Antarctic Film Festival: An Unforgettable Evening Of Storytelling From The Coldest Place On Earth
The event features a curated mix of short films, from humorous clips to awe-inspiring documentaries, that explore Antarctica's stark beauty, the realities of climate change, and entries from Winter International Film Festival of Antarctica's 48-Hour Challenge, which is an annual showcase of ingenuity, creativity and resilience from Antarctic research station residents who live and work on the Ice summer and/or winter.
'We are passionate about Antarctica and its community, and we love sharing this passion with others,' says Hubertien Wichers, President of the New Zealand Antarctic Society. 'At each screening, a local Antarctican will offer personal stories and reflections from their time on the Ice, stories you won't hear anywhere else.'
Guest speakers, event details and booking links:
Hokitika (Saturday 21 June) 7pm – Hokitika Regent Theatre, with Bob McKerrow who overwintered at Vanda Station, the outpost of Scott Base in 1970. Bob's stories are fun and interesting. Antarctic Film Festival | Hokitika's Regent Theatre
Motueka (Monday 23 June) 6:30pm – Motueka Library, with Oliver Sutherland who recounts his 1962/63 summer at Cape Royds, where he studied wildlife while living as the last resident of Shackleton's historic hut. Antarctic Film Festival - Motueka - New Zealand Antarctic Society
Nelson (Tuesday 24 June) 6:30pm – NMIT, 322 Hardy Street, with Gillian Wratt, former CEO of Antarctica New Zealand and Chair of COMNAP, who brings deep insight into Antarctic leadership and science in a presentation not to be missed. Antarctic Film Festival - Nelson - New Zealand Antarctic Society
Blenheim (Wednesday 25 June) 6:30pm – NMIT, 85 Budge Street, with Jan Clayton-Greene who reflects on changes in equipment, environments and attitudes towards women, between her 1980s scientific expeditions and her later work on tourist vessels. Antarctic Film Festival - Blenheim - New Zealand Antarctic Society
Kaikoura (Thursday 26 June) 6:30pm – The Mayfair, 80 Esplanade, with Nicky McArthur recounts her fun times and awesome experiences as a student on the ice. Antarctic Film Festival - Kaikoura - New Zealand Antarctic Society
Christchurch (Tuesday 1 July) 6:30pm – Turanga, Central Library, with Matty Jordan, a wintered Antarctican, social media personality and co-host of Everything Antarctica. Antarctic Film Festival - Christchurch - New Zealand Antarctic Society
This is a unique opportunity to experience Antarctica through the lens of those who have lived and worked there. Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of exploration, humour, science, and survival.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Antarctic showcased
A curious seal comes up for air at a research point featured in the NZAS Antarctic Film Festival, coming to Balclutha next week. PHOTO: SUPPLIED The latest antarctic adventures can be experienced in comfort at the New Zealand Antarctic Society (NZAS) Film Festival in Balclutha for one night only. From 6.30pm on Tuesday, August 19, Clutha District War Memorial and Community Centre's Riviera Cinema will host a series of short films showcasing the beauty, science, and charm of life on the ice, curated by award-winning film-maker Anthony Powell. The 110-minute programme will blend documentaries with inventive short films from the Antarctica 48-Hour Film Challenge, and will also feature a spoken presentation by Max Quinn on his Emperor Penguin expedition. Doors open at 6pm; bookings and more information can be found at their website.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Chill out with night of Antarctic films
Walter the Weddell seal is featured in documentary footage by Vanessa Wells, on show as part of the Antarctic Film Festival, in Gore, next week. Photo: Vanessa Wells For those with curiosity or keen interest in the coldest place on earth, a curated selection of short films showcasing Antarctica is playing next week at the Gore RSA. On Wednesday, August 20, the New Zealand Antarctic Society will be showing a series of short films from the heart of the South Pole. Alongside the selection will be a presentation exploring 20 facets of the Ice in 20 minutes. The programme is part of the Antarctic Film Festival's tour of the South Island and features documentary footage chosen by award-winning film-maker Anthony Powell. Taranaki-born Mr Powell's 2013 film Antarctica: A Year on Ice has won many accolades and he has spent more than 10 winters on the Ice. His footage has been featured in films, television shows and exhibitions, including National Geographic, the Discovery Channel and award-winning BBC series Frozen Planet. The films chosen revealed the continent's stark beauty, unforgiving conditions, climate change and penguin antics, according to a press release. The showcase also features "inventive and funny" entries from the Winter International Film Festival of Antarctica's 48-Hour Challenge. The challenge is billed as an annual showcase of creativity and resilience from those who winter over on the Ice, the release said. Antarctic society president Hubertien Wichers said the array of films was about bringing Antarctica to the people of New Zealand through science, art, humour and personal connection. So far, the tour had been successful in inspiring audiences and connecting people through Antarctica. For example, scouts who went to the frozen continent in the early 1960s had been connected with the current generation of scouts who were doing their Antarctic badges now, she said. It was also hoped the touring festival would raise awareness of the role Antarctica plays in the earth's climate. "Antarctica tells us about the history of the planet, the changes that are going on and what the future may hold for us and the next generations," she said. The films start at 6.30pm. Doors open at 6pm. — Allied Media
Scoop
11-08-2025
- Scoop
Callout For Kiwis To Join Expedition Aboard Historic Tall Ship
Press Release – Antarctic Heritage Trust This is a rare opportunity to step into the world of heroic-era exploration and the first time weve taken a group of young explorers on this historic tall ship, says Antarctic Heritage Trusts Executive Director Francesca Eathorne. A group of young New Zealanders will have the chance of a lifetime to sail a century-old tall ship to the Antarctic Peninsula. Applications have opened this week as part of the Antarctic Heritage Trust's next Inspiring Explorers Expedition™. The ship will set sail in January 2026 from Ushuaia, Argentina with a team of 18 to 30-year-old New Zealanders joining the crew of Bark EUROPA, a three-masted Dutch tall ship built in 1911, for a month-long journey to the Antarctic Peninsula. The expedition is no luxury cruise. Bark EUROPA operates as a sail training vessel which means chosen participants will get an insight into the heroic-era experience as they crew the ship, take the helm, set sails, and stand watch while crossing the notoriously rough Drake Passage and navigating the icy waters of Antarctica. Once there, they'll explore glaciers, icebergs, wildlife-rich coastlines, and heritage sites, while reflecting on the legacy of early explorers like Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton. 'This is a rare opportunity to step into the world of heroic-era exploration and the first time we've taken a group of young explorers on this historic tall ship,' says Antarctic Heritage Trust's Executive Director Francesca Eathorne. 'We're looking for people who want to challenge themselves and develop their 'Explorer Mindset' – leaning into developing qualities such as teamwork, curiosity, resilience, leadership and innovation. This expedition is an opportunity to embrace the same spirit of exploration that defined the early Antarctic explorers.' Scott and Shackleton's ships were central to the heroic era of Antarctic exploration. 'They weren't just transport, they were the lifeline of the expedition, carrying men, dogs, ponies, even a cat, and serving as the place where the explorers began to develop the resilience and teamwork they'd need to thrive on the ice,' Eathorne says. The Antarctic Peninsula is home to seals, whales and large penguin colonies. Landings and zodiac trips will take the group ashore for hikes and close-up encounters with the region's wildlife and landscapes, and conditions permitting, visits to heritage sites cared for by the Trust's sister organisation UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Wildlife conservationist, artist, and Inspiring Explorer alumnus Charlie Thomas encourages people to apply. 'When I applied for the Inspiring ExplorersTM programme, I had no idea how much it would change me. My expedition to South Georgia in 2023 pushed me out of my comfort zone in ways I couldn't imagine, and that's the point.' Thomas is sharing his experience through his art which is featured in the exhibition Into Ocean and Ice at the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland until 31 August. 'This exhibition is a way to connect others with Antarctica's history and why it matters. That's what the Inspiring Explorers™ programme is about: taking what you've learned in one of the most remote places on Earth and using it to inspire people back home,' Thomas says. The expedition will take place from 10 January to 10 February 2026 and includes pre-departure training in Christchurch and a post-expedition outreach project. No previous sailing experience is necessary, although there are requirements around physical fitness. The professional crew will teach participants how to sail and operate the ship. Applicants are encouraged to bring their own creative ideas for sharing the experience through writing, art, music, video, or other mediums as part of an outreach programme when they return home.
