Spare Room Be our guest…

Our picks this month from NZ On Screen – New Zealand’s online showcase of TV, film and music video, including Reluctant Hero, a behind the scenes documentary about war hero Corporal Bill “Willie” Apiata VC. There’s also footage from This is New Zealand — NZ’s promotional effort at the 1970 expo — and a 1971 National Film Unit documentary called Dustie, which looks at a day in the life of Wellington refuse collectors. Check them out below…

Boy, directed by Taika Waititi, starring James Rolleston, Taika Waititi

Taika Waititi’s new film Boy is a sweet, mostly lighthearted story of child neglect, seen through the rose tinted lenses of childhood, where fantasy and youthful imagination can make even the worst upbringing bearable…

Peter Jackson has chosen the film Working Day – by Andres Borghi from Argentina – as winner of Tourism New Zealand’s ‘Your Big Break’ short film competition, to create a short about “Earth’s youngest country” and capture the “spirit of New Zealand”. See this clip and all the other finalists below. Which is your favourite?

Working Day – Andres Borghi, Argentina

More after the jump…

Still Bill, screening one night only in both Auckland and Wellington

Prepare to get on up and get down with your bad self this February. Not only is the first NZ Soul Alldayer on in Auckland, there are screenings of a great new Bill Withers documentary called Still Bill scheduled for both Wellington and Auckland…