A few things you should know about July on Rialto Channel.

1. The Sundance television show Rectify has begun – it’s a ripper so catch up and get hooked.

2. The featured director of the month is American filmmaker Spike Lee. Jungle Fever, Crooklyn and Clockers screen on Sundays at 8.30pm over the coming month. It’s a great opportunity to re-live these iconic films.

3. Thursday night is Rialto Documentary night and this month there is a fabulous collection of music documentaries portraying the life and career of artists such as Sixto Rodriquez (Searching for Sugar Man) and this week’s highlight, Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?)

4. And finally, Friday nights are dedicated to crazy, intense, fired up Asian Action, including The Raid, which is another highlight this week.

Here are the highlights for the week…

Rectify is the first Sundance Channel produced television series written and created by Ray McKinnon, an actor and writer known for roles in Sons of Anarchy and Deadwood. The series stars Aussie actor Aden Young (Mao’s Last Dancer, Killer Elite) as Daniel Holden, released from prison, thanks to new DNA evidence, after 19 years on death row for raping and murdering his girlfriend. Returning to his small Southern hometown, Daniel rediscovers a world far removed from the prison where he spent 23 hours a day in solitude.

The series has critics raving in the United States, and it’s cinematic visuals and gentle pacing makes it stand out from your ordinary television series. It’s riveting television thanks to an all-round brilliant cast and a dark underlying thriller aspect to this story – is Daniel innocent or guilty.

Recently Aden Young was in Cannes promoting Rectify, and he kindly found the time to have a chat about playing such a complex character.

Now the first polar blast has swept the country you don’t need to feel guilty about moving into hibernation mode, so curl up on the couch and enjoying some of the superb films Rialto Channel is playing this month.

Throughout July there’s a host of music documentaries to savour, including the smash hit Searching for Sugar Man, and an array of feature films filled with humour, drama and action.

One of my picks this week is a brand new television series that has critics raving in the United States. It’s called Rectify and stars Aussie actor Aden Young in the lead role of ex-convict Daniel Holden. Check out my interview with Aden Young later in the week.

Here are my picks for the week.

The New Zealand Film Commission is a crown entity working to grow the New Zealand film industry. With just 22 staff, the organization is involved in pretty much all areas and aspects of filmmaking in New Zealand from training, funding and promoting locally and international, all that is New Zealand film.

Chief Executive Graeme Mason kindly took the time to have a chat about the current state of the New Zealand film industry, and the Commission’s role within it.

Hollywood leading man Martin Henderson may spend more time in the United States than New Zealand these days, but he’s still very interested in supporting local talent. Star of films The Ring and Battle in Seattle, and the television series Off The Map, Henderson is thrilled to be an ambassador for the annual short film festival Tropfest. 

In June Rialto Channel is playing a short film, including all 16 finalists from this year’s Tropfest, every night before the 8.30pm New Zealand film. 
Martin kindly took time out of his busy schedule to have a chat about Tropfest, and the importance of short films...

A three-hour lesbian drama called Blue is the Warmest Color by Franco-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche has won the top prize, the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. It was widely anticipated that this devastatingly emotional film about a love affair between two young women would scoop the top prize, however it faced stiff competition from the Coen Brothers Inside Llewyn Davis. The Coen Brothers had to settle for second place, winning the Grand Prix award.
Well, the party might be wrapping up on the Riviera, however on Rialto Channel the celebration continues with some stellar films screening this week. Here are a few of my highlights and a full list of winners from the Festival de Cannes 2013.

As the Festival de Cannes hits the midway mark the three most likely conversations in Cannes are: the terrible weather, a real life million dollar jewelry heist at the Cannes’ Hotel Novotel, located near the Palais des Festivals, and who is likely to take top honors this year.