Over the weekend of 5–7 June 2026, we put on a one-off event for members to celebrate a major milestone: the Wellington Film Society’s 80th Anniversary Film Festival. The grey weather made it the perfect time to hide away inside the Embassy Theatre for a weekend. We held eight screenings, with a total attendance of 2,937 across them all. We also raised $6,500 for DCM which made it particularly meaningful.
Putting on this special event for our members, at no extra charge, meant a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and we owe a huge thank you to our team of volunteers for the organisation and delivery of the event!
We also want to thank our members – especially those that have been with us over the decades! Your passion for film is the exact reason the Wellington Film Society has thrived for 80 years. Seeing so many familiar faces—and plenty of new ones—filling the theatre seats was incredibly moving for all of us on the committee.
The Festival at a Glance
Because of the fast-paced, back-to-back schedule of a weekend festival, we didn’t run our usual formal film ratings on our website but we hope the diverse programme offered something for everyone.
We played eight films, one per decade from the 1940s onward:
- 1940s – Alfred Hitchcock’s spycraft thriller, Notorious.
- 1950s – Douglas Sirk’s classic melodrama, Imitation of Life.
- 1960s – Fellini’s exploration of the artist, 8 ½.
- 1970s – Chantal Akerman’s groundbreaking (and bladder-busting) 3 hour and 20 minute meditation on the life of a Belgian widow, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles.
- 1980s – Tsui Hark’s hilarious and action-packed farce Peking Opera Blues.
- 1990s – Paul Thomas Anderson’s hilarious and tragic Boogie Nights.
- 2000s – Wes Anderson’s stop-motion delight, Fantastic Mr Fox.
- 2010s – Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s Polish mermaid musical horror, The Lure.
One of the real joys of the weekend was Sunday morning’s screening of Fantastic Mr Fox. We opened bookings to families and the general public, and seeing a younger generation experiencing a movie together in the Embassy was a true highlight. It is absolutely a format we hope to repeat in the future.
Giving Back to Wellington
Our 80th birthday was also a chance to support the Wellington community that has been our home for eight decades. Throughout the festival, we ran a fundraising campaign for the Downtown Community Ministry (DCM).
We are proud that our community gave generously and we raised a grand total of $6,501.90!
The team at DCM passed along a beautiful thank-you card expressing their gratitude. These funds will go directly toward supporting their vital work with people in need across our city. Your donations will provide a range of essential services, including:
- Emergency food parcels, containing vital supplies for people who need them,
- A warm space for people to come for a cup of tea or coffee and connection,
- Counselling and harm reduction appointments and groups, supporting people to make meaningful change in their lives,
- Dental services to relieve acute pain, boost confidence and help people focus on the things that matter!
All of the services your donations make possible are designed to work together, providing a patchwork of support that supports people to move from rough sleeping or insecure housing to stable, secure housing.
Thanks again
The feedback we have received since the weekend has been heartwarming and helps make all the hours of volunteer effort worth it. Many of you shared how much you appreciated the variety of cinema on display. One member put it nicely, saying the festival “brought so much to Wellingtonians and united our little city.” Thank you for being part of our history, and here’s to many more years of sharing great films together!
Ngā manaakitanga – see you at the movies!