Editor

The New Zealand Film Festival Trust Board announced today that, after an extensive international recruitment procedure, Marten Rabarts, current head of Eye International at the Eye Filmmuseum in The Netherlands, has been appointed as the new Film Festival Director – Kaiurungi, from October 2019.

Catherine Fitzgerald, NZFFT Chairperson: “As so many have noted, Bill Gosden left unique and large shoes to fill on his recent retirement after 40 years. From a richly skilled and talented field of applicants, it was such a pleasure to find Marten wished to return to New Zealand and take up the challenge to be the Film Festival Director – Kaiurungi. He brings a wealth of international experience in many aspects of film culture but has always remained firmly connected to his homeland. The board of the NZ Film Festival Trust were particularly impressed with his passion for creating international opportunities for homegrown talent and amplifying unique voices in cinema, across all his work in sales, production, development and promotion” says.

Marten Rabarts, incoming Film Festival Director – Kaiurungi: “Being entrusted with the stewardship and a key role in shaping the future of one of New Zealand’s most significant cultural events is a challenge and honour that draws me back to Aotearoa with excitement and an enthusiasm I trust will match the energy and passion of the NZIFF team who, with Bill Gosden at the helm, have built this world class celebration of cinema, stories and ideas. A film festival can’t pretend to offer easy answers in our turbulent times, but I look forward to presenting films and unique cinema voices from our own Pacific region and around the world that pose the most urgent and artistically intriguing questions of our times, just as NZIFF has done for the past 50 years.” says

Sandra den Hamer, Director of the Eye Film Museum: “The New Zealand International Film Festival has made a brilliant decision in appointing Marten Rabarts as Festival Director. But it will be difficult to see Marten leave the Eye family, and the Dutch film industry where he has spent more than 20 years as a key member of our community”
Marten will attend NZIFF in July-August 2019 and will later commence his position with the organisation in October 2019.

About Marten Rabarts
Born in New Zealand, Marten moved overseas at the age of 16 to pursue a career in theatre and contemporary dance, transitioning into film in New York in the mid 80s. as Artistic Director of the Binger FilmLab (2000-2012) he developed talent and films by international and Dutch filmmakers, including from New Zealand’s, Maori Boy Genius, The Strength Of Water and Stray; Jennifer Kent’s Australian horror hit The Babadook as well as Sundance 2017 Audience Award winner I Dream In Another Language from Mexico and 2018 Berlin Golden Bear winner Touch Me Not by Romanian auteur Adina Pintilie. A more recent role has been as Head of Training and Development at the NFDC, the national film fund of India from 2012-2015. Marten currently heads Eye International in Amsterdam, where he has been responsible for the promotion of Dutch Film and Film culture worldwide since 2015, and also serves as a Board Member of EFP – European Film Promotion.