The Weed Eaters Dish Up Final Serving Of Q&A Hosts For Big Forking Tour

Apr 20, 2026

Fresh off the back of multiple sold-out screenings in both Wellington and Christchurch, the filmmaking team behind acclaimed local film The Weed Eaters is now chomping through the first South Island dates of The Big Forking Tour.

It’s been truly special for The Weed Eaters’ Callum Devlin (director/producer), Finnius Teppett (scriptwriter/producer), Samuel Austin (DoP/actor), Alice May Connolly and Annabel Kean (both actor-producers) to meet eager audiences across Aotearoa over the past weeks.

Kiwis have been keen to see the movie and meet the people behind it - encouraged along by coverage on TVNZ’s Seven Sharp, RNZ’s Morning Report, and the support of other media including SRN stations 95bFM, Radio Control, RadioActive, RDU and Radio One.

Now, as the award-winning film continues to travel the country, a final helping of hosts has been announced for the tour Q&As - which continue right up to the nationwide release of The Weed Eaters on April 30.

Four forking great filmmaking folks will host Q&As with the cast and creators of The Weed Eaters as the tour returns to the North Island for the last batch of advance screenings.

Paloma Schneideman, whose debut feature Big Girls Don’t Cry celebrated its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year, hosts the post-film Q&A at Auckland’s Academy Cinemas on Sunday April 26. The Big Forking Tour then heads to Tauranga, joined by director James Ashcroft (Coming Home in the Dark, The Rule of Jenny Pen and upcoming pics The Whisper Man and When Darkness Loves Us) at Luxe Cinemas on Monday April 27.

Hamilton’s the next stop for The Weed Eaters, for a screening at Lido Cinemas on Tuesday April 28, and a Q&A hosted by film all-rounder Matt Hicks (The Tavern, Home Kills). The Big Forking Tour then concludes at Auckland’s Rialto Newmarket on Wednesday April 29, with award-winning actor - and director of upcoming debut feature Caterpillar - Chelsie Preston Crayford hosting the last Q&A of the tour.

They join previously announced Q&A hosts Aaron Hawkins (Dunedin), Mayor Ben Bell (Gore), Grahame Sydney (Queenstown) and Erin Harrington (Christchurch), who can be seen at screenings of The Weed Eaters in coming days.

The tour’s been whetting appetites for The Weed Eaters - see it with your best buds on The Big Forking Tour or its theatrical release from April 30.

The Weed Eaters - The Big Forking Tour

• Monday April 20 - Q&A hosted by notable local vegetarian (& former Dunedin Mayor) Aaron Hawkins - Rialto Dunedin
• Tuesday April 21 - Q&A hosted by Gore District Mayor Ben Bell - Gore, St James Theatre
• Wednesday April 22 - Q&A hosted by renowned artist Grahame Sydney - Queenstown, Silky Otter Cinemas
• Thurs April 23 - Q&A hosted by arts and cultural critic - and horror academic - Erin Harrington - Christchurch, Kōawa Studios, Jack Mann Theatre
• Fri April 24 - NZ International Comedy Festival special 4D screening - Auckland, Hollywood Avondale
• Sunday April 26 - Q&A hosted by Paloma Schneideman (Big Girls Don’t Cry) - Auckland, Academy Cinemas
• Monday April 27 - Q&A hosted by James Ashcroft (The Rule of Jenny Pen) - Tauranga, Luxe Cinemas
• Tuesday April 28 - Q&A hosted by Matt Hicks (The Tavern) - Hamilton, Lido Cinemas
• Wednesday April 29 - Q&A hosted by Chelsie Preston Crayford (Caterpillar) - Auckland, Rialto Newmarket

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