For decades, the Wellington Film Society has hosted a quiz as part of the Wellington and, more recently, the New Zealand International Film Festival, Whānau Mārama. In 2024, the tradition continued, with the event once again taking place at the fantastic Welsh Dragon Bar, conveniently located across the road from the Embassy Theatre.
This year’s quiz was expertly hosted by stalwart committee members and quizmasters Miles Buckingham and Russ Kale. The event saw 12 teams put their cinematic recall to the test. The range of results was impressive, with some outstanding scores by the end of the afternoon. Congratulations to the winning team, Silent Quizzing, who’ve been regulars at film quizzes. Second place went to The Feeling Lucky Punks, and Club Chalamet came third.
A highlight for the organisers was the enthusiastic team, Hannah and her Sisters, who had been stood up by the cinephile friend that entered them and earned a spot prize for their spirited participation. They even wound up with a score in the double digits – not bad for “regular guys”, as they put it! This year’s quiz featured classic rounds, such as identifying movies from sound bites, and introduced a new challenge inspired by the New York Times’ “Connections” puzzle. Teams were presented with descriptions of various movies and had to identify the common “connection.”
For example:
- Arsenic and Old Lace
- Silver Linings Playbook
- The Neon Demon
- Goldfinger
The connection? All titles begin with names of chemical elements.
Or:
- Final Destination 5
- Man on Wire
- Home Alone
- A Quiet Place
The connection here? Each film features a memorable scene where a character steps on a nail.
If these kinds of challenges excite you, keep an eye out for next year’s event and be sure to sign up early.
Contenders walked away with a variety of prizes, including WFS Three Film sampler passes, free tickets to Film Festival movies, beer from Behemoth, wine from Spy Valley, and Whānau Mārama t-shirts and totes. Thanks to Matt Bloomfield and the NZIFF team for their assistance with the prizes, and a special thanks to the management of the Welsh Dragon Bar. As always, The Welsh Dragon was a wonderful venue where participants enjoyed a communal yet intimate atmosphere.