Despite missing it in last week's column, the New Zealand International Film Festival is still underway at the Rialto Cinema.

It runs through until next Sunday (September 16), and a friend of mine berated me about not supplying more coverage.

He wanted to hear about ‘normal' films.

Like some, he is apprehensive about subtitles so wanted something in English and ‘not too weird'. Hmm...

That rather flows against my instincts.

I approach film festivals by picking the most obscure foreign films available, on the logic that they're the ones you're least likely to ever get the chance to see again. ‘Normal' ones usually return, whether to the cinema or Netflix or some such platform.

OK then. ‘Normal?'

It seems that the last week of the festival is actually documentary week. Many docs.

If you're looking for English fiction then choices are limited.

I would recommend writer/director Paul Schrader's latest, First Reformed, which stars Ethan Hawke (never better) as a conflicted priest. It's talky and serious, continuing Schrader's career-long examination of faith and men in crisis – dating right back to Taxi Driver – and showing his solid grasp of intelligent drama, with the tone not dissimilar from Affliction, which won many awards back in 1997.

Nick Hornby

In a lighter vein, though I haven't seen it, Juliet, Naked is based on a Nick Hornby book that I dearly loved. Previous adaptations – such as About a Boy and High Fidelity – have shown how well his books work as films, though this one, about an internet obsessive and a reclusive rock star, would seem a trickier proposition with all that uncinematic internet stuff...

Nonetheless, it's being described as everything a modern rom-com should be but usually isn't, and has a pleasing cast in Rose Byrne, Chris O'Dowd and Ethan Hawke (again).

Also of note is The Miseducation of Cameron Post, in which Chloe Grace Moretz's lesbian teen finds herself exiled to a gay conversion camp.

Beyond that it's documentaries and, as I alluded to, there are a lot. I've heard good things about all, so it's really a matter of personal choice. Allow me to offer a list:

The Heart Dances – the Journey of The Piano: The Ballet is about the NZ Ballet company and a production based on Jane Campion's film.

Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is about Vivienne, the titular designer and activist.

Paul Callaghan: Dancing with Atoms is about the late, great New Zealand scientist.

The Song Keepers is about Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir preparing to perform in Germany.

She Shears is a Kiwi film about five shearers. Hint – they're women.

The Ice King is about Olympic figure skater and dancer John Curry.

Pick of the Litter is about breeding and training service dogs.

The Price of Everything is about the high-end art market.

Celia is about the late New Zealand social activist Celia Lashlie – two sessions have already sold out.

B&W beauty

There is one other film showing that I can't recommend highly enough, though to my friend's despair I should mention it's in German and largely black and white.

Don't be put off!

Wim Wenders' Wings Of Desire is 30-years-old, but a film of such beauty and existential longing that it can change lives.

Nick Cave did the music and the whole Berlin-set story of two angels pondering mankind and existence is apparently dazzling in its newly-restored 4K presentation.

Okay – enough films. A concert cancelled in July is back on this Sunday (September 10).

Martha and The Backseat Drivers, from Auckland, are at Te Puna Quarry Park Gallery. It's that folk-country-blues mix they call Americana.

Martha Louise sings and plays dulcimer while The Drivers are Paul Symons on guitar, Cameron Bennett on Dobro and Weissenborn guitar, and acoustic five-string resonator bass player Stuart Grimshaw.

As well as Martha's songs they dip into tunes from Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen, Gillian Welch and the like.

For more details, or to reserve a seat, email Rosie at: waharaurosie@gmail.com.

There'll also be tickets on the night, $25.

Doors 7pm, kick off 7.30pm.