The Dogs of Manhattan

Sam works on the tolls and likes to listen. He overhears more than he bargains for and becomes embroiled in a mishmash of corruption and blackmail. Anna is a hooker who specializes in throwing tomatoes at ageing weirdos. Sam and Anna's paths cross as he works to expose shady maneuvrings by the CEO of Infacorp, who is out to land a contract to build a tunnel under Auckland harbour.

“I’d never share a rope with him” is about as damning a comment as anyone can make about a fellow mountaineer. Sir Edmund Hillary’s words about Earle Riddiford in his last autobiography set the uneasy tone of this nuanced documentary by Earle’s son Richard Riddiford.

When a door is blown shut at an office party, near strangers Frankie and Ben find themselves stuck on a rooftop for the weekend. With only a collection of animal props and each other for company, they have nothing to do but reflect on life and love. Starring as the deserted duo are Ryan O’Kane (Tangiwai, Rage) and Australian Emma Leonard (800 Words). Both actors spent time on Aussie soap Home and Away. The feature marks a return to drama directing for Richard Riddiford (Arriving Tuesday, Tarawera), who in recent decades has concentrated on documentaries.

Monica arrives back from her big overseas experience to find her boyfriend Nick unchanged. Although Nick styles himself an artist, he is really something of a cultural redneck, and when the couple head up north for a break, and they meet up with Riki, a poet, who is rather less shallow and charming.