Download - New Zealand Automobile Association

FEATUREMOVIE MAGICBY GREG BRUCEFOR THE PAST ten years orso, from the time my incomebegan exceeding my outgoings,nothing has given me morewintry pleasure than themagical day each June whenI pick up the freshly-printedNew Zealand InternationalFilm Festival programme.I most like to get it fromAuckland’s Civic theatre,because that is where I mostlike to watch films: that fantasticstarry palace where I couldwatch a blank screen for 90minutes and still come awayquite moved. Most years, thereare only two weeks you canwatch films at The Civic, andthose are the two weeks of thefilm festival.The festival programme isfilled with elegant, funny, lovingdescriptions of the films, writtenby the geniuses who spendmonths carefully choosingthem. To sit with it for a dayor so, when I should be doingproductive work, is the bestimaginable waste of my time.For weeks after first picking upthe programme, I spend manywork hours fantasising aboutthe films and the day – usually aSaturday, grey, wet, cold – whenI will finally make the deliciousdrive, heater full on my feet,from my home to the AucklandCBD, park underground andarrive warmly for my first filmat The Civic.Many June and July days areframed by the soft-focus thoughtof arriving in that grandlobby full of warmly dressedpeople drowning in perfumesand good, thick clothes. Themoment, when it comes, ispretty great too, but the realpower has always been in itsanticipation, that distant sparkof midwinter brightness.WINTERMOTORING TIPSnow chains should be usedwhen there’s snow or ice coveringthe road. Find a safe place tofit the chains before enteringthe snow. The chains producevibration when driving, so proceedslowly and with caution. Removethe chains when you have a clearroad ahead to prevent damage tothe vehicle, the chains andthe road.Getaways. Shot by Tessa Chrisp.www.aadirections.co.nz 29