen to what we need as opposed to telling us what we need’, which is a very powerful message.” DOC EDGE FESTIVAL  SEE MORE Screening Auckland, Wellington, and online

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WATCHING IN TELEVISION

RIALTO CHANNEL PREMIERES RIALTO SELECTION  SEE MORE PREMIERE FILMS EVERY SATURDAY AT 8:30. Wendy Peter Pan reimagined: saving the spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up. 5th Horrible Histories: Rotten Romans a teenager in trouble is sent to “miserable, cold, wet Britain” with the Roman Army. Rupert Graves, Kim Cattrall. 12th Mapplethorpe biopic about the photographer’s rise to fame while chronicling the 1970s’ NY BDSM scene, to his untimely death in1989. Matt Smith.19th The Truth a French movie icon’s daughter takes issue with her rose-tinted new memoir. Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke. 26th RIALTO BRITISH  SEE MORE SUNDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 RIALTO DOCUMENTARY  SEE MORE WEDNESDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 This month: Music Idols Daft Punk Unchained revealing 20 epic years of the world’s most secretive band. 2nd Avicii: True Stories modern-day musical genius: the highs, the lows, and the taxing intensity of fame. Finished just months before his tragic suicide. 9th Sammy Davis Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me the bona fide legend, and his journey through the political landscape of 20th-century America. 16th David Crosby: Remember My Name a cultural force for 50+ years – still forging new paths. 23rd Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band one of the most enduring groups in popular music history – seen from the inside. 30th + THURSDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 This month: Exposing the Truth RIALTO WORLD  SEE MORE MONDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 The best of independent international film and filmmakers. This month: Films from Germany . RIALTO FILM  SEE MORE OZ & NZ FILMMAKERS FRIDAYS AT 8:30

SKY

HIGHLIGHTS

SKY MOVIES PREMIERE  SEE MORE PREMIERE FILMS AT 8:30

Greed mockumentary-style satire highlighting the moral bankrupcy of the mega-rich, as a fashion tycoon demands an over-over-the-top party. Steve Coogan, Isla Fisher. Monday 21st Baby Done a surprise pregnancy won’t put a couple off achieving their wildest dreams... before baby arrives. Rose Matafeo, Matthew Lewis. NZ comedy, Sunday 27th The Sit In Civil Rights activist and trailblazing performer Harry Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show for one week in 1968... with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy – among their last TV appearances before both were assassinated. 8pm, Saturday 26th The Dark Side of Renaissance social and political machinations 7:30, Fridays from 11th BBC UKTV  SEE MORE SKY MOVIES EXTRA  SEE MORE Comedy Month Special Event SKY ARTS  SEE MORE Too Close a forensic psychiatrist assigned the case of awoman accused of a heinous crime, but who claims she can’t remember a thing, gets in too deep. 9:35, Mondays from 7th VIBE  SEE MORE Jamestown series: 17th-century settlers in US. NZ broadcast premiere, 7:30, Weds from 16th SOHO  SEE MORE Eden a seemingly idyllic town is exposed in thriller series with each episode told from a different perspective. 9:30, Mondays from 14th  SEE MORE sky.co.nz

Baby Done Sky Movies Premiere Sunday 27th

The Dark Side of Renaissance Sky Arts Fridays from 11th

Avichii Rialto Documentary 9th

Wendy Rialto Selection Saturday 5th

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POWER TO THE

PEOPLE

SMALL AXE BBC UKTV, 9:35 MONDAYS FROM 28TH  SEE MORE

Academy Award and BAFTA winner, director Steve McQueen’s first television project – a series of standalone films based on the real-life experiences of people in London’s West Indian community between 1969 and 1982. From a group of activists taking on a seemingly hopeless battle against police persecution, to a teenager experiencing a blues party full of dance, danger and romance, the stories are a powerful reminder of how brave individuals can spark change. Small Axe delivers a message our divided world needs to hear: even the most marginalised voices can challenge the most powerful. Nominated for 15 BAFTA TV Awards.

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WATCHING IN TELEVISION

Halston, 27th

MUCH MORE THAN BEFORE

Rialto Channel Unlocked is a special event that offers Sky Starter Customers the chance to access the premium selection of expertly curated programming usually only available to Rialto Channel subscribers. Focused on showcasing critically-acclaimed, award-winning independent films, local and world cinema, documentaries, and exclusive series, Rialto’s content – from arthouse film to political commentary, and fromNZ TV premieres to inspiring programmes from the archives – will be available to all Sky Starter Customers to watch during Rialto Channel Unlocked over the last weekend in June, 26th–27th Event highlights include: Laurel Canyon: A Place In Time documentary about the pivotal 60s & 70s LA music-scene WhoYouThinkIAm Juliette Binoche French thriller The Truth French family dynamics. Catherine Deneuve, Ethan Hawke, Juliette Binoche ComeToDaddy goryblack-comedy, ElijahWood Color Out of Space cosmichorror.Nicholas Cage Halston the fashion legend, documentary Lennon’s Last Weekend music documentary The Trip To Greece Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon Diego Maradona insider sports documentary MilitaryWives Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan Mogul Mowgli BAFTA best fim Nom,Riz Ahmed True History of The Kelly Gang brutal life of the Aussie bushranger. George MacKay, Thomasin McKenzie, Charlie Hunnam, Russell Crowe DNA Box Set, crime thriller. Charlotte Rampling RIALTO CHANNEL UNLOCKED  SEE MORE

june 26 – 27 SPEND THE WEEKEND WITH RIALTO CHANNEL WATCH PREMIUM CONTENT

AVAILABLE TO VIEW FOR ALL SKY STARTER CUSTOMERS* *T&C's apply  SEE MORE

MUSIC IDOLS 8:30PM WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN JUNE

Rialto Channel is only available to Sky direct customers with at least Sky Starter and a Sky box in the home. At 1June 2021 the standard charge for Rialto Channel is $11.18 per month. Prices are payable in advance and subject to change.

COMING SOON TO THREE  SEE MORE Journalist and investigative reporter Patrick Gower is back on drugs. P, meth, methamphetamine burst violently onto the New Zealand scene in the late 90s. Now it’s cheaper and more easily accessible than ever; endemic throughout New Zealand society, from isolated small towns to flashy suburbs. This documentary delves deep – on both sides of the law, from the Mexican Cartels to Kiwi cops – to build a picture of the $500 million Kiwi meth market and the havoc it’s wreaking. How did New Zealand get here? What can be done about it? And will New Zealand ever be able to kick its meth habit? PATRICK GOWER: ON P

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WATCHING IN TELEVISION

FREE TO AIR TV

HIGHLIGHTS

TVNZ 1  SEE MORE A Love Yarn film about the owner of a quaint NZ yarn shop who must find a way to keep her top supplier in production – or buy the mill herself. While organising a fundraising ‘knit-off’, she finds herself at the crossroads of business & romance. Anna Hutchison. 8:30, Sunday 6th Spotlight: Craig McLachlan Australian actor’s explosive revelations after he was acquitted of the multiple sexual harassment allegations that destroyed his career. McLachlan has sued his accusers for defamation 7pm, Monday 7th TVNZ 2  SEE MORE 9 LIVES Matai Smith hosts new bi-lingual game show that puts contestants’ general knowledge to the test with questions being asked inter- changeably in te reo Ma¯ori and English. The game is simple, earn ‘LIVES’ and then try to keep them to stay in the game. 6pm, Sunday 6th, also available on TVNZ OnDemand. Amazing Grace midwife Grace runs a birthing centre and is a fierce advocate for mothers-to-be. However, things take a turn for the unexpected when the baby she gave up for adoption 17 years prior shows up at her clinic heavily pregnant. New Australian drama series premieres 8:30, Tuesday 15th SIX60: Till the Lights Go Out award-winning New Zealand music documentary about the rise and lows of the record-breaking NZ band, TV premiere 8:30, Mon 14th PRIME  SEE MORE MAORI TELEVISION  SEE MORE

TVNZ DUKE  SEE MORE DISASTERS ENGINEERED

Chernobyl, Bhopal, Deepwater Horizon, Titanic, Challenger and The Hindenburg – none are remembered for the great feats of engineering they initially were, but for the horrors that they became. Documentary series 8:30, Weds 9th THREE  SEE MORE All New Lego Masters USA LEGO Batman, Will Arnett, is back as host with a new set of wannabe brickmasters, brick puns, and brick jokes that only your dad would laugh at. Coming soon. Cocaine Trade Exposed: The invisibles true stories of the rise of a shadowy new generation of cocaine kingpins and of law enforcement's desperate efforts to bring them down. Six episode series coming soon. Gamestop: The Wall Street Hijack day traders set out to cause the stock price of the struggling video game retailer Gamestop to skyrocket, in the stock price scandal that shook the world’s financial markets this year. Discovery+ documentary special, coming soon. The Block NZ series premiere, 7:30, Monday14th Also available on ThreeNow

A Love Yarn TVNZ 1 Sunday 6th

9 LIVES TVNZ 2 Sunday 6th

Amazing Grace TVNZ 2 Tuesday 15th

Cocaine Trade Exposed: The Invisibles Three

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WATCHING NOW STREAMING

NETFLIX  SEE MORE America: The Motion Picture wildly tongue-in- cheek animated revisionist history, in which a chainsaw-wielding George Washington assembles a team of rabble rousers – including beer-loving bro Sam Adams, famed scientist Thomas Edison, acclaimed horseman Paul Revere, and a very pissed off Geronimo – to defeat Benedict Arnold and King James in the American Revolution. Who will win? No one knows, but you can be sure of one thing: these are not your father's Founding Fathers. 30th Wish Dragon when you can wish for anything, you have to decide what really matters... CG Animated comedy, releases 11th Dancing Queens an aspiring dancer working at a club desperately wants to join the drag show, but... she’s a girl . Comedy film, from 3rd Jagame Thandhiram a carefree gangster facing moral dilemmas in this good-versus-evil . Tamil-language action thriller film. 18th AMAZON PRIME VIDEO  SEE MORE Clarkson’s Farm the car-man decides to buy, and run a farm, despite knowing next to nothing about farming. He soon learns that a modern farmer must be a conservationist, scientist, shepherd, shopkeeper, midwife, engineer, accountant, and tractor driver, often all at the same time. Series from Friday11th TVNZ ONDEMAND  SEE MORE Leonardo historical drama that recounts the extraordinary life of Leonardo da Vinci, the 15th- century genius, through his famous works – and the stories hidden within those works – revealing the inner torment of a genius obsessed with attaining perfection. Eight episodes, from 14th SKY GO  SEE MORE Sky TV customers can watch live sports, news, box sets, and catch up on movies, shows, and entertainment, online, anywhere in NZ. THREE NOW  SEE MORE

STREAMING

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APPLE TV+  SEE MORE Lisey's Story miniseries written by Stephen King, based on his novel about a widowwho travels to an alternate universe while trying to come to terms with the death of her husband – and also becomes the object of a dangerous stalker, obsessed with her husband's work. Julianne Moore, Clive Owen. Supernatural horror drama, eight episodes, from 4th Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson the DJ and producer uncovers the stories behind music creation – and the lengths some are willing to go to find the perfect sound. Six-part documentary series, from 18th Central Park season 2: acclaimed adult animated musical sitcom about a NY family. New episodes premiere Fridays from 25th FILMSTREAM  SEE MORE A COLLECTION OF THE VERY BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE CINEMA. A Man Called Ove at first glance, Ove appears to be one of the grumpiest men you hope to never meet. He thinks himself surrounded by idiots – neighbours who can't reverse a trailer properly, shop assistants who talk in code, joggers, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d'etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents Association. However, as he persists in trying to ensure neighbourhood standards are being upheld, it turns out that appearances can be deceiving. Funny, moving and uplifting. Mr Stein Goes Online navigating the challenges of finding second-chance love. Feel-good French comedy drama.

Lisey’s Story Apple TV+

Mr Stein Goes Online FilmStream

Jagame Thandhiram Netflix

Clarkson’s Farm Amazon Prime Video

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HOMES OF THE BRAVE SWEET TOOTH

NETFLIX – SERIES RELEASES 4TH  SEE MORE Ten years ago “The Great Crumble” wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrids – babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them. After a decade of living safely in his secluded forest home, a hybrid deer-boy forms an unlikely bond with a gruff loner, and together they decide to set out on a perilous adventure across a post-apocalyptic world in search of answers about the past, and what home might really mean... Eight episodes, filmed in New Zealand, and based on the DC comic book series.

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PIGEON

KINGS

Pigeon Kings follows a curious subculture of men in South central LA – a tight-knit community of breeders and trainers – who are dedicated to competitive pigeon flying. The men find a sense of community and purpose in working to ensure their Roller Pigeons – a unique breed that has the ability to spin downward abruptly in mid-flight – have the finely honed aerobatic skills necessary to compete for the Birmingham Roller Pigeon World Cup. High over Los Angeles, a cluster of pigeons acrobatically somersault through the air like synchronized swimmers in the sky, intently observed by a group of dedicated bird enthusiasts, evaluating the flock on form, synchronicity, and flight duration...

INCREDIBLE TRUE STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. TVNZ ONDEMAND  SEE MORE

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WALTER PRESENTS  SEE MORE

TV EXPERT WALTER IUZZOLINO HANDPICKS COMPELLING SERIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Snow Angels the fates of three women – a mother, a policewoman and a pediatric nurse – become intertwined after a baby inexplicably disappears. Crime drama. The Blood Pact The lives of an infamous criminal and a high-ranking tax official collide when their daughters become friends, and both must decide how far they would go to protect their family. PULSE TV  SEE MORE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORIES AND DOCUMENTARIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Nightmares in Red, White and Blue stalks the appeal of horror films, and the evolution of American Horror cinema, featuring interviews with legendary directors including George A. Romero, John Carpenter, Roger Corman. Loki Marvel Studios’ premiere. The God of Mischief steps out of his brother’s shadow in a series set after the events of Avengers: Endgame . Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Richard E. Grant. 9th Wolfgang inspiring true story of Wolfgang Puck – the original ‘celebrity chef’. From a troubled childhood in Austria, he pursued his dreams to the US – along the way inventing a radically new American cuisine, to become the world’s most famous chef. 25th The Mysterious Benedict Society four gifted orphans are recruited for a dangerous mission to save the world from a global crisis known as The Emergency. Eight episodes from 25th Luca Disney & Pixar’s new animated film. 18th MAORI TELEVISION ON DEMAND  SEE MORE DISNEY+  SEE MORE and Disney+ with Star

PYRAMID

SCHEMER

NEON  SEE MORE DOMINA

Historical drama set during the reign of Gaius Caesar Augustus, the first Emperor of the Roman Empire, based on events in the life of the woman who would become his wife – Livia Drusilla. The eight-part series follows Livia’s journey, from being a naïve young girl whose world crumbles in the wake of Julius Caesar’s assassination, to becoming Rome’s most powerful and influential woman. She navigates her way through a brutal society by means of strategy, conspiracy, seduction, and murder – driven by a deep desire to avenge her father and secure power for her sons – in the knowledge that seizing power is not enough: you must be able to hold on to it when everyone else wants it too. Available 7th Bump fast-paced relationship drama series exploring the life-changing consequences of an unplanned teenage pregnancy.13th Intelligence set in the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters; a geekier, more bureaucratic version of MI5. David Schwimmer. Comedy, seasons 1 & 2 from 9th

The Blood Pact Walter Presents

Nightmares in Red, White and Blue Pulse

Loki Disney+

Bump Neon

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WATCHING

IN & OUT ENTERTAINMENT THE VOICE EMMA PEARSON THE INTERNATIONALLY APPLAUDED AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUSTRALIAN SOPRANO TALKS TO HÉLÈNE RAVLICH ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOUR INSTRUMENT AND THE POWER OF PERFORMING DURING A PANDEMIC. Emma Pearson plays the role of Countess Almaviva in the upcoming New Zealand Opera production of The Marriage of Figaro . It’s a highly coveted part in Mozart and Da Ponte’s famous comedic work – one of the most popular and enduring operas ever written. Currently based in Wellington with her husband and four-and-a-half-year-old son, Pearson is – like many of us – adjusting to a new way of life in a pandemic-controlled world, and happy to be in a country where Covid-19 has been met with such a powerful response. A finalist in many international and Australian industry awards including the Australian Singing Competition’s Marianne Mathy Scholarship, Pearson’s career has been an upward trajec- tory that has seen her take on roles the likes of principal artist at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden in Germany for nine years, where upon departing she was awarded the honorary title of Kammersängerin (distinguished singer) – the youngest singer ever to have the honour bestowed upon them. Pearson says the past year has seen her job as a singer seriously altered, especially as much of her work was on the international stage. “As an opera singer you have to be able to travel if you want to earn a consistent income.” So when the world closed down and borders were shut, opportunities outside of New Zealand became impossible to accept.” The soprano says that her initial reaction was one of disappointment, “as I’d really grown to enjoy the regular opportunities to travel and

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Looking back at her time starting out as a performer, I ask what sort of thing a young singer should think about before committing to a career in opera? “Well first of all, opera is international, so you need to work on your languages in order to confidently work in Germany or France or Italy. You need to be globally minded as well as able to sing in multiple languages.” Secondly, take care of your instrument – and stay on top of your general wellbeing. “Your livelihood really depends on staying well,” says the soprano, “and drinking lots of water is just the start. I run every morning, which helps me mentally as well as ensuring I stay in shape and fit, so I can run around a stage every night without getting out of breath even when I’m in heavy costuming.” She adds that some roles require standing on a slope to perform, some- times for the duration of a full evening’s per- formance. “I train for that sort of role on a treadmill with the elevation up, then sing while I’m running,” she laughs. The seasoned professional also checks regu- larly if she’s low on iron and the like to ensure she’s never on the back foot when it’s time to take to the stage, a practice which I liken to being a professional athlete. “Well I guess so, but it’s the larynx that does the athleticism,” says Pearson with a smile, before sharing that a professional opera singer must also watch their eating habits, as the likes of eating late at night can bring on a sore throat in the morning thanks to gastric reflux. “It’s like carrying your instrument around with you all the time,” says the soprano, “you can’t leave it at home on the shelf and go to the pub!” On a more serious note, her last piece of advice to young players is perhaps the most valuable yet: “Don’t just be a singer, be a storyteller, too.” NZ OPERA’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Premieres Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch  SEE MORE

perform around the world. I found myself wandering around the house thinking: ‘wow, so this is my life now!” She says when the family first moved from Sydney to Wellington back in 2019, she was content in the fact that she could travel back home and catch up with family and friends whenever she wanted to, “but that clearly never came to fruition. My sister has got young children and we always hoped our kids would grow up seeing each other several times a year, but thankfully now the travel bubble is open we’ll finally be all together this Christmas”. She is also overjoyed for the opportunity to per- form again; and says the role of Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro is one she has always wanted to play. “Years ago I played the maid, Susanna in Figaro , who is constantly on the stage and is the biggest role in all of operatic repertoire. Now I’m lucky to have been given the role of the countess, who has less time on stage but substantial singing to do, and it’s a real honour to be able to inhabit the role.” Pearson says the role of the countess requires a heavier voice type, one which often matures with age. “The older you get your voice can change, and for women that means that it can go lower and as the muscles relax more, and you can sing longer phrases more easily.” She adds that some believe this happens after childbirth, “as your body changes and that includes your voice”. Pearson began her career singing what she de- scribes as “the fireworks roles”, with the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute a true highlight. “I had to sing stratospheric high notes for a while,” she says with a laugh, “and so now I’m enjoying the long, lyrical roles and looking at the likes of Puccini and truly grand opera roles.”

“IT’S LIKE CARRYING YOUR INSTRUMENT AROUND WITH YOU ALL THE TIME, YOU CAN’T LEAVE IT AT HOME ON THE SHELF &GO TO THE PUB!”

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WATCHING OUT ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

LUST,

HIGHLIGHTS

REVENGE, DECEPTION

...AND A WEDDING NZ OPERA

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO It’s amazing what you can pack into a day... Mozart and Da Ponte’s enduring comic opera recounts a single “day of madness”, and the hilariously farcical interactions between aristocrats and their servants. It premiered in 1786 – just three years before the French Revolution – and takes a sly dig at the established order, conveying multiple messages in keeping with Enlightenment ideas, particularly about the role of women in society. Auckland 8th–13th, Wellington 23rd–27th, Christchurch 8th–13th July  SEE MORE + read interview on page 34 CABARET SEASON 20+ festival shows of dazzle & decadence at The Civic music, theatre, cinema... striptease... on the main stage, and in hidden spaces and secret bars. Auckland, 19th June–4th July  SEE MORE

HEATH FRANKLIN’S CHOPPER – THE SILENCER TOUR Panic, terror, stupidity, crisis. Anti-vaxxers, lockdowns, Karens, cancel culture, Mr Potatohead – the outrage is deafening. Everyone is crazy, everyone has an opinion – and everyone is wrong. With all this noise and hysteria and angst, and the snowflakes and trolls, Chopper is here to machete a way through the jungle of bulls**t. Nationwide from 17th  SEE MORE  THE LION KING Disney’s stage spectacular – the most successful musical in theatrical history – with a score featuring music by Elton John and Tim Rice. NZ premiere, Auckland 24th June–18th July  TEEKS – SOMETHING TO FEEL, ALBUM TOUR Kiwi soul singer sensation celebrates the release of his debut album with a six centre national tour – limited tickets 4th–19th  BACH MUSICA – MOZART REQUIEM & GRIEG PIANO CONCERTO New Zealand’s only professional orchestra with resident choir, featuring vocal soloists and solo pianist, Auckland 13th  KIA MAU FESTIVAL Ma¯ori, Pasifika & Indigenous live performance from music and dance, to theatre and spoken word – Wellington 4th – 19th

The Lion King from 24th

TEEKS Something To Feel Album Tour 4th–19th

Bach Musica Mozart Requiem and Grieg Piano Concerto13th

Cabaret Season from 19th

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