Caterpillar
NZ release: 14 May 2026
Sex scenes, offensive language and drug use Rated on: 10 April 2026
What’s it about?
Set in a run-down Wellington villa in 2003, Caterpillar follows three women living separate lives under one leaky roof. Sixteen-year-old Cassie is all bravado and vulnerability, drifting into risky territory as she searches for belonging.
The facts
- Directed by Chelsie Preston Crayford
- English language
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- NZ feature film set in Wellington circa 2003
Why did it get this rating?
This film was rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.
Sex scenes
A young woman takes an electric toothbrush to bed. We see and hear movement under the blankets implying masturbation before she’s interrupted by a family member.
We see a sex scene between two young people, where the girl unwraps a condom and they’re kissing on a bed. We then see the topless boy from her perspective, with movement indicating missionary-style intercourse. We later see them lying in bed together.
Drug use
Two young people smoke marijuana out of a homemade plastic bong in a parked car. We later see the young woman with dilated pupils, raiding the fridge and eating a range of food, implying she has marijuana-induced food cravings.
There are a couple of scenes with underage drinking. In the strongest scene we see characters drink in the car before heading into a house party with lots of teenagers drinking. We see a character drinking spirits from a bottle on the dance floor while people cheer her on. We then see her vomiting in the bathroom.
Offensive language
There is occasional strong language for emphasis such as ‘f*cks’, ‘fcking’, ‘sh*t’ and 'bastards’.
When content stays with you:
We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.
Further information
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