Paekakariki Film Festival presents feel good films to warm you up for winter

Paekakariki Film Festival committee from left, Graeme Browne, Andrew Armitage and Dominique Joslen.

Feel good films to warm you up for winter and chase away the Covid blues is the theme for this year's Paekakariki Film Festival.

After getting the film reels turning last year, testing the waters, festival organiser Graeme Browne said their second festival this year is much bigger and all about feeling good.

"We were testing the waters last year, creating the festival for the first time," Graeme said.

"This year the films have been collated by Andrew Armitage from Aro Video in Wellington."

Now a local after recently moving to the village, Andrew is a film guru and legend in Wellington, having run Aro Video for more than 30 years.

The Paekakariki Film Festival starts this weekend.

"No one knows movies in Wellington better than Andrew, having run this amazing museum of films for years.

"He moved to the village and I asked him if he would design us a festival as he's done it before in Wellington.

"He was keen and has really enjoyed helping us out by curating this year's festival."

But the festival is not only for movie lovers.

Along with their specially curated selection of feel good films, chosen to relate specifically to the Paekākāriki community, and strong community vibes with their ever popular snack counter selling home baking and other treats, all funds raised from the festival are also going back into the community.

The Paekakariki Film Club is under the umbrella of the Paekakariki Community Trust who own St Peter's Hall which has recently been hit with big renovation costs.

"The renovation costs are vital with the main cost being for the lovely new wooden floor of recycled, polished, oiled matai wood.

"This was a necessary renovation and we had help from a lotteries grant to do it, but a lot of other repairs from borer and rot were discovered, pushing up the cost.

"This has proved very expensive, so the funds from the festival are being used to support our beautiful community-owned hall.

"It's not just about the renovations though, it's a lovely community event."

Starting a music film club a number of years ago which gained great attendance, before starting the Paekakariki Film Club last year, the festival has grown from a number different film ventures Graeme has had within the community.

This year's festival is being put on by the Paekakariki Film Club, with festival committee Graeme, Andrew and Dominique Joslen spearheading the festival.

Films will be shown on Sunday evenings from July 26 to September 13, 5.30pm at St Peter's Hall.

"Because the hall is such a nationally popular venue, we can't do it every night like bigger festivals so we are holding films every Sunday evening.

"It feels like a cinema, we have a really good sound system [improved from last year] and are showing ones relevant to our community."

Plans to get quest speakers including the director of New Zealand film Soldiers Without Guns for the showing on August 23 are in the works to add depth and interest to the festival.

"We will have more than just movies."

For more information visit www.paekakariki.nz/event/paekakariki-film-festival, tickets are $10 at the door or subscribe to the film club for $50 to see as many films as you want.