As Auckland concludes, Wellington rolls on. Of the 160+ films we've had the choice of, Li Tao's thoughtful and moving Waves has surprised us most thus far. A reminder that the best documentaries aren't necessarily about big issues, humanitarian plight or hot-button current affairs, the rapport with her subjects is at times astonishing, and a real testament to the power of people on film. Its trump moment is a one-in-a-million: as Father's Day and birthday converge, Ken breaks down as he floods himself with memories of home via a family slideshow on his laptop. Completely oblivious to Li and her camera's presence, it is the kind of distilled human capsule documentary filmmakers pursue all their life, but rarely ever capture. A diamond amongst the rough of nagging leftist docos, this has also been most refreshing entry in the Framing Reality section.

Latest Additions: JACOB POWELL reviews Fabián Bielinsky’s The Aura, the Argentinian filmmaker’s last ever film, as well as reality TV train wreck American Cannibal: The Road to Reality; CALEB STARRENBURG revels in Japanese deadpan rock out Linda Linda Linda; MELODY NIXON considers Saratan’s reality-jolting view of life in Kyrgyzstan; TIM WONG includes his thoughts on A Scanner Darkly, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Linda Linda Linda and The Wild Blue Yonder + new capsule reviews for Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story, Matthew Barney: No Restraint and 58 more in our Festival Form Guide.