An Eye for NZIFF

What to watch during Welly’s upcoming New Zealand International Film Fest 

Go to nziff.co.nz and get your tickets!

I have been attending NZIFF since I moved to Pōneke, and every year it is an absolute treat. Last year, I was an usher. This let me sit in on movies on shift and get my greedy hands on some comp tickets. The best time of my life. I saw seventeen movies (!!!) at a fraction of the cost. This year, I’m slowing my roll a little with a forecast of 10 screenings. That’s not counting this film NZIFF was kind enough to let me recommend in advance. Spoiler alert: it's really worth the watch! There's plenty more mouthwatering movies on offer at NZIFF 2026—it can be a bit overwhelming, so I’ve also noted what I’m personally planning to see. I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing yourself a Student 5-Trip Pass for 85 bucks (it’ll save you a tenner). Go forth, and indulge in the most exciting cinema of the moment! 

Feel like talking movies? Let me know: subeditor@salient.org.nz

Hen (2025) — $19

dir. György Pálfi, Germany  & Hungary

“One Egg After Another” — Malikontas, Letterboxd

This was a surprising film which I enjoyed far more than I expected to. I went in expecting this to be pretty bleak—following a hen who makes it out of the meatworks and into the big bad world. In the first 15 minutes alone, this poor hen is threatened by man, then fox, then vehicle. Yes, the chicken did safely make it across the road. However, our girl’s smarter than most, and has a will that just won’t quit. This was a really heartwarming watch and by the end I was truly emotionally connected to this chook.

Our hen-oine quickly finds herself walking through a farmers market, then in the midst of a protest. She hitches a ride on a truck filled with grain, of all things—likely the first good thing that’s happened to this little chook her whole life. Eventually, a naughty dog named Titan snatches our little hen and carries her off to what will become her home for the film's duration—an out-of-business restaurant in the Greek hillside. Here, she finds herself tangled up with some criminals who exclusively dress in really atrocious sets of tracksuits.

Despite the ongoing struggles this girl faces, the film has its share of comedic moments. At one point, there’s a dramatic musical introduction to the boss of the coop, the alpha rooster, the top cock—a fun element reminiscent of old westerns. Later, a romantic ballad is played when a new prospective rooster enters the villa. As a fun easter egg (or chicken egg?) we get a close up on Hen’s quizzical eyes as she watches a dinosaur documentary on the television—a cheeky nod to her ancestors.

Hen maintains a sense of eerie tension, created without the use of dramatic music or dialogue. The score is really lovely, ranging from upbeat jaunt to ominous trumpet. The music is appealing in its simplicity; emotion is evoked without dramatic crescendo or complex arrangement. 

Even more emotion is conveyed by our hen using only editing and camera work—no directed acting, no influential music, no movie magic. Just a talented cast of eight (!!!) chickens taking turns at portraying our lead chook—Eszti, Szandi, Feri, Enci, Eti, Enikő, Nóra, and Anett.

The POV shots alone—offering viewers a moment behind Hen’s eyes—establish a deep chicken-viewer connection. We get a low-to-ground perspective of the beginnings of a hookup, various illegal activities, and children's television programming.

This film made me see eggs in a whole new light, and I never even liked them to begin with. A bacon omelette frying in the pan has never been so heartbreaking. 

Despite its criminal undertones and animal mistreatment, Hen is a heartwarming story that highlights the inherent nature of life. Whether chicken or fox or dog or human, we’re all just trying to make our way. Following our girl as she seeks out the various chicken-sized gaps in the world is a real privilege, and I can’t recommend this film enough.

Hen opens with long sequences detailing the mistreatment of chickens, and this content is peppered throughout, so do be wary if you find this particularly difficult. There’s also a bit of murder… be warned.

If you enjoy the sound of Hen, you might also like Eo, a Polish & Italian film which was screened at NZIFF in 2023. It's a similar animal-centric story following a lonely donkey as he wanders his way towards survival. This is available to watch on Arovision (you knew I couldn't get through an article without bringing it back to them).

Here are the other NZIFF flicks I’ll be catching, if you feel like comparing notes:

Big Girls Don't Cry by Paloma Schneideman / NZ

Blue Heron by Sophy Romvari / Canada  & Hungary

Coward by Lukas Dhont / Belgium  &  France  & Netherlands

Crocodile by Pietra Brettkelly & The Critics / NZ & Nigeria

Everybody Digs Bill Evans by Grant Gee / Ireland

Fjord by Cristian Mungiu / Norway

Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale by Murray Ball / NZ & Australia

I Want Your Sex by Gregg Araki / USA

La Gradiva by Marine Atlan / Italy & France

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma by Jane Schoenbrun / USA