Richa Chadha And Ali Fazal to launch New Zealand’s first Indian Film Festival; Girls Will Be Girls screening planned for June 2

Actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal will be at the official start of New Zealand’s first-ever Indian film festival, called The Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ), on June 2, 2026. The event will also include a special showing of *Girls Will Be Girls*, the first movie the actor-producer pair made together. This film has already been shown at several big international film festivals, like Sundance and the Independent Spirit Awards.

TIFFNZ is set to begin in October 2026 and will be the first Indian film festival focused solely on Indian cinema in New Zealand.

 The festival was started by Petrina D’Rozario and aims to celebrate Indian films and promote more creative and cultural work between India and New Zealand.

The launch of TIFFNZ will be a big deal for Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, as they have been growing their careers beyond acting into film production.

 They have worked on projects that mix popular appeal with unique storytelling and support films that have a global audience.

In a joint statement, Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal said, “We’re really happy to be part of TIFFNZ’s launch.

 Film festivals help build conversations and give space for different stories. It feels great to bring Indian cinema to New Zealand in a special and celebratory way. We’re excited to support this new chapter and connect with audiences there.”

The TIFFNZ festival is planned as a four-day event in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

 In addition to showing films, the festival will have workshops, cultural events, and discussions to bring filmmakers, audiences, and industry people from both countries together.

The organizers say the first edition of TIFFNZ will include almost 30 films, both long and short.

 The selection will show the variety of Indian cinema and also give more attention to South Asian voices in New Zealand.

*Girls Will Be Girls* remains an important part of Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s work as producers.

 The movie got a lot of attention at international film festivals for its coming-of-age story and has helped the couple gain recognition on a global stage.

As TIFFNZ gets ready for its first event later this year, the launch event with Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal is expected to start a new cultural and cinematic connection between Indian and New Zealand film industries.