2026 NZ INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL GOES TO THE MOVIES!

The Weed Eaters in 4D - Exclusive Screening
24 April, The Hollywood, Avondale (AKL)
Stories About My Body - Mother’s Day World Premiere
10 May, The Hollywood (AKL); 16 May, Penthouse (WGN); 17 May, Lumière Cinemas (CHCH).
Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke - Fred Award 20th Anniversary
24 May, The Capitol (AKL)

Things are about to get reel funny. For the first time, NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo is heading to the movies. On screen is the Mother’s Day world premiere of Morgana O’Reilly’s acclaimed solo show turned film Stories About My Body, an exclusive 4D screening of new Kiwi horror-comedy The Weed Eaters, and a special encore of Lorin Clarke’s documentary Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Fred Award.

Stories About My Body is a fearless, funny, and unexpectedly tender 70-minute feature, lovingly transformed by Morgana O’Reilly (Mean Mums, The White Lotus) and husband Peter Salmon from the O’Reilly’s sell-out solo show of the same name, in which she turns her own body into a map of memory, mischief and motherhood. Watch the trailer here. 
 
O’Reilly says: “I am beyond thrilled to have Stories About My Body make its world premiere at the NZ International Comedy Festival! This film wouldn’t have been possible without the wholehearted love and belly-laughs of the many live audiences who came out and supported it! The film is a collision of my love of theatre and screen and the Comedy Festival is so badass for programming it!”

NZ International Comedy Festival also presents an exclusive 4D screening of The Weed Eaters ahead of its 30 April nationwide release, with cast and crew bringing the sounds, smells and screams of the hotly anticipated horror-comedy to The Hollywood. The Weed Eaters follows four millennial slackers on a secluded New Year’s getaway who stumble across their reclusive host's long-forgotten stash of ancient cannabis. A sudden swerve into accidental cannibalism puts their friendships, survival skills and dietary preferences to the test.

Winner of Best Feature Film at SXSW Sydney, it’s the wickedly funny brainchild of festival alumni Alice May Connolly and Finnius Teppett (Alice May Connolly’s Box, 2025), and fellow filmmakers Annabel Kean and Callum Devlin. The cast also includes NZICF 2026 comedians David Correos (Touching My Active Mind) and Rhiannon McCall (Nosferatu Looking for Love).
 
“We always had a sneaking suspicion movies could be funny… now we finally have proof,” say Teppett and Connolly. “Live performance has always lorded it over cinema with their fancy ‘three dimensions’, but thanks to the introduction of these sensory-overloading 4D screenings, movies are finally fighting back.”

2026 is the 20th anniversary of the NZ Comedy Trust’s Fred Award, which goes to the best NZ show in the annual Comedy Festival. The occasion is being celebrated with a special encore of Lorin Clarke’s award-winning film about her dad, John Clarke, and his much loved creation, Fred Dagg.

The Capitol Cinema hosts the matinee screening of Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke on Sunday, May 24, ahead of this year’s Last Laughs Awards Gala (hosted by former Fred Award-winner Guy Montgomery). Come early for a special introduction and pre-roll montage of past Fred winners like Rhys Darby, Dai Henwood and Rose Matafeo!

“Bringing films to the festival is all part of the NZ Comedy Trust’s mission to champion the craft of comedy, in all its forms, so that everyone can share a laugh,” says NZ Comedy Trust interim director, Gemma Gracewood. “This trio of movies is just the most recent proof of the mutually glorious relationship between stage and screen in creating great comedy. We’re grateful to all the cinemas and to distributors Maslow Entertainment and Rialto Distribution for getting on board — it’s a great way to expand our communities in all directions.”

Connolly and Teppett add: “Movies open up whole new ways of being funny, both in front of and behind the camera. By putting movies in the Comedy Festival you’re also spotlighting the comedic genius of the camera operators, editors, art directors, sound designers… and of course funniest of all, the executive producers.”

The 2026 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo runs from 1 – 24 May, check out the full programme now at www.comedyfestival.co.nz

The Weed Eaters in 4D: Exclusive Screening 
Friday 24 April, 8:00pm — The Hollywood, Avondale. Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau. Come early! Doors and DJ from 6:30pm. Ticket prices: $25, or $20 each for groups of four friends.
BOOK NOW.

Stories About My Body: World Premiere
Sunday 10 May, 5:00pm — The Hollywood, Avondale, Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau. Doors and entertainment from 4:00pm. BOOK NOW.
Saturday 16 May, 7:30pm — Penthouse Cinema, Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara. BOOK NOW.
Sunday 17 May, 7:00pm — Lumière Cinemas, Christchurch Ōtautahi. BOOK NOW.
Tickets for all screenings: Full $30, Concession $22, Groups 4+ $25.

Not Only Fred Dagg but Also John Clarke: Fred Award Anniversary Screening
Sunday 24 May, 1:00pm — The Capitol Cinema, Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau. Special intro.
Ticket prices: Full $15, Concession $12.
BOOK NOW.