The 12th Aussie & Kiwi Film Fest brings the best of Down Under to Prague

The Aussie & Kiwi Film Fest in Prague is special in two aspects: it is organised entirely by volunteers, and a short film precedes each screening. This year’s edition will run from November 14 to 21. What not to miss? 

Bringing the best of Australian and New Zealand cinema to Czech audiences is the passion of Martina Vacková, who founded the festival.

“It started 12 years ago. About 15 years ago, I came back to the Czech Republic after having lived in Australia for eight years. I studied film at university here in Prague, and I was a film professional. I wanted to keep a bridge between Australia and the Czech Republic, and so I decided to do it through film. I had some friends who spent time in Australia or New Zealand, too, and loved the two countries, so we decided to create the festival. The first year we screened only three movies, but it was very successful with the public, and that motivated us to continue.”

From just three films in its first edition, the festival has since grown significantly. This year’s programme offers a truly wide range of films. I asked Martina Vacková how she finds and selects the films.

“I have several ways. I attend international film festivals like Berlinale, Cannes, or Karlovy Vary and I look for Australian or New Zealand films there. There’s also a big film market in Cannes and Berlin where there are professionals from the Australian and New Zealand film industries. I’m in regular contact with them, so they often tell me about new films from their country.”

The films she selects are not only from Australia and New Zealand but also include Australian productions from across the Pacific Islands. Vacková aims to showcase not just the region’s stunning natural beauty but also everyday life, which is to her “very similar to the Czech lifestyle.

One of the highlights of this year’s programme is a film called Lesbian Space Princess (Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, 2025), which won the Teddy Award at this year’s Berlinale. I asked Vacková to tell me more about it.

“It’s very funny! When I was in Berlin and saw it in the official program, I was very curious. It’s an animated film. Last year, we screened the animated Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot, 2024), which was Australia’s submission to the Oscars. So I think there’s a strong animation ‘school’ in Australia. This film is very special — not just the animation but also the story.

“When I first saw it, I have to say I didn’t understand everything, but the whole cinema was laughing! There was an Australian girl sitting next to me, laughing the entire time. But even in Karlovy Vary the whole cinema was laughing.  So I’m really curious to see how our festival audience will react to this very special film.”

The festival, of course, does not include only comedies. Vacková also recommends a more serious film from New Zealand titled Struggle Without End (Michael Jonathan, 2024), which is a historical drama set in 1864 against the backdrop of the New Zealand Wars between the colonial government and Māori.

“What’s interesting about this movie is that it’s a historical film about the conflicts involving the white settlers who came to New Zealand — but it’s not just that. It actually focuses more on the fights among Māori people themselves. It offers a very unusual perspective.”