Solar, wind-powered cinema features at festival

MEDIA RELEASE
27 January 2004

Solar, wind-powered cinema features at major cultural festival

A special attraction at this year’s Auckland International Cultural Festival, on Sunday 29 February, will be a solar and wind powered cinema built inside a small geodesic dome .

Run by Greenpeace, the cinema seats 25 people and will screen a selection of short films about the effects of climate change.

The festival attracts about 20,000 people to Potters Park in Mt Eden each year. It is organised by Auckland City in association with the Refugee and Migrant Resettlement agency (RMS). It will be held from 10am to 5pm.

"The festival is a huge opportunity for new migrants to display with pride the richness and cultural variety they bring to the city. Aucklanders should be proud to embrace, host and support events like this,” says Councillor Scott Milne.

Hundreds of performers, including French, Burmese, Middle Eastern, Welsh, Thai, Assyrian, Kurdish and Ethiopian, will take the stage at the festival.

Another major drawcard will be the festival’s multitude of arts, crafts and traditional food stalls. Festival goers can savour the wonderful variety of cuisine on offer, have their hair braided African style and try drums or other ethnic instruments.

Several popular MCs from previous festivals – stand-up comedians Pio Terei and Tarun Mohanbhai and ex-True Bliss singer Jo Cotton - will be back this year to host the two stages. There will also be a few special guests to help front the programme who will be announced closer to the time.

Councillor Milne says: "I'm astounded at how many Auckland City policies mention our need to celebrate and recognise diversity. This event is the living, breathing manifestation of those policies.

“It's about traditional Aucklanders being exposed to new sights, smells and tastes, while migrants and new Aucklanders are welcomed by a vibrant and maturing world class city.”

The festival will be officially opened by Councillor Graeme Mulholland, Chairperson of the Communities Services Committee.

The Auckland International Cultural Festival is proudly sponsored by New Zealand Post and Western Union, Wyatt & Wilson Print and 91.8 MoreFM.

Cancellations: NewstalkZB or call the automated event info line 09 379 1352

Ends

© Scoop Media