Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal to headline New Zealand's first Indian film festival launch
Synopsis
New Zealand is getting its first-ever dedicated Indian film festival — and Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are flying in to launch it. TIFFNZ, founded by Petrina D'Rozario and set to debut in October 2026 across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, opens with a screening of the couple's acclaimed debut production Girls Will Be Girls on 2 June.
Key Takeaways
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal will headline the launch of TIFFNZ on 2 June .
The event will feature a special screening of their debut production, Girls Will Be Girls , directed by Shuchi Talati .
TIFFNZ is New Zealand's first dedicated Indian film festival , founded by Petrina D'Rozario .
The inaugural festival is set for October 2026 , spanning Auckland , Wellington , and Christchurch .
The festival is expected to showcase around 30 films across feature and short formats.
Bollywood actor-producer duo Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal will attend the official launch of The Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ) on 2 June, marking a significant moment for Indian cinema's reach into the Pacific. The couple will headline the event, which doubles as a special screening of their debut production, the internationally acclaimed film Girls Will Be Girls.
What the Couple Said
In a joint statement, Chadha and Fazal expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. 'We're very happy to be part of the launch of TIFFNZ. Film festivals play an important role in building dialogue and creating space for diverse stories,' they said. They added that 'the idea of bringing Indian cinema to New Zealand in a structured, celebratory way feels both timely and meaningful,' and that they look forward to 'engaging with audiences there.'
About Girls Will Be Girls
Girls Will Be Girls is a coming-of-age drama written and directed by Shuchi Talati, starring Preeti Panigrahi, Kani Kusruti, and Kesav Binoy Kiron. Set in a boarding school in the Himalayan foothills, the film follows teenager Mira's romance with a new student, her sexual awakening, and her at times strained bond with her protective mother. The film earned considerable international recognition before its selection as the centrepiece of the TIFFNZ launch.
About TIFFNZ
Founded by Petrina D'Rozario, TIFFNZ is set to debut in October 2026 as New Zealand's first dedicated Indian film festival. The inaugural edition is envisioned as a four-day celebration spanning Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, featuring screenings, workshops, cultural events, and industry conversations. According to the organisers, the festival is expected to showcase around 30 films across feature and short formats.
Broader Significance
TIFFNZ aims to celebrate Indian cinema while forging stronger creative ties between India and New Zealand, and to amplify South Asian voices in Aotearoa. This comes amid a growing global appetite for Indian content, with diaspora communities in the Pacific increasingly seeking curated cultural platforms. Notably, the festival's launch event on 2 June precedes the full festival by several months, suggesting an early push to build audience anticipation and industry partnerships. The full programme for October 2026 is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Point of View
Not just a film event. For years, Indian diaspora audiences in New Zealand have lacked a curated, dedicated platform — consuming Indian content through streaming rather than communal, festival-style engagement. The choice of Girls Will Be Girls as the launch film is also telling: it is not a mainstream Bollywood blockbuster but an internationally awarded indie, signalling that TIFFNZ intends to represent the full spectrum of Indian cinema rather than its commercial centre. Whether the festival can sustain that curatorial ambition beyond its inaugural edition — and build genuine industry bridges rather than a one-off diaspora event — will be the real test.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TIFFNZ and when does it launch?
TIFFNZ, or The Indian Film Festival of New Zealand, is New Zealand's first dedicated Indian film festival, founded by Petrina D'Rozario. Its official launch event takes place on 2 June, with the inaugural full festival scheduled for October 2026 across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
Why are Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal attending the TIFFNZ launch?
The couple will headline the launch event as actor-producers behind Girls Will Be Girls, the film selected for the launch screening. They have also expressed personal support for the festival's mission of building dialogue and creating space for diverse Indian stories internationally.
What is Girls Will Be Girls about?
Girls Will Be Girls is a coming-of-age drama directed by Shuchi Talati, set in a boarding school in the Himalayan foothills. It follows teenager Mira's romance, sexual awakening, and relationship with her protective mother, and stars Preeti Panigrahi, Kani Kusruti, and Kesav Binoy Kiron.
How many films will TIFFNZ screen in its inaugural edition?
According to organisers, the inaugural edition of TIFFNZ is expected to showcase around 30 films across feature and short formats, highlighting the diversity and global appeal of Indian cinema.
