← NZ A to ZSouth Island • OtagoUpdated 2025
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Boy (2010)
Taika Waititi's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy is one of the most beloved New Zealand films ever made. Set on the East Coast in 1984, it follows an 11-year-old Michael Jackson fan who idolises his absent father β only to discover the truth when he finally returns.
Boy became the highest-grossing New Zealand film at the domestic box office on its release, a record it held for years. Funny, warm, heartbreaking and deeply Kiwi, it captures small-town New Zealand life with extraordinary authenticity. Waititi went on to direct Thor: Ragnarok and win an Academy Award for Jojo Rabbit.
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Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Also directed by Taika Waititi, this adventure comedy follows a rebellious boy and his reluctant foster uncle who become the subjects of a nationwide manhunt after going missing in the New Zealand bush. Starring Sam Neill and Julian Dennison, it is one of the funniest and most charming films New Zealand has produced.
It broke New Zealand box office records on its release and was praised internationally for its humour, heart and stunning use of the New Zealand bush as backdrop. It cemented Waititi's reputation as the most distinctive voice in New Zealand cinema.
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The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
Anthony Hopkins plays New Zealander Burt Munro in this crowd-pleasing true story of determination and ingenuity. Munro spent decades rebuilding a 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle in his Invercargill shed, and in 1967 took it to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to set a land speed world record that stands to this day.
The film is a love letter to the No. 8 wire Kiwi spirit β the idea that with enough persistence and resourcefulness, anything is possible. Hopkins' portrayal of the warm, eccentric Munro is one of his most beloved performances.
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Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Peter Jackson's psychological drama, based on the real 1954 Parker-Hulme murder case in Christchurch, marked the film debuts of both Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey. It follows two teenage girls whose intense friendship spirals toward violence, told with extraordinary visual imagination.
The film was shot entirely on location in Christchurch and launched the careers of two of the most acclaimed actresses of their generation. It demonstrated that Peter Jackson's talents extended far beyond the horror genre, and remains one of the most distinctive New Zealand films ever made.
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Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale (1986)
Based on Murray Ball's beloved comic strip β one of the most popular in New Zealand history β Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale brought the characters of Wal, Dog and the Raupo farming community to the big screen. It was a major domestic hit and remains a touchstone of New Zealand popular culture.
The film's music was written by Dave Dobbyn and the Herbs, and the soundtrack became one of the best-selling New Zealand albums of its era. For many New Zealanders of a certain age, Footrot Flats is the definitive expression of rural Kiwi life and humour.
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New Zealand Iconic Movies
From Once Were Warriors to The Lord of the Rings β the films that put New Zealand cinema on the world map.
New Zealand has produced films that stunned international audiences and redefined what a small nation's cinema can achieve. These are the movies every Kiwi knows β stories that come from this land and speak to the world.
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Once Were Warriors (1994)
Lee Tamahori's debut feature became the highest-grossing New Zealand film in history on its release, surpassing both The Piano and Jurassic Park in its home country. A raw, unflinching portrait of a contemporary MΔori family in urban Auckland, it announced New Zealand cinema to the world.
Starring Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison, the film confronts domestic violence, urban poverty and the loss of cultural identity with extraordinary power. It won numerous awards internationally and remains one of the most important New Zealand films ever made.
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Whale Rider (2002)
Niki Caro's adaptation of Witi Ihimaera's novel is one of the most loved New Zealand films of all time. Set in the East Coast MΔori community of Whangara, it tells the story of a young girl, Pai, who believes she is destined to be the next chief β against the wishes of her tradition-bound grandfather.
Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance, the youngest actress ever nominated in that category at the time. The film was a major international success and beautifully showcased MΔori culture, the New Zealand coast and the power of female determination.
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The Lord of the Rings (2001β2003)
Peter Jackson's epic trilogy transformed New Zealand's international profile overnight. Filmed almost entirely in New Zealand, the films showcased the country's extraordinary landscapes β from the Remarkables near Queenstown to the rolling hills of the Waikato β to audiences of hundreds of millions worldwide.
The films won 17 Academy Awards between them, with The Return of the King sweeping all 11 categories it was nominated for. New Zealand became "Middle-earth" in the global imagination, and the films launched a tourism boom that continues to this day.
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The Piano (1993)
Jane Campion's masterpiece was the first film directed by a woman to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Set in colonial New Zealand, it stars Holly Hunter as a mute Scottish woman who communicates through her piano after being sold into marriage. Anna Paquin won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at just 11 years old.
The film's haunting score by Michael Nyman and its extraordinary visual language β the wild West Coast beaches, the dark bush β created an unforgettable portrait of colonial New Zealand that resonated around the world.
