Antarctic Film Festival 2025

The New Zealand Antarctic Society has completed an exciting outreach journey across the South Island, taking the 2025 Antarctic Film Festival to more than 1,000 people at 22 venues, from small community halls to larger theatres. Led by Society President Hubertien Wichers and Canterbury branch chair Ken Livingston, the tour featured films curated Anthony Powell. The line-up included breathtaking Antarctic scenery, clear climate-change science and messaging, humorous shorts made by wintering staff, and the ever-popular close-up encounters with penguins. Planning for the North Island tour is underway for early 2026.

Each evening provided a powerful combination of a local speaker sharing their Antarctic story followed by the films. One of the highlights was former Antarctica New Zealand CEO Lou Sanson speaking in Wānaka. The audience was also introduced to the community of Antarctic organisations, including Gateway Antarctica, the Antarctic Heritage Trust, the International Antarctic Centre, and Antarctica New Zealand. Antarctica NZ also provided an Extreme Cold Weather gear outreach kit. Seeing young children disappear in the oversized kit added fun to the event for the kids and their parents.

The festival had a dual purpose: reconnecting the Society with communities while raising awareness about Antarctica’s importance in science and climate change. Hubertien emphasised that outreach is key to building momentum for real action. “It’s only by raising this awareness that New Zealanders will demand the reduction of our carbon footprint and smart adaptations to our changing environment, to create a better world for us and future generations. So long as seaside properties are expensive and we still build on floodplains, the climate change impact penny has not dropped.”